unknown, all have passing strike. France: Rafter (especially inverted “Y” a typical French design), Glass and Keyhole (Roberts’ term) as well as ornate designs. The Escapement of a skeleton clock is typically different from one used in a tall case, mantle and wall clock. In Great Britain, anchor (recoil), dead beat, balance wheel and tic tac. In France, pinwheel, coup perdu, (both dead beat), crossbeat or variant of Dutretre’s escapement. The motive power is typically with a spring and, in Britain Fusee, or, in France, a Going Barrel although weight-driven clocks were made in these small sizes with durations up to a month usually with two weights wound around the same barrel. British clocks sometimes used a Remontoire to power the strike. Tall case clocks most often had a time and strike train, later a chime train was added. A skeleton clock would utilize a passing strike that struck just once on the hour. Nowadays the term skeleton clock is also used to describe modern skeleton clocks for wall. Unlike the 18th century skeleton clocks most of those contemporary timepieces are powered by the battery-operated quartz mechanism. The quartz movement used is a low cost, mass produced, plastic mechanism of no decorative value. It is disguised within the clock’s body therefore skeleton design is expressed in the open form of the clock face. Modern skeleton wall clocks have no visible back-plate. The wall background can be seen between the numbers or framework. Majority of the timepieces have minimalist design that can be easily manufactured on a large scale. This makes them inexpensive and popular. Higher valued timepieces with artistic value are usually handmade of wood or wrought iron. References Source for construction manuals by England's John Wilding Source for construction manuals by America's Bill Smith Source for skeleton clocks for wall by Peak Art Further reading Roberts, Derek. Continental and American Skeleton Clocks. West Chester: Schiffer, 1989. . Royer-Collard, F.B. Skeleton Clocks. London: N.A.G, 1969 and 1977. . Clocks