Well, it’s that time of the year. What is my best clock acquisition of the past year? You can decide for yourself and leave a comment but I will reveal my favorite at the end of the post. As a clock hobbyist, I have had little difficulty locating interesting clocks and every year I have … More Best clock acquisition of 2022
I received an email from a blog fan this week who posed an interesting question. She was concerned that a number of clocks offered for sale at a local antique store had radium dials. I assured her that I know of no maker of mantel, shelf, or long case clocks that used radium on their … More Clocks with luminous dials – the danger within
It is always challenging to find time to work on projects when life is busy. I picked up some part-time work this winter, teaching at a community college so between that my clock hobby teaching has taken precedence, for now. Since the post on extreme restoration a week or so ago, I have continued planning … More Jerome cottage clock – progress so far
A blog fan contacted me recently and asked me if I wanted literally hundreds of old clock periodicals and bulletins. I thought about it and knew that some of the periodicals would have some value to me as a clock repairer and restorer. And I was not wrong! The story is that the donor did … More Periodicals from 15-20 years ago donated by a blog fan – what to do with them
What to do with this cute Jerome & Co. CA 1870 cottage clock? I worked on the movement in the spring of 2022 and even at that point I was not sure what to do with the clock case. The tiny movement intrigued me and I wanted to have it running but the case – … More Jerome Rose Cottage clock – a candidate for extreme restoration?
Last week (January 20, 2023) I wrote about a wonderful little marine clock that I have just not had the time to service completely. A few weeks ago I cleaned the movement and polished the pivots and left it. All that was left was the bushing work. I spent a few hours on it today … More Welch Marine clock – let’s call it a work in progress
Just before Christmas 2022, I published an article on a Hamilton Clock Co. 30-hour ogee that I won at auction earlier in 2022. I had been delaying repairs on the case for months and finally found the time to tackle the veneer work. I seem to be strangely attracted to ogee clocks, this is my … More After veneer repairs, the Hamilton ogee case is finished
My wife calls it the clock office. It is, after all where I work on my clocks and where some are on display. It is also where I compose articles for this blog. However, it has been getting very cluttered, and I am tired of how disorganized it looks. We have 4 bedrooms in our … More From chaos to order – reorganizing my clock office
Ah, the days when clock companies put a little time and effort into their designs. The Seth Thomas company, in its heyday, produced many attractive clocks and this eight-day shelf clock is one of the finest examples of the 1870s. It is a rather large round top shelf clock measuring 15 inches in height, 10 … More Seth Thomas round top shelf clock – simplicity is its strongest suit
I have saved a few clocks that were one step closer to a garbage bin by taking an aggressive approach to clock case restoration. Is stripping a clock case a travesty? Firstly, I am not a huge fan of gingerbread clocks which were very popular in America at the turn of the 20th century. Every … More Stripping a clock case is a travesty, or is it?
Ten minutes per hour! That is slow. American-made spring driven clocks are poor timekeepers and if yours loses or gains a minute or two a week that is just about the best you can expect. After having worked on the case a few months ago it is past time to work on the movement. The … More 30-hour Welch Marine clock loses 10 minutes per hour
The last three years of uncertainty have taught us to be very thankful for family, friends, and relationships. We are back to some semblance of normality this year although the flu season is certainly upon us. Wishing you all health and happiness during the Christmas season. My kids stress every year over what to get … More Merry Christmas to clock lovers everywhere
Should antique clock cases be refinished or rejuvenated? It can be a judgement call. I am all for patina and preserving an old clock case but there are times when certain amount of intervention is practical from an aesthetics and resale point of view. There is a certain philosophical argument among collectors who believe on … More Hamilton Clock Co. ogee – a dull and tired case needs help
The Waterbury clock hanging in my office brings back memories of my grandfather, a man I wish I had known better. Call it one of life’s regrets. Now, I didn’t know my grandfather all that well and I’m not sure that many people did. He was shy and a man of few words. I don’t … More A very special Waterbury wall clock – my grandfather’s kitchen clock (a personal journey)
Most mechanical clocks have an hour hand concentric with the minute hand with the hour hand making one full turn every twelve hours. The special set of wheels off the centre arbour is called the motion works. Attached to the centre arbour is the minute hand. The hour pipe fits over the centre arbour and … More Sessions time and strike movement with a stiff minute hand
Tick-Talk Tuesday is about the letters and comments I have received from readers concerning clock issues, challenges faced, a clock you would profiled or 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 TM writes, “We have had … More Tick Talk Tuesday #43 – Is this a Simon Willard banjo clock?
A short while ago I received a letter from one of my readers. The writer asked if I knew the size of a Junghans B11 mantel clock spring. That was it. No mention that the spring was weak or broken, just one sentence with no explanation. My reply: “I do not have the mainspring size”. … More Mainsprings – should they be replaced every time a clock is serviced?
I have been collecting clocks for over twenty years and for the past 11 years I have been building my collection of vintage and antique clocks, repairing them, and restoring them. I often reflect back to that first “real” antique clock that my wife and I purchased at an antique store in Blockhouse, Nova Scotia … More My first antique clock – a Seth Thomas Adamantine mantel clock
People often tell me that they could never have an old-fashioned antique clock in their home because of the noise. And by noise, they are not so much disturbed by the ticking sound as they are about the sound a clock makes on the quarter, half, or on the hour, in other words, a striking … More The time-only clock – simplicity without the noise
This is the only mission-style clock in my collection. Made by the Sessions Clock Co. of America in or about the 1920s it reflects classic Mission design and is rather attractive. I was not searching for this clock but a $10 find in a Pembroke, Ontario thrift shop is hard to pass up. Though this … More Sessions Mission style clock – an interesting challenge to what should have been a routine servicing
Nothing is perfect. Antique and vintage clocks often suffer the ravages of time and neglect and a neglected old clock is far more difficult to bring it back to life if it is missing crucial parts or repairs have been crude and haphazard. Improper restoration can significantly decrease or destroy the value of some pieces. … More Do reproduction parts devalue a clock?
One of my retirement gifts in 2016 was a 2-weight time and strike Gustav Becker wall clock. My wife had thoroughly searched eBay and picked what she determined to be the best gift for me considering a Gustav Becker wall clock had always been on my wish list. It was everything I had hoped for … More Gustav Becker 2-weight Vienna Regulator – 6 years later
A museum is an institution dedicated to the display of objects of lasting interest or historic value. A museum can display just about anything but The Canadian Clock Museum, located in Deep River, Ontario (Canada) focuses on Canadian clocks or clocks that have a Canadian connection. Most are mechanical clocks as you would expect but … More The Canadian Clock Museum – a must-see for clock fans and museum lovers!
The hour hand is loose on my unmarked circa 1840s banjo clock. It is an unusual problem and I can’t say I have ever come across an issue like this in my years of clock repair. It is supposed to friction fit on the hour pipe but the hand is definitely quite loose. I have … More Repairing a loose hour hand on a weight-driven banjo
Well, it has been hectic this past week or so (late September and early October 2022). Some of you were affected by Hurricane Ian in Florida (USA) which was incredibly devasting but we had a bit of weather here as well when Hurricane Fiona passed very slowly over Nova Scotia (Canada). It was largely a … More A hobby takes second place during a weather emergency
Ominous The Spirit is an artist that makes music, paints, and creates photography. He donates 100% of profits to charity.
Progressive old soul wordsmith
Rare Finds & Collectables
Antique and Vintage Clocks 
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