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Article: Plato clock was once a timely innovation
- Article from:
- The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Milwaukee, WI)
- Article date:
- August 2, 1998
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 1998 The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Over the centuries, time has been measured in many ways. Early
clocks were candles marked in segments, or sundials. Clocks with a
dial divided into 12 parts, with two hands that indicate the hour
and minute, date from the 1400s. In 1902, a novelty clock was
patented that resembled a lantern. Flipping numbered cards
displayed the time. The clock had a brass stand and handle, with a
glass cylinder enclosing the cards. The unusual clock was named the
"Plato" because the famous Greek philosopher Plato was said to have
carried a lantern shaped like the clock while he was "looking for an
honest man."
The Plato clock, patented by Eugene Fitch of New York City,
probably was made by the ...