A goggle search of Hamilton Clock Co. might lead you to the Hamilton Watch Co. or vintage 1980s German or Chinese made clocks with the Hamilton label. Your search may very well yield even more results.
In any event, it is none of the above.
I have I have six other 30-hour ogee clocks in my collection but none are Canadian. This, the seventh, will be the first home grown ogee clock in my collection.
The Hamilton Clock Company and made clocks in Hamilton, Ontario. The company was born out of the Canada Clock Company of Whitby, Ontario that was originally founded in 1872. The Hamilton Clock Company opened its doors in 1876 but did not last 4 years and went out of business in1880.
When the company closed its doors several Hamilton businessmen were anxious to form a new company and resume operations. The new company was known as the Canada Clock Company and began operations in January 1881 but 4 years later in 1885 the end came and with it the end of clock-making in Canada until 1903 when Arthur Pequegnat built a factory in Kitchener (then Berlin), Ontario to bring Canadian-made clocks to the masses.
Collectors of these clocks often refer to the second Canada Clock Company as Canada Clock Co. II. They were three distinct companies although collectors tend to group them together for simplicity. The Hamilton Clock Company and Canada Clock Co. II shared the same factory and the same clock making equipment.
The movements were made in Canada though they were essentially copies of American movements, most notably those manufactured by the Waterbury Clock Company. Case styles were also “borrowed” from Waterbury, Ansonia and New Haven. Made in Canada, yes, original designs, no!
The ogee featured here is almost exactly the same dimensions as a typical American ogee of the time. The brass movement is a 30-hour time and strike with brass nuts to hold the plates. The movement measures 4.59″ X 3.56″.
I will be servicing the movement and addressing any wear issues but I ran it for a few days and all looks good. The case requires some work. There are a number of areas that will require new veneer. I believe the wood is mahogany and I have an old ogee case that should provide the veneer I need. I have a very busy summer so, it will be a fall project.
Antique and Vintage Clocks 