Rare Early Antique Timber Cased Pul-Syn-Etic Slave Clock by Gent of Leicester
IG221811
A rare and characterful early example of the Gent Pul-Syn-Etic slave clock in its original timber case — a significantly earlier and more desirable format than the pressed metal and Bakelite-cased examples that followed. The warm ochre dial with Roman numerals, the distinctive arrow-head hands, and the abbreviated GENTS’ LE’STERmaker’s mark all point to an early production date, and the clock retains its original brass wall fittings and the complete original Pul-Syn-Etic impulse movement in the case behind.
The Clock
The dial is a warm ochre-painted metal face carrying bold Roman numerals in a serif typeface of confident Victorian character. The minute track is a fine double ring with rectangular chapter markers and small triangular pointers at the five-minute positions — a level of detail that reflects the quality of early Gent production. The GENTS’ LE’STER mark is printed in an arched arrangement below the twelve o’clock position — the period abbreviation of Gents of Leicester used on their earlier dial faces, and a useful dating detail. The PUL-SYN-ET name arcs above centre, naming the impulse system for which this movement was produced.
The hands are a particularly fine feature — the hour hand a broad, flat, arrow-headed form with a scooped waist, and the minute hand a long slender point terminating in a distinctive star-shaped counterbalance at the tail. Both are blued steel, original and intact.
The case is a turned and moulded circular timber drum finished in gloss black, the profile generously deep with a well-defined stepped moulding to the front edge that gives the case a quality entirely absent from later metal equivalents. The case retains its original brass wall plate and keyhole escutcheon for hanging, together with a brass winding or access pin on the top edge — all original and in good order.
The Movement
The rear of the case reveals the original Pul-Syn-Etic impulse movement — Gent’s proprietary electromagnetic slave movement, driven by regular electrical impulses from a master clock. The movement is visible through the open back: a brass plate assembly with the characteristic large ratchet wheel, impulse lever arm, balance components and the original copper-wound electromagnetic coil still fitted, its green winding largely intact. This is a complete, unstripped movement in honest original condition — a genuinely instructive view of the engineering behind one of Britain’s most widely specified institutional clock systems.
Gent of Leicester — Pul-Syn-Etic
Gent & Co. Ltd developed the Pul-Syn-Etic system in the late nineteenth century as a solution for synchronising multiple slave dials to a single master clock across large sites. The name — a contraction of pulse synchronised electric— described the operating principle exactly: a master clock sent regular electrical impulses through a wired network to slave movements, each impulse advancing the slave dial by one minute. The system was specified across British railway stations, hospitals, factories, schools and public buildings, and became the standard institutional clock infrastructure of the Victorian and Edwardian period. Early timber-cased examples of this type pre-date the mass-produced metal and Bakelite housings of the mid-twentieth century and are considerably rarer than later production.
Power
As a slave clock, this piece is offered for display or conversion. It can be converted to run independently on battery or mains power with a suitable replacement movement. The original Pul-Syn-Etic movement is retained within the case and displayed as part of the piece. Please enquire regarding conversion options.
Ideal For
- Victorian, Edwardian and Arts & Crafts interiors
- Railway and institutional heritage settings
- Collectors of early British industrial and horological artefacts
- Statement residential and commercial installations
- Library, study and workspace environments
Technical Specification
Maker
Gent & Co. Ltd (GENTS’ LE’STER), Leicester, England
Type
Pul-Syn-Etic slave clock — original impulse movement retained
Origin
England
Era
Late Victorian / early Edwardian, circa 1890–1910
Stock No.
IG221811
Diameter
406mm (16")
Depth
76mm (3")
Weight
To be confirmed — please enquire
Case
Turned timber drum, gloss black finish, stepped front moulding
Dial
Ochre-painted metal · Roman numerals · Original blued steel hands
Fittings
Original brass wall plate, keyhole hanger and access pin
Movement
Original Pul-Syn-Etic electromagnetic impulse movement retained · Brass plate with ratchet wheel, impulse lever and copper-wound solenoid coil
Power
Offered for display or battery/mains conversion — please enquire
UK Export HS Code
9105 21 00
Condition
Very good antique condition for age. Case structurally sound with original finish. Dial intact with honest age and minor surface wear. Original hands, movement and brass fittings all present and complete.
Shipping
Worldwide shipping available — please enquire for a quote. All shipments are fully insured through Secursus.
