Antique and Vintage Mechanical Clocks

Who is Craftline and why do we know so little about a company that sold fine clocks that adorned the living rooms of many Canadian homes from coast to coast?

In the 1970s through the 1980s and into the 1990s, having a grandfather clock in the home was a symbol of success, and many families of means proudly displayed these elegant clocks in their homes much like having a Cadillac in the driveway.

Two years ago, my daughter purchased a new home in a large city in western Canada. As part of the sale, a few pieces of furniture, including a grandfather clock, were left behind and offered for sale. Recognizing the seller’s disinterest in taking the clock along with them, my daughter made an appropriate offer, successfully acquiring the clock.

What they acquired was a Craftline grandfather clock purchased by the original owner in the 1990s. This model boasts impressive features and at one time would have been considered a high-end model within its range. It included selectable chimes, a seconds bit, a beveled glass lower access door, a 12-inch pendulum bob, a moon phase display, crank weights, and a beautiful solid wood (possibly Cherry) case with carefully chosen veneers.

It is a beautiful clock but not something that most folks would choose to furnish their home today.

Unfortunately, information about the Craftline company is elusive. What is known is that it was a Canadian company that made furniture but it also specialized in crafting clock cases, sourcing movements from Germany, possibly from Hermle and Urgos, as well as faces, pendulums, and weights.

The timeline of their production and when they ceased operations, likely in the early 1990s, remains a mystery. Nevertheless, the clock’s craftsmanship suggests that Craftline was a formidable competitor to renowned US brands like Howard Miller and Ridgeway.

In the end, while the era of every home having a grandfather clock may have passed, the presence of such a finely made clock serves as a reminder of a bygone era when these clocks were considered essential elements of a well-appointed home.

Online searches suggest that the company encountered obstacles in maintaining its copyright brand name due to numerous other businesses also operating under the Craftline name, resulting in search efforts leading to many dead ends. Join me in a challenge to uncover information about this company. With enough bits of information perhaps we can piece together a profile of this fine Canadian company.

We deserve to know more about the Craftline Furniture Company of Canada.

June 2025 update: The definitive source on Craftline Industries is an article I authored earlier this year.

From Holocaust Survivor to Canadian Visionary: The Story of Craftline Industries