Pictorial catalogue of antique clocks and Sedan Chairs

Those who might have missed the exhibitions of antique Maltese clocks or the Sedan Chair (Is-Suggetta) organised by Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti have the opportunity to see the next best thing to the exhibits themselves, thanks to books by Miranda Publishers.

In collaboration with Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti, Miranda have just published two books that will form part of a series of nine, planned to be issued throughout next year. The other books in the theme will be about Girolamo Gianni In Malta, The Silver Of Malta, Maltese Prehistoric Art, Costume In Malta, Portable Altars In Malta, Antique Sicilian Maiolica In Malta and Antique Maltese Furniture.

The book about Maltese clocks was written by John Manduca and Nicky Depiro authored the Sedan Chair book.

"I wanted to publish this series first of all to pay tribute to Maurice de Giorgio who, at the age of 80, wanted to restore Palazzo Falson, in Mdina, and the magnificent Gollcher collection. He spent six years working on it, collected Lm1 million and did it. The man deserves gratification for what he has done for our heritage.

"I have great respect for Mr de Giorgio who not only set standards as to what an exhibition should be like but who also gave us the possibility of seeing the wealth of material we have in the Maltese islands. The exhibitions helped rekindle interest in our heritage," Miranda Publishers director Eddie Aquilina said.

Mr Aquilina said he has had the two latest books in mind for a long time and had commissioned photographer Daniel Cilia to take photos of the exhibitions so that, in addition to seeing individual exhibits, one can also get a feel of what the exhibition was like.

Antique Maltese clocks, as well as contemporary reproductions, are very much in demand, with good quality genuine antique items fetching up to Lm11,000. The clocks were known as Tal-lira and probably got their name from the Italian name of a popular Italian clock known as Orologio a lira. Being so ornate, gold guilded and with an elaborate mechanism inside, it is highly unlikely that the clocks were worth just one soverign (a lira), as some have often implied.

The clocks also contain varied images of landscapes and seascapes while some have floral motifs. Some feature scenes of Mdina and the Grand Harbour. Early examples had just the hour hand and later ones also had a minute hand.

The Sedan Chair was a status symbol as servants carried priviliged people in it. Servants could have a way of getting back at their masters by jostling him during the journey! The Sedan Chair in Malta already existed in the mid-1600s and the last records of their use goes bach to 1930, when it was used to carry priests administering viaticum in stormy weather.