Searching for history in Awatere Valley
The article from October 1980 about the rare clock from the Awatere Valley. Photo: Supplied.
An article from an October 1980 edition of the Evening Mail Motueka Golden Bay has been on Wayne Samson’s mind ever since he came across it several years ago.
The article featured Motueka auctioneer Travis Lummis, who spoke of a “once in a lifetime” find – a valuable 17th-century English clock known as a Bob Pendulum.
This timepiece, said to be from an Awatere Valley family estate, was auctioned off in Blenheim in 1980 for an impressive $2,900, a price believed to be a record for a mantel clock. The brass beauty is considered one of the oldest clocks ever auctioned in New Zealand.
Wayne, a Nelson-based clock collector and enthusiast, has a similar clock and has spent the past few years searching for more information about this particular Bob Pendulum.
He’s wondering if anyone from the Awatere area knows anything about this clock or remembers which family it may have belonged to. Any insights would be greatly appreciated.
For any information, people can contact Eloise at [email protected] or 020 4184 2546.