Category: mantel

Junghans Hunsruck roundtop mantel clock – refreshing the case

May 19, 2023

Junghans, a renowned manufacturer of high-end wristwatches today, acknowledges their significant role in the clock industry by providing access to their catalogs to anyone interested in researching their clock production since the company’s establishment in the 1880s. This demonstrates the company’s commitment to preserving the history and legacy of their brand and allowing collectors and … More Junghans Hunsruck roundtop mantel clock – refreshing the case

Rare Ingraham Huron found on a local online for-sale site

Antique Clock Buying Guide: Tips and Advice for Finding Your Perfect clock

March 24, 2023

Antique clocks come in a wide variety of styles, makers, and materials, and can range in price from a few hundred to tens of thousands of dollars. Whether you’re a collector, a history buff, or simply appreciate the craftsmanship and beauty of antique timepieces, buying an antique clock requires careful consideration and research. In this … More Antique Clock Buying Guide: Tips and Advice for Finding Your Perfect clock

Sessions Grand Assortment – finally completed!

February 28, 2023

I am not a huge fan of gingerbread clocks which were very popular in America at the turn of the 20th century. Every major manufacturer made them and they sold like hotcakes. Thousands have survived and a quick perusal of online auction sites any day of the week will reveal dozens if not hundreds of … More Sessions Grand Assortment – finally completed!

Jerome & Co. Rose Cottage clock – dial work completed

February 21, 2023

I was very close to trashing this little Jerome & Co. time-only cottage clock but decided to give myself a real challenge and bring the clock back to something presentable. So far the project is progressing reasonably well. The door trim has been completed, and the movement has been serviced. Serviced in the spring of … More Jerome & Co. Rose Cottage clock – dial work completed

Best clock acquisition of 2022

February 14, 2023

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

Westclox travel alarm clock

Clocks with luminous dials – the danger within

February 10, 2023

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

Jerome cottage clock – progress so far

February 7, 2023

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

Selling your antique clock – some simple and effective strategies

October 10, 2022

So, how to sell your antique clock? Unless a clock has a distinctive provenance or, is rare, it is difficult to make any sort of profit on an antique clock today. Some unique clocks, ones with a special history or, those made by famous clockmakers (those in the clock world know who they are) have … More Selling your antique clock – some simple and effective strategies

Ingraham Huron clock face

7 Clocks in my collection that have family connections

September 19, 2022

Seven clocks in my collection have family connections, not necessarily with my own family but clocks that I am able to trace back through families mostly in Nova Scotia (Canada). No names are mentioned. The stories are sad in some cases but interesting nonetheless. Let’s begin. Waterbury wall clock When I was a child back … More 7 Clocks in my collection that have family connections

HAC mantel clock – it came without a crown – FIXED

June 27, 2022

I knew when I first laid eyes on the clock that it was missing something, the crown. It’s too bad because it is very attractive Hamburg American Company or HAC 8-day time and strike mantel or parlour clock. The little plaque on the base references 1926 the year it was presented to a pastor in … More HAC mantel clock – it came without a crown – FIXED

The tiniest clock movement I have come across, made by New Haven

June 4, 2022

Jerome & Co., a marketing arm of the New Haven Clock Co. made this clock in the mid-1850s. It is a 1-day or 30-hour clock called the “Rose Cottage”. In the 1850s and later, cottage clocks could be purchased with a time and strike movement, time and strike with alarm but this one is a … More The tiniest clock movement I have come across, made by New Haven

Ansonia 30-hour parlour clock with a very worn movement

May 7, 2022

I acquired a number of clocks at auction this past winter (2022). All were antiques and all were in poor to fair condition but each one had potential. The auction notes simply said the movements were untested which can mean just about anything from a failed, irreparable movement to something that might have been serviced … More Ansonia 30-hour parlour clock with a very worn movement

E Ingraham and Co. 30 hour movement cleaning

April 30, 2022

The movement was pulled out of a 30-hour shelf clock made by American clock-maker E. Ingraham and Co. in the 1870s (the name the company used from 1861 to 1880). The clock was bought at auction in mid-March 2022 along with 3 other clocks. This is one of those situations where the case looks distressed … More E Ingraham and Co. 30 hour movement cleaning

