Antique and Vintage Mechanical Clocks

Gallery clocks are often called pub clocks, canteen clocks, or office clocks.

Gallery clocks are often found in public galleries and exhibition spaces, where they serve both functional and decorative purposes. They are usually placed on prominent walls and are designed to be easily visible to visitors. These clocks can vary in style, ranging from antique designs with Roman numerals to more modern and contemporary styles with sleek, minimalist features.

I received it a couple of years ago through an exchange in which no money changed hands. Another collector was looking for a particular cottage clock that I happened to own, so we met at a neutral location to make the trade. I was happy with the exchange at the time, and the fact that the clock has trouble running today is not a major concern.

This time-only gallery-style clock made by the Gilbert Company of USA is nondescript and quite ordinary-looking. There is nothing special or distinctive about it.

The casing of the clock is relatively light in weight, and based on the wood’s colouration, it appears to be cherry wood. A previous owner meticulously refinished the case, and while the result is impressive, it appears almost too flawless. It looks impressive nontheless.

The clock has a 12″ Arabic dial and is 16 1/2″ across with a spade hour hand and spade minute hand with a heavy brass dial bezel. The display would be easily seen in a large room. The dial is constructed from paper and lacks a metal backing, a common cost-saving measure.

A 12-inch dial is considered the standard size for a gallery clock, and a 12-inch dial would have been the maximum size for a domestic or small office environment or a retail establishment. I own a smaller 10″ gallery clock, crafted in England, equipped with a conventional spring-driven movement, specifically designed for placement in a compact office setting. Larger 14″ and 16″-inch” gallery clocks, on the other hand, would have been found in public areas, factories, and post offices.

At first glance, it’s easy to mistake this conventional spring-driven pendulum clock for a fusee clock. Upon closer inspection, however, its features set it apart from the traditional fusee clock, revealing its true identity as an ordinary mass-produced spring-driven time-only American-made clock.

The Issue

Although the clock appears complete and in good cosmetic condition, it has one significant problem—it will run for only 10 to 15 seconds before coming to a stop if completely wound. Whether the cause is nothing more than decades of dried oil and accumulated dirt or something more serious remains to be seen.

The movement may have been serviced by the previous owner, but that’s one question I neglected to ask when I acquired the clock. My guess is that it was not. The only way to know for sure is to remove the movement, examine it piece by piece, and determine exactly why this Gilbert gallery clock refuses to keep time.

In the next day or two, I’ll disassemble the movement, investigate the cause of the problem, and report back with my findings.

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