What the term a “fully serviced” clock really means

Everybody appreciates a serviced clock when they are making a purchase. However, there is no acceptable definition for the term “Fully Serviced”. Fully serviced may mean one thing for the amateur clock collector and repairer and another to a professional clock repair shop.

The other day I was responding to a FaceBook post which offered a mantel clock for sale. The owner said that the clock, a 100+ year old antique, had been “fully serviced” so I asked him what he meant by that since I was curious. He said the clock was ultrasonically cleaned, the pivots were inspected, and the clock was oiled. He did not actually state that the clock was disassembled before cleaning but I assume that it was done properly although dunk and swish (or duncan swish) techniques are used more often that we realize. Dunk and swish involves immersing the entire unassembled movement into a cleaning solution and calling it “cleaned”. However, no reputable clock repair person (horologist) would employ this method. By using the term “fully serviced” the seller naturally expects to get several tens of dollars more for the clock.

No doubt who ever buys the clock will get a couple of years of service before it again needs attention. My concern is the state of the bushing holes and of course the pivots in a 100 year old clock and chances are it was not serviced properly in it’s past life.

I have disassembled and serviced a few clocks in my limited experience and my observation is that the older the clock the more the need for bushing and other repairs. My definition of servicing is this; disassemble and totally strip down, ultrasonically clean, springs unwound, inspected and oiled, pivots inspected and polished, pivot holes pegged and bushings installed / replaced if necessary, other parts inspected and addressed and the movement tested and regulated before re-installing in the case. My servicing also includes a case refresh. I serviced a 1920s Sessions Beveled No. 2 clock this spring (2016) that required 12 bushings.

Sessions Beveled No. 2 case — Sessions Beveled No. 2 time and strike in as-found condition

My Arthur Pequegnat Maple Leaf kitchen clock pictured here was professionally serviced in 2015 by a reputable clock shop and also required 12 bushings.

RS Pequegnat fan top (3) — Arthur Pequegnat kitchen clock in as-found condition

I am currently working on a 1940s Ingersoll Waterbury which was not too badly worn but still required 3 new bushings.

This American Ingersoll Waterbury clock, circa 1940, required 3 bushings,

If you poke around some of the clock for sale sites you will see a description that reads something like this, “all of our clocks are fully serviced and tested to ensure reliable running”. But if you bring up the profile on any one of the clocks offered for sale they generally do not describe how it was serviced and / or the actual service done on the clock.

I see plenty of antique and vintage clocks on the local online for-sale sites. Many have not been serviced as you would expect but some sellers claim that their clock has been fully serviced without providing any detail about what was actually done or whether it was a backyard tinkerer who did the servicing or a professional shop. The Juba Schatz mantel clock you see in the first photo might even be described as “serviced” but all I did was take the movement out of it’s case, inspect the pivots and other parts, oil the movement and return it to its case which took about 10 minutes.

“Fully serviced” to me means defining the term when selling a clock. A reputable for sale site should say something like this, ” has been fully serviced, having been totally stripped down, ultrasonically cleaned, reassembled, runs the full length of the wind and keeping excellent time, +/- 2 minutes per 7 day period”. A little more detail would be beneficial such as specific areas that needed to be addressed or particular repairs made if required but that is about as close as you will get and for those serious about a clock purchase it might be good enough.

Fully serviced means different things to different people. Always ask before you buy.

October 26, 2016

Copyright, what does it mean for you and me?

The other day, I was browsing through a local online for-sale site looking for antique and vintage clocks and saw a Mauthe Westminster chime mantel clock for sale. From the photo it looked great. But wait!

Here is one photo from the ad.

RS Mauthe mantle clock (11) — Mauthe mantel clock

Why would I post a photo from the ad? Simple. It is my photo. The seller had the identical clock for sale and thought he would use my image to promote the offering. In my view he committed two fundamental errors. First he used a protected image without permission and second he was misrepresenting the ad by using my image for a clock he was promoting.

I corresponded with the seller, told him that he could not use my photos because they are copyright protected. He argued that unless it expressly states that it is copy-protected he is free to use any image he wants. After I threatened to advise the site administrators of his use of my photos he took the photos down. Copyright law regarding photos can be vague though the simple rule of thumb is that it you have any doubts about the use of a photo don’t use it. Had the seller contacted me and asked for permission, that would have been a different story and at least I would have been able to exercise my right to grant permission or not.

From the time it is created, a photo or other image is automatically protected by copyright. Infringement can include the use of whole or part of a photo without permission as in this particular case. Just because an image is on the internet, it doesn’t mean the image is free to use. Many people do not fully realize this. If the image is free to use it will say “in the public domain”. The law is very clear on this.

Needless to say all images on this blog are owned by me and for good reason!

