I often get letters from my readers that begin with something like, “I picked this up in a thrift store” and marvel at what they find for next to nothing. Quite often the item they snagged at an unbelievable price needs a little love but that is to be expected.
While on our summer jaunts my wife occasionally drags me into the odd thrift store because as she says, you’ll never know what we’ll find” and quite often she’s right. Over the past two or three years, we have bought a few jazz and classical CDs for next to nothing (yes, CDs are back).
Recently we stopped in a small town in an adjacent province to look around. We found a couple of classical CDs and were content to leave when my wife pointed out a mission-style clock hanging behind the cash.
“What’s the price on that? “, I asked. “I don’t know, the boss is in the back” I found him throwing items into a dumpster, obviously things that could not even be given away. “I’m interested in a clock”. “Show me”, he said. We both walked to the front of the store, he looked up at the clock, rubbed his chin, and said, “how about 10 bucks”. I mean, why dicker!
I don’t have a Mission-style clock in my collection and hoped that it was a Canadian-made Arthur Pequegnat, but I knew the hands were not the type used on Pequegnat clocks. Upon first inspection, the only things missing are the winding key and a label which is normally affixed to the backboard.
I thought perhaps it was an Ingraham or Sessions. Once back at home I unscrewed the back panel and identified it immediately as a Sessions movement. Still a good deal. It also tells me that it was made after 1903 the year the sessions Clock Company was formed after a group of investors bought out the assets of the EN Welch Clock Co.
The mainsprings were wound tight. Rather than let the springs down I ran the clock. The time side was fine, a small matter of putting it in beat but the strike side needs a little work. There is nothing wrong with the passing strike on the half-hour but complete silence on the hour. Something is amiss on the strike side. I‘ll give it a nudge and see what happens.
In any event, servicing is in order.
Antique and Vintage Clocks 