Tick Talk Tuesday #23 – Forestville clock with electromechanical movement

Posted on by rjoiner2021
Tick-Talk Tuesday is about the letters and comments I have received from you, the reader, concerning your clock, issues you might have had, challenges you face or a clock you would like me to profile. I offer my responses to your questions with advice on your particular clock concern. For those comments and questions that stump even me, I consult within my clock circles for the best possible answer

Not the most attractive clock in the world but a curiosity nonetheless. It is a mechanical clock but it is not wound in the conventional manner.

AA writes, “Hi Ron. The attached picture is of clock award that was presented to my grandfather, H E. A (was the first Business Manager of the Baltimore Orioles) by the Maryland State Baseball Association. I’m not sure what year he got this award, but Eddie Brooks was President/Commissioner of the MSBA from its founding in 1945 until his death in 1968, so it was sometime during that period.

From the attached pictures can you help narrow down the age of the clock and anything else that might be helpful in determining its approximate value? The front says “Forestville” but the clockworks visible from the back says “Kienzle.””

“C” size battery for the movement

My reply, “What you have is a Forestville shelf clock with a Kienzle electromechanical movement and they were made from the beginning of the 60s. It is not a quartz, it is a mechanical movement. The battery operates a relay that rewinds the spring. There may be a number on the back of the movement that might help you narrow down the date of manufacture.

There may have been a Forestville company operating in the US but there was also a well-known company called Forestville based in Toronto, Canada.

In any event companies would often source movements from different suppliers and in this particular case Kienzle was the supplier for Forestville.

I don’t see many of these offered for sale so it is hard to pin down a price. If you check Ebay,  prices seem to be all over the map.

Hope that helps.

AA replies back, “Thank you so much for your prompt response, Ron — that’s very helpful information. I’ll check to see if there’s a number on the back of the movement and will also do somee snooping around on Ebay.

Thanks again.”