October 14, 2016

Servicing a Sessions American No. 2 mantel clock Part IV

In this fourth and final entry of the series I will discuss bushing work, re-assembly and finally, testing and mounting the movement back into it’s case. Part I of this series can be found here, Part II here and Part III here,

Once the pivots are inspected, cleaned and polished it is now time to install any bushings required as result of careful inspection.

I acquired a Bergeon Bushing Machine in the spring of this year (2016). As I mentioned in Part III, some may prefer to bush by hand which I think is commendable but I have decided to go the bushing machine route. In the last few months I have been using and learning its many tools. It comes with a set of chucks and reamers some of which (right side rear) are a bit of a mystery to me. I cannot see using any of the large reamers any time soon though I assume that if I am working on tall-case clocks which have larger movements they would come in handy.

First is selecting the correct bushing using a micrometer to measure the diameter of the pivot. Then, I select the proper bushing from my Bergeon assortment kit.

The bushing I have selected for the escape wheel pivot (measured at 1.46 mm) has a depth of 2 mm, an outside diameter of 3.5 mm and a pivot hole of 1.5 mm. In the next photo I am positioning it on top of the 3.47 mm. hole that I have just just “drilled” using one of the reamers. The outside diameter of the bushing is slightly larger allowing for a tight friction fit.

Punching the bushing home — Positioning the bushing on the Bergeon Bushing Machine

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Bushing installed

Once I have selected the correct bushing I test it on the pivot for fit and then I position it over the pivot hole and use a small hammer with it’s nylon end to tap the top of the bushing machine centre shaft lightly until the bushing is properly seated and level with the plate ensuring that the oil sink faces the outside of the plate.

New bushing installed with oil sink on the outside of the plate

To check proper fitment of the motion works bushings/pivots, I assemble all the wheels on that side (both plates), check for a smooth action and determine if any additional reaming/smoothing is required. I do the same for the strike side.

Once all the bushing work is completed and I am satisfied that each bushing fits correctly and operates smoothly, I re-assemble the mainsprings, wheels and levers and then re-attach the back plate using the five plate screws. We each have our own method of re-attaching the back plate but I work from the bottom up, that is, from the mainsprings. Once I have the mainsprings in place I immediately install the bottom 2 plate screws (loosely) and then work from the motion works side to the strike side using a pivot locator tool, if necessary, to coax the pivots into their respective holes.

Trains and levers ready for the front plate

Positioning the various levers can be a bit frustrating because those that have helper springs seem to slip out of their pivot holes easily as you are putting the plates together. Perseverance is certainly the key.

The one difficulty I had was adjusting the synchronization of the count and drop levers, that is, getting the drop lever to sit in the cam while I adjusted the locking lever position. The clock must be completely assembled at this point and once together loosen or take off the nearest pillar nut and pry the plates apart to take out both the flywheel and the locking wheel. Once out, the locking wheel can be re-positioned by moving the pin on the wheel so it rests on the locking lever. Once this is completed, re-install the flywheel. This is basically a trial and error process and I never seem to get it right the first time.

My only error in the first go-around was not restraining the strike mainspring during this procedure. While spinning wildly the strike mainspring flattened the protrusions off the cam that allows the hammer strike. Momentary panic! Once bent back into shape everything was fine. Naturally, I secured the mainspring for my second successful attempt.

My reference for these adjustments is Steven Conover’s Striking Clock Repair Guide which is an invaluable guide to striking American clocks.

Once the parts are re-assembled it is on to the final testing phase which takes days (and weeks, perhaps) as the clock is being carefully regulated. The following video shows the movement on a test stand (in this case, Gene’s Test Movement Stand). The sound of the pallet on the escape wheel is very quiet; you are hearing other clocks in this room. The clock is in beat and in the video you can see the movement of the escape wheel from various perspectives.

Once testing and regulating is completed and I am satisfied the clock will run reliably for 8 days I return it to it’s case. There are only 4 mounting screws. You may have to re-position the coil gong by loosening the adjustment nut on bottom of case to get that satisfying strike sound.

This attractive little Sessions American No. 2 time and strike mantel clock has now been serviced. It required 5 bushings and should run reliably for the next 3-5 years.

October 1, 2016

Servicing a Sessions American No. 2 mantel clock Part III

The movement is disassembled and now it is time for further inspection, cleaning, servicing the mainsprings, pegging the pivot holes, polishing the pivots and installing bushings where needed. In this, Part III we will cover cleaning and mainspring servicing.

I have a small ultrasonic cleaner so I tend to clean parts in batches since this one does not have a large capacity. An ultrasonic cleaner is not an absolute must as you can easily clean by hand but having one certainly helps.

