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.
This story appears in the February 2021 issue of National Geographic magazine.
<b>1. Automaton</b>
1. Automaton
More from this series
Go Further
Animals
- Who buys lion bones? Inside South Africa’s skeleton tradeWho buys lion bones? Inside South Africa’s skeleton trade
- Axolotls and capybaras are TikTok famous—is that a problem?Axolotls and capybaras are TikTok famous—is that a problem?
- 5 surprising ways elephants have evolved
- Animals
- Interactive Graphic
5 surprising ways elephants have evolved - Elephants are learning to live with us. Can we do the same?
- Animals
- Interactive Graphic
Elephants are learning to live with us. Can we do the same? - See how Nat Geo photographed elephants over 100 yearsSee how Nat Geo photographed elephants over 100 years
- The secret superpowers of elephants, in stop motion, Video StoryThe secret superpowers of elephants, in stop motion
Environment
- Why poison ivy is an unlikely climate change winnerWhy poison ivy is an unlikely climate change winner
- Rats invaded paradise. Here’s how paradise fought back.Rats invaded paradise. Here’s how paradise fought back.
- A giant mass of seaweed threatens beach season in the U.S.A giant mass of seaweed threatens beach season in the U.S.
- What is aquaculture? It may be the solution to overfishing.What is aquaculture? It may be the solution to overfishing.
- A deadly fungus with mysterious origins is raising alarmsA deadly fungus with mysterious origins is raising alarms
History & Culture
- The real history of exorcisms that you don't see in moviesThe real history of exorcisms that you don't see in movies
- See how Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr around the worldSee how Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr around the world
- 'The Odyssey' offers more than just monsters and magic'The Odyssey' offers more than just monsters and magic
- Kosovo wants to decide its future—but will history hold it back?Kosovo wants to decide its future—but will history hold it back?
Science
- These 7 hormones control your hunger. Can we influence them?These 7 hormones control your hunger. Can we influence them?
- 52-million-year-old bat skeletons are the oldest ever found52-million-year-old bat skeletons are the oldest ever found
Travel
- All aboard the slow train to Patagonia, a relic of a bygone eraAll aboard the slow train to Patagonia, a relic of a bygone era
- 8 of the best new hotels for a US city break in 20238 of the best new hotels for a US city break in 2023
- 6 hiking and biking trails to explore in the Alps this summer6 hiking and biking trails to explore in the Alps this summer
- The Civil War raged outside their homes. Explore their stories.The Civil War raged outside their homes. Explore their stories.
- 7 hands-on food and drink experiences to try in Italy7 hands-on food and drink experiences to try in Italy
- Behind the fairytales: a journey into the Black ForestBehind the fairytales: a journey into the Black Forest