Popular Woodworking 2000-04 № 114, страница 6
Letters Mystery of the Roman numeral IIII deepens Many Explanations for why 'IV' is Printed 'IIII' on Clock Faces In regard to Tim Neveldine's observation of the use of "IIII" on the face of your Shaker clock, I have the utmost respect for S. LaRose as a parts supplier for horologists, but Mr. Laing's explanation doesn't even scratch the surface of the IV/IIII controversy. If you were to eavesdrop on a conversation about this topic in a room full of members of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC), of which I'm a former member, you would probably hear at least half a dozen explanations being bandied about. In fact, this question has been revisited a number of times in the group's newsletter. The three most popular explanations seem to be: 1. The "IIII" was used to "balance" the clock dial by providing symmetry and offsetting the heaviness of the VIII. 2. That a clock made for a monarch (some say Louis XIV) was initially made with the "IV," to which the king objected as being incorrect. The clockmaker, not wanting to offend his monarch, immediately changed the dial. 3. That "IV" is from an old Roman text, and is how the Romans spelled the name of the god Jupiter. Obviously, 1, 2, 3, god, 5 wouldn't have worked when writing numerals. In fact, the earliest Romans apparently did use "IIII" and not "IV." Which is correct? Only the first clock-maker to make a dial with "IIII" can answer that question, and he ain't talking. Michael O'Handley Kenmore, Washington Another Vote for Symmetry Let me comment on your reply (PW #112) to a letter regarding the use of the Roman numeral "IIII" on the face of old clocks. I was once told by the curator of a clock museum that "IIII," as opposed to "IV," better balances with the "VIII" on the opposite side of the clock, thus providing a sense of symmetry. For the same reason, in most advertisements for watches and clocks in the print media, the hands are positioned symmetrically at approximately 10 minutes past 10. I've heard it said that 10 past 10 is preferred to 18 past eight because it puts a smile on the face of the clock rather than a frown. Jacob Petersen Brandon, Vermont The 'Rise of Home Woodworking' Article Brought Back Memories "The Amazing Rise of Home Woodworking" article (January 2000, #112) was very interesting. Although I haven't gotten into furniture-making as such, I make a lot of wood crafts and have recently started to do the painting, which my daughter previously did. The comments regarding manual arts training in high schools were especially interesting to me because that is where I got my first taste of woodworking in the early 1940s. Also included in the manual training course was mechanical drafting, which I thoroughly enjoyed, to the extent that I took a correspondence course in mechanical drafting, which lead me to my career in engineering with General Motors after graduating from GMI (General Motors Institute) in 1952. I will always WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU Popular Woodworking welcomes letters from readers with questions or comments about the magazine or woodworking in general.We try to respond to all correspondence. Published letters may be edited for length or style.All letters become the property of Popular Woodworking. How to Send Your Letter: • E-mail: Popwood@FWPubs.com • Fax: (513) 531-0919 • Mail carrier: Letters • Popular Woodworking 1507 Dana Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45207 12 Popular Woodworking April 2000 |
