OzSTOC

No Parking Zone! => Off Topic, Off Colour, and non-motorcycle related => Topic started by: StinkyPete on July 01, 2014, 08:12:10 AM

Title: Cuckoo Clock
Post by: StinkyPete on July 01, 2014, 08:12:10 AM
We've recently bought a Cuckoo Clock.   Today I noticed an error with the Roman Numerals for the clock face numbers.    Every bit of information that I've seen or read indicates that the Roman Numeral for the number 4 should be IV.    However, this high quality, and rather pricy hand made German Cuckoo Clock incorrectly shown the Roman Numerals IIII for the number 4 on the clock face.    :p
Title: Re: Cuckoo Clock
Post by: Brock on July 01, 2014, 08:22:36 AM
A bit of artistic licence perhaps. IIII is easier to position maybe.
Title: Re: Cuckoo Clock
Post by: johnnyYTED on July 01, 2014, 08:29:40 AM
 :dred11                            :dred11                               :dred11
 :think1  its obvious the maker wasn't an IV user.   :eek :fp  :rofl :crackup :rofl  :spank
Title: Re: Cuckoo Clock
Post by: StinkyPete on July 01, 2014, 08:36:48 AM
:think1  its obvious the maker wasn't an IV user.

Very Good  :crackup
Title: Re: Cuckoo Clock
Post by: Biggles on July 01, 2014, 08:44:45 AM
There's a story behind that.  As I recall, King George Third refused to accept that IV was the correct designation and decreed it would be IIII.  The story is also attributed to King Louis XIV of France.

I prefer this reason: using IIII means that only I is seen the first four hour markings on the, V is only seen in the next four markings, and X is seen only in the last four markings, creating radial symmetry.

So it's really an artistic licence.
Title: Re: Cuckoo Clock
Post by: StinkyPete on July 02, 2014, 05:05:55 PM
Biggles, just for a minute I thought you were spreading BS, working on the theory that if you say something with enough conviction, you will be believed.

However, I'll never be able to look at a clock face with Roman numerals, without my eye being drawn to the fourth hour marker.     There are some very interesting and varied explanations.    Here's some...........   http://www.cuckooclockworld.com/funny06.htm (http://www.cuckooclockworld.com/funny06.htm)
Title: Re: Cuckoo Clock
Post by: tj189 on July 02, 2014, 05:34:07 PM
Google is my friend  8)