Local horologist and author Bob Frishman has earned national recognition for his contributions to the study of early American clockmaking. At the American Philosophical Society’s annual meeting in Philadelphia on April 24, Frishman was presented with the prestigious John Frederick Lewis Award for his book Edward Duffield: Philadelphia Clockmaker, Citizen, Gentleman, 1730–1803.
The award, established in 1981, honors the best book published by the Society each year. The American Philosophical Society—founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1743—is the oldest learned society in the United States, and its ranks include over 100 Nobel laureates.
Frishman, an Andover resident, is a respected figure in the world of horology, the study and measurement of time. His book, which is available locally at the Andover Bookstore, sheds new light on the life and work of Edward Duffield, an 18th-century clockmaker who was a contemporary and close friend of Franklin himself.
In a photo from the event, Frishman is seen receiving the award from APS President Roger S. Bagnall.
Those familiar with Frishman’s work say the recognition is well deserved. “It’s not every day a local author and historian is honored by one of the nation’s most venerable scholarly institutions,” said Andover Bookstore manager Sarah Klock. “It’s a moment of pride for Andover.”