A wall dial clock is a clock with a large circular dial, usually set within a wooden surround, that hangs on a wall with its movement housed in a shallow box behind. The English dial clock is a classic example, prized for its clear, legible face and reliable timekeeping.
Dial clocks developed in England in the later eighteenth century and became widespread in the nineteenth century, when they were installed in railway stations, schools, offices, shops, churches and the service areas of country houses. Most English examples have a painted or silvered dial, often of twelve inches or more, a mahogany or oak surround and a high-quality spring-driven fusee movement, which provides an even force for accurate timekeeping. Drop dial clocks have an extended box beneath the dial with a small window to show the pendulum, and some versions were inlaid with brass or mother-of-pearl. Railway and public clocks often bear the names of railway companies or retailers. Collectors look for fusee movements, original dials and hands, good mahogany surrounds and makers' names. Later American and German spring-driven versions are more common and generally less valuable.