George H Clark 30-hour ogee clock

Dating an Antique or Vintage Clock – Part II

April 26, 2022

Honestly, an entire book could be devoted to the topic of dating clocks. Some time ago, I published an article titled “How to Date an Antique or Vintage Clock – Part I,” in which I used specific examples from my own collection. I’d like to explore this topic further, and this post will discuss additional … More Dating an Antique or Vintage Clock – Part II

Tick-Talk Tuesday

Tick Talk Tuesday #40 – identify Junghans bracket clock

April 5, 2022

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 S. writes; This clock was … More Tick Talk Tuesday #40 – identify Junghans bracket clock

A Sessions clock is on the bench 5 years later – what needs to be done?

March 8, 2022

A mechanical clock is a machine and all machines require periodic maintenance. Five years might be considered a long time since the movement on a Sessions time and strike mantel clock was first worked on when 2-3 years is the norm between service intervals but let’s agree that it has not been an easy time … More A Sessions clock is on the bench 5 years later – what needs to be done?

Ingraham Grecian

Dating an antique or vintage clock – Part I

March 3, 2022

There is no single method of dating an antique or vintage clock but there are some strong clues in some cases and subtle inferences in others that help determine when a clock was manufactured. Occasionally, the exact month and year is displayed somewhere on the case, and in other instances the clock by way of … More Dating an antique or vintage clock – Part I

Dating a Hamburg Amerikanische Uhrenfabrik (HAU) shelf clock

February 4, 2022

During the Christmas season, we split our time between Calgary, Alberta, and Ottawa, Ontario to see our 2 daughters. While in Calgary my wife spotted an interesting item on an Ottawa Facebook Marketplace, an English time and strike clock. She showed me the photo and I said, “that does not look like any English clock … More Dating a Hamburg Amerikanische Uhrenfabrik (HAU) shelf clock

Readers pick for the best clock of 2021

January 9, 2022

The results are in. By a small margin, your pick for the best clock of the year is the Sawin banjo clock. A great choice and one I would have picked had I not been frustrated with it during the restoration process but at the end of the day, my favorite is the Gilbert Shawville … More Readers pick for the best clock of 2021

Best clock acquisition of 2021

January 5, 2022

The time has come to determine the best clock acquisition of the past year. As a clock hobbyist, I have had little difficulty locating interesting clocks over the years, and despite the seemingly never-ending pandemic, I have scored a few in 2021 though the past year has been leaner than most. In the early days … More Best clock acquisition of 2021

Gilbert mantel clock movement servicing

November 10, 2021

Let me say that I am not a huge fan of clocks with steel plates. Although most have brass bushing inserts punched into the steel, I am always fearful that there is not enough brass in the insert to prevent cutting into the steel plate and ruining a cutter. But in this case, my worries … More Gilbert mantel clock movement servicing

Gilbert shelf clock

October 25, 2021

I am always on the lookout for clocks to add to my collection, and one of the places where bargains can often be found is Facebook Marketplace. While browsing the listings, we came across an intriguing clock from a small village in Quebec. It was my wife who pointed it out, thinking it would make … More Gilbert shelf clock

Fleet Time plate

Fleet Time mantel clock – Mainspring damage

August 11, 2021

The Fleet Time Co. was a short-lived Canadian clock company that operated between the years 1936 and 1940 producing a range of two and three-train mantel clocks with movements sourced from Germany. All clocks had pendulums and were spring-driven. According to the Canadian Clock Museum in Deep River, Ontario, the company was listed as an … More Fleet Time mantel clock – Mainspring damage

Servicing a Seth Thomas 8-day movement

June 19, 2021

I was attracted to the style of this clock but disappointed when I learned that it was a marriage of a Waterbury case with a Seth Thomas movement. Briefly, a marriage is when parts from two different makers come together. Buying a clock from a flea market, antique mall, a shop or what have you … More Servicing a Seth Thomas 8-day movement

What’s the difference between an antique and a vintage clock?

April 23, 2021

There is enough confusion among clock collectors and owners of antique and vintage items that it prompts a discussion. The terms vintage and antique are often used interchangeably, and often incorrectly. According to the United States Government, the term “antique” is reserved for valuables that are over a century old. Webster’s dictionary defines an antique as a work … More What’s the difference between an antique and a vintage clock?