Large & Rare Industrial Cast Iron Factory Clock by Gent of Leicester
IG222099
A large, rare and exceptionally characterful industrial cast iron factory clock by Gent & Co. Ltd of Leicester — a format seldom encountered at this scale and in this quality of original condition. Where the standard Gent institutional clock was pressed steel or spun metal, this example is housed in a substantial cast iron body of a kind produced for the most demanding industrial environments: foundries, engineering works, heavy manufacturing — sites where the clock was expected to endure decades of heat, vibration, dirt and hard use, and did exactly that.
At 28 kilograms and an overall diameter of 23 inches, this is an imposing object with considerable physical presence. It commands a wall rather than decorates it.
The Clock
The case is the primary statement — a deep-profile cast iron drum finished in the period institutional green, the paint surface carrying the textured, slightly hammered character of original factory application. The bezel ring is a substantial moulded casting with a pronounced rolled edge, and the three cast iron mounting lugs — one at twelve o’clock and two at the three and nine positions — are a defining functional detail of this format: designed for fixed bracket or direct wall mounting in industrial buildings, the lugs confirming this as a clock built for permanent installation rather than domestic hanging. Original brass fixing screws are present in the case surround.
The dial is the most visually striking element. A white-ground painted metal face, it has developed an extraordinary natural oxidation across its surface — an organic map of amber, ochre, burnt sienna and deep rust bloom spreading from the centre outward, pooling and forming around the numerals and minute track with the quality of a natural landscape or an aged painting. It is a surface of remarkable beauty that could not be manufactured or replicated. Beneath and through the patination, the bold raised black Arabic numerals remain fully legible — a robust moulded form that reads at distance even from across a large industrial space, as they were designed to do. The minute track is a crisp alternating arrangement of rectangular dash markers and dot indicators at the five-minute positions, printed in black on the white ground, surviving well beneath the surface variation. The GENTS’ OF LEICESTER maker’s mark sits clearly in the lower centre of the dial face.
The hands are original and complete — the same distinctive Gent mid-century format: a broad arrow hour hand and long tapered spear minute hand, both terminating in the characteristic bat-wing or star counterbalance form at the tail, finished in matte black. Against the extraordinary oxidised dial surface they have a near-sculptural quality.
Scale
Photographs alone do not fully communicate what 28 kilograms of cast iron and a 23-inch diameter means in a room. The scale shot included in this listing demonstrates it clearly: this clock is a significant architectural object. It suits the largest commercial, hospitality and industrial conversion spaces, and in the right domestic setting — a double-height room, a large loft, an architect’s house — it becomes the defining element of a wall.
Gent of Leicester
Gent & Co. Ltd of Leicester supplied public and institutional timekeeping infrastructure to British industry, railways and civic buildings from the mid-nineteenth century onwards, their slave clock systems providing synchronised time across factories, hospitals, schools and stations throughout the UK and Commonwealth. The cast iron format represents the most robust and durable expression of their factory range — built for the hardest working environments in British industry.
Power
As a slave clock, this piece is offered for display or conversion to independent battery or mains operation with a suitable replacement movement. Please enquire regarding conversion options.
Ideal For
- Large industrial conversions, warehouses and loft apartments
- Statement commercial, retail and hospitality installations
- Architects and interior designers working with industrial materials at scale
- Restaurant and bar environments seeking commanding wall presence
- Serious collectors of British industrial and institutional design
Technical Specification
Maker
Gent & Co. Ltd, Leicester, England
Type
Industrial factory slave clock · Cast iron
Origin
England
Era
Mid twentieth century, circa 1940s–1960s
Stock No.
IG222099
Dial Diameter
457mm (18")
Overall Diameter
584mm (23")
Depth
76mm (3")
Weight
28kg
Case
Cast iron drum · Period institutional green paint · Three cast iron mounting lugs · Original brass fixing screws
Dial
Painted metal · Raised black Arabic numerals · Extraordinary natural oxidation patina · Original minute track intact
Hands
Original matte black arrow and spear form with bat-wing counterbalance
Power
Offered for display or battery/mains conversion — please enquire
UK Export HS Code
9105 21 00
Condition
Very good condition for age and type. Cast iron case structurally sound with original painted finish. Dial intact with remarkable natural oxidation surface — a feature of the piece, not damage. Original hands complete. Honest surface character consistent with working factory installation over several decades.
Shipping
Worldwide shipping available — please enquire for a quote. At 28kg this piece requires specialist packing; please allow additional lead time. All shipments are fully insured through Secursus.
