Vintage Johnson Darkroom Chess Timer

Vintage Johnson Darkroom Chess Timer

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Reference

29016

Vintage English Johnsons of Hendon Timepiece.
A working Johnson Darkroom Timer made in England, extensively used as a photographic darkroom timer. It counts elapsed time up to 60 minutes with the small hand, the larger hand counts the seconds. The lever on the right as you view the clock is the start/stop lever, and the one on the top resets the hands to zero. The mechanism winds up from the back and the rear of the case stamped 'Manufactured by English Clock Systems Ltd., Industrial Branch of Smiths English Clocks Ltd., London'. As Johnsons were in the photographic industry the clock was most probably made for them by English Clock Systems Ltd., we estimate sometime in the Mid 20th century. The outer metal case is in good all-round order with a few chips to the metallic paint finish.

Although made as a dark room timer it is suitable to time anything from Cooking to chess. It is in working order, but the hands and clock face are no longer luminous.

Taken from :- photomemorabilia.co.uk

During the Second World War the company (Johnsons of Hendon) decided to concentrate solely on photographic chemical production side but the old-established business of Houghton-Butcher, at Ensign House 88/89 High Holborn, London, was destroyed by enemy action during the nights of 24th / 25th September 1940. Thus, on October 7th, Ensign Ltd, the sales wing of Houghton-Butcher, was wound up and sale of the remaining stock of enlargers, epidiascopes and cine cameras was taken over by Johnson & Sons, who named this equipment marketing 'arm' of their business Johnsons Holborn.
This was to be the beginning of a very long association for Johnsons of Hendon with both the manufacture and distribution of high-grade photographic equipment. Over the next thirty years, Johnsons of Hendon produced developing tanks, enlargers, thermometers and darkroom accessories of all kinds and became distributors for such well-known names as Durst, Eumig, Braun, Voigtlander, Paterson, Ferrania, Polaroid, Tamron, Bolex, Aiwa, Denon and Zeiss Ikon.

Dimensions:

Height 14 cm / 5 "
Width 13.5 cm / 5 "
Depth 6 cm / 2 "
Period

1950-1999

Year

Mid 20th Cent.

Medium

Metal

Country

England

Condition

Working order, case showing signs of wear.

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