Popping into a hardware store won’t do when Brittany Nicole Cox needs parts or tools. She’s an antiquarian horologist, trained to conserve and restore historic clocks and the clockwork showpieces called automatons (1 and 8, below). “I work on objects created before mass production, before the standardization of things like screw threading,” Cox explains. So when she needs to replace a part in a delicate mechanism that may have sat frozen for a century, she builds it in her Seattle workshop, often using tools that also are antiques. “There’s such craft and art in them,” she says.
To conserve and restore historic clocks and the clockwork showpieces called automatons—an example is top left in this photo—antiquarian horologist Brittany Nicole Cox relies on some specialized tools that themselves are antiques.
More from this series
Go Further
Animals
- Montana has made killing wolves easier. Some hunters are pushing back.Montana has made killing wolves easier. Some hunters are pushing back.
- Oil company accused of ignoring community concerns about water, wildlifeOil company accused of ignoring community concerns about water, wildlife
Environment
- The Great Plains prairie needs fire to survive. These ranchers are bringing it back.The Great Plains prairie needs fire to survive. These ranchers are bringing it back.
- How tiny Monaco became a giant in ocean conservationHow tiny Monaco became a giant in ocean conservation
- Meat production leads to thousands of air quality-related deaths annuallyMeat production leads to thousands of air quality-related deaths annually
- ‘Megadrought’ persists in western U.S., as another extremely dry year develops‘Megadrought’ persists in western U.S., as another extremely dry year develops
History & Culture
- Was cancer really less likely in a pre-industrial world?Was cancer really less likely in a pre-industrial world?
- This Chinese monk's epic, east-to-west travels rival Marco Polo'sThis Chinese monk's epic, east-to-west travels rival Marco Polo's
- Medieval elites used handwashing as a shrewd ‘power play.’ Here’s how.Medieval elites used handwashing as a shrewd ‘power play.’ Here’s how.
- The bloody history of anti-Asian violence in the WestThe bloody history of anti-Asian violence in the West
- Survivors recall the terror of the first F5 tornadoSurvivors recall the terror of the first F5 tornado
Science
- A rare black fungus is infecting many of India's COVID-19 patients—why?A rare black fungus is infecting many of India's COVID-19 patients—why?
- The sun is getting stormier—just in time for a total eclipseThe sun is getting stormier—just in time for a total eclipse
- China is about to try a high-stakes landing on MarsChina is about to try a high-stakes landing on Mars
- CDC: Fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks indoorsCDC: Fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks indoors
- Why vaccine side effects really happen, and when you should worryWhy vaccine side effects really happen, and when you should worry
- The Himalaya mountains are ‘breathing,’ geologists sayThe Himalaya mountains are ‘breathing,’ geologists say
Travel
- The Great Loop is the epic U.S. adventure you’ve never heard ofThe Great Loop is the epic U.S. adventure you’ve never heard of
- See millions of years of history while beachcombing in San FranciscoSee millions of years of history while beachcombing in San Francisco
- Hiking a desert park? Here’s how to help preserve the landscapeHiking a desert park? Here’s how to help preserve the landscape
- What does a COVID-19 outbreak mean for life at Everest’s base camp?What does a COVID-19 outbreak mean for life at Everest’s base camp?