In the British world of horology, only a few individuals were distinguished for clock-making genius and one of them was Martin Burgess, an English horologist and master clockmaker.
Burgess received his education between 1944 and 1949 at Gresham’s School. Holt. While attending school, Burgess became a member of Farfield along with a furniture maker and conservator who established the youth movement Cathedral Camps, Robert Aagaard.
Some of Burgess’ memories and compelling thoughts about his school in the year 1947,when the coldest winter was recorded, can be retrieved from the written piece “I Will Plant Me a Tree: an Illustrated History of Gresham’s School (2002). It was not only a significant and remarkable winter due its intense temperature. It was also recorded that the school remained unheated die to the insufficient supply of fuel.
Burgess had even recorded the horrors associated with the cold winter that reading his text would compel readers to sympathize with him. He said that there are days when people were donned “in full overcoats and scarves” and were people pray to keep themselves warn and safe. He recalled that the icy cold winter in 1947 had even took away a life of one man.
Burgess’ career did not began in dealing with clocks. He first became a restorer of Egyptian antiques and only turned to the world of clocks. He easily distinguished his niche— the creation of gigantic and more advanced clock, which he designed with detached escapement. The term sculptural horology was credited to him.
Burgess is also a leading authority when it comes to John Harrison, one of the world’s most famous horologist who created breakthrough in clocks, the marine chronometer. Seafareres credit their ability to accurately measure the longitude to John Harrison’s breakthrough device. But even until today, nobody has fully grasp the concept Harrison applied in regulators clocks.
The Sculptural Clocks with Bells is one of the greatest British antique clocks made by Burgess. It continues to exist up to this age and can be located at the former Time Museum of Rockford,Illinois.
Another impressive work from Burgess is a collectible clock, the Second Sculptural Clock made in 1965. The clock is currently in the possession of the American graphic artist Donal Saff. As one of the most priced antique clock in the world, the Second Sculptural Clock appeared in the Horological Journal in August, 2001. It has an expansive compound pendulum.
Burgess’ sculptural clocks were among the world’s favorite collectible clock that versions of it were made for a limited number of people. There were only 35 replicas of such clocks, called the Concord clocks. Being a replica of the original sculptural clock, the Concord clock is only half the size of Burgess’ clocks. The clock was in Harrison style with grasshopper encasement and compound pendulum. It stands 30" high, 14" wide, 11" deep.
Burgess’ antique clocks left an indomitable impression of the British collectible clocks and will all be recorded for posterity.