Old toothbrushes are great for getting into the crevices and I use one especially for the lantern pinions as a lot of dirt and old oil tend to accumulate in those particular areas.

indicating wjehere bushings will be installed — indicating where bushings will be installed

This photo shows a couple of bushings that I will install. I realize that some prefer to install bushings by hand and I applaud them as it does take considerable skill but I use a Bergeon Bushing Machine which I believe simplifies the task (for me, at least). More on bushing in the next part of this series.

An Olie Baker spring winder is an indispensable tool. You can easily make one of your own to save a little money if you are handy with building things. A spring winder permits you to inspect for cracks or breaks, clean and oil the springs before reinstalling them. The photo shows a C-clamp securing the mainspring prior to cleaning.

I have never lost an eye or a finger but I believe in safety first especially when working with mainsprings. Always wear leather gloves and eye protection. You never know when a 100 year old spring will break and fly across the room.

I discovered that one click had to be replaced as it was almost slipping off the ratchet. As some clock repair folks know, Sessions clocks have a reputation for bad clicks. I had a Sessions click in my supply box, fortunately. It is an easy job; just take the old one out with pliers, secure the new click and bang the rivet (supplied) into the existing hole with a ball peen hammer.

The springs have been cleaned and oiled with Keystone Mainspring Oil and are completely serviced including the installation of one new click. Now comes the bushing work, re-assembly and testing. Stay tuned to Part IV of this series.

September 28, 2016

Servicing a Sessions American No. 2 mantel clock, Part I

I am going to take you, the reader, through the process I follow when servicing a clock. There will be several posts in this series. I am not a trained expert in clock repair, nor do I do this for profit and have learned most of what I know through trial and error, careful study and of course, listening to the advice of many experts and newfound friends on the forum site at NAWCC.

If you into clock collecting you’ve probably seen one of these mantel clocks at one time or another in your travels. Literally thousands were made. This attractive little mission styled oak-cased time and strike mantel clock is a Sessions “American No. 2” dating from 1921 according to Trans Sessions book, page 121.

When I opened the back access panel to service the movement I discovered an inscription which reads, “Jim A. Kennedy, Nov 3/63, a clear, cold nite”. One can only imagine that on that particular clear, cold night, Jim A. Kennedy was doing some work on this lovely clock. It does not say where Jim lived but Jim, wherever you are and if you are still with us, your clock lives on.

Although this clock has been running steadily since I acquired it about two years ago, the time is right to put it on the workbench. American made clocks like this tend to run on and on despite requiring much needed bushing work and this one is no exception, but now it needs some loving.

I took the movement out of it’s case and examined it closely. Fortunately it has not been botched by poor repairs over the years that one sees from time to time. Things looked good, no surprises. Although no bushings have been installed on the top (back) plate there were five bushings that were installed on the bottom (front) plate at some point in this clock’s life, perhaps on that cold, clear evening in November. My initial inspection reveals that there is wear in some pivot holes and that six bushings must be installed on the back plate and of the five previously installed bushings on the front plate, two need to be replaced and at least one new bushing is required on the pallet arbor.

Although the movement appears clean at first glance it really is very dirty. This is an example of the sludge (indicated by the arrow) that has built up in this particular pivot over the years. There are other such examples on this movement.

top plate showing a build-up of dirt around a pivot hole — Top plate showing a build-up of dirt around a pivot hole

Once I tear it down completely I will be able to determine the condition of the pivots and other moving parts. I intend to clean the entire clock and clean/oil the springs as well as replace/install the aforementioned bushings. My first impression is that the mainsprings are in good condition. The clock easily ran eight days on a wind. The clicks are another matter. At least one looks like it needs replacement. Sessions clocks are notorious for their bad clicks but to put things in perspective the clicks have been in this clock likely since it was made (or perhaps 1961).

Time and strike movement with single hammer strike on a coiled gong

The escape wheel teeth may need to be filed but I will determine if filing is required once I inspect it more thoroughly.

escape wheel tooth tips — Escape wheel tooth tips

Safety first. The first task other than taking the suspension spring/rod/bob off the movement is to secure the mainsprings using mainspring clamps that are available at any clock supply store. Mainsprings can be very dangerous and it is important to contain their power when working on a clock. I always wear eye protection and leather work gloves before I let the mainsprings down with a let down key. Once you’ve released the clock from the ratchet by moving the retaining spring out of the way, the power of the spring is transferred to the let down key which allows one to gently release it until it is contained in the C-clamp. After the springs are restrained you can safely disassemble the clock.

The clock is now ready to be disassembled. Tune into Part II where I will post photos of the complete disassembly stage and report on what further work needs to be done.

September 20, 2016

So, my sister also loves clocks

After not having visited my sister in some time I was surprised to find that she is an avid clock collector. I must stress the word collector because although she appreciates the beauty of each clock she has acquired over the years how they run is somewhat of a mystery to her and that is just fine. While visiting her this summer three of her clocks were out of adjustment and it took no time (no pun intended) at all to get them running again. No sense paying someone to do it, that`s what brothers are for.

In my opinion the most interesting clock she has is a French time and strike bracket clock that has no visible markings yet appears to be over 100 years old. It is in beautiful condition with only a slight patina on the finish. I would love to have found out more about this clock but my stay was brief. Perhaps next time.

The next clock is one my sister absolutely loves and it is a great sounding Westminster chime grandmother clock she bought some 20+ years ago. This quarter chime clock made by Craftline Industries in the early 1990s has a Canadian made case with a German movement, likely by Hermle.

Next is a curiosity. When I saw the Sessions name on the dial I wondered why I had not seen this particular style of Sessions clock. Further investigation revealed it to be a six pillar Adamantine Seth Thomas case. The movement was clearly marked ST and as I said the case is certainly a Seth Thomas. So, why the Sessions clock face? Likely the original dial face was so badly marred as to be unreadable that the owner many years ago simply told the clock repair person to find another face, which he did. Since the replacement was a Sessions electric clock face he had to drills the holes to accommodate the winding arbors. Who would know! To those less knowledgeable it looks great.

Session Seth Thomas mantel clock — Sessions / Seth Thomas mantel clock

I found this little antique time-only Hamilton and Co. French-style carriage clock made in India (Calcutta) to be very interesting and so diminutive. Hamilton and Co. is probably the best known and most celebrated British clock maker in India. I would put this clock at around the 1890s. It probably needs a good cleaning since it is not in working order.

Hamilton and Co Calcutta — Hamilton and Co. Calcutta

I am not a huge fan of steeple clocks but this Waterbury clock is in very good condition save for a damaged right steeple tip. The Waterbury Clock Company is one of many 19th century Connecticut-based clock firms with a history going back to the 1850s though it closed is doors for good in 1944. More memorable are Waterbury wall and mantel clocks but like many makers of the day they had a successful line of steeple clocks.

Next is a New Haven time and strike tambour style mantel clock from about the late 1920s or early 1930s. Aside from the grandmother clock which my sister bought new the New Haven mantel clock was a wedding gift of her late husband’s parents and has been in the family ever since.

Lastly, this Chelsea ship’s bell clock is a polished beauty. A ship’s bell is used to indicate the time aboard a ship and hence to regulate the sailors’ duty watches. Unlike normal clock bells, the strikes of the bell do not correspond to the number of the hour. Instead, there are eight bells, one for each half-hour of a four-hour watch. Three bells, for example, would mean that a sailor would be 1 1/2 hours into a 4 hour watch. Each watch would take its turn with the essential activities of manning the ship’s helm, navigating and keeping a lookout.

I was quite impressed with my sister`s collection and each clock occupies a special place in her home. I find it facinating going into peoples homes and discovering the joy they experience in collecting, be it clocks in this case or anything for that matter. Collectors are truly unique people!

September 13, 2016

How to oil your mechanical clock

Oiling your mechanical clock is an essential part of its maintenance, ensuring smooth operation and longevity. Proper lubrication reduces friction between moving parts, preventing wear and tear while keeping the movement running smoothly over time.

During the summer of 2016, my wife and I were traveling through the Muskoka area of the province of Ontario and stopped at a quaint village called Halliburton where we happened upon the only antique shop in town. There were a large number of clocks in the store that the proprietor had brought over from Ireland and each one was interesting.

Though there were plenty to choose from we settled on a Smiths Enfield Art Deco style oak cased mantel clock pictured below.

It was sold as-is and non-working, with the clerk noting that the pendulum bob was missing, which explained a lower price. However, when I got the clock home, I discovered the bob wrapped in brown paper along with the key, tucked inside the clock. After attaching the pendulum bob to the rod and a bit of adjustment, I found the correct beat, and the clock started running.

At my summer place, I do not have the necessary tools to service clocks but decided to take the movement out to oil it.

Once out of the case, I discovered that someone had oiled the movement by spraying it with an unknown lubricant. Spraying a clock with any lubricant is a bad practice. Indiscriminate oiling attracts dust and grime that will accelerate wear and eventually lead to stoppage.

Given the indiscriminate use of oil, there was no sense in operating the clock so I decided to put it aside until I got home where I could disassemble, clean, and properly service the movement.

Oiling Your Mechanical Clock

Lubrication is essential to the good running of any clock movement. Oiling a movement without first dissembling and cleaning it is normally a bad practice. The addition of new lubricant to old will mix with the dirt and grime to form a paste which acts as an abrasive that will hasten pivot and pivot hole wear.

The purpose of lubrication is to reduce wear, and applying the correct amount of oil is crucial. The only exception to this is when the oil sinks are dry— in such cases, oiling the movement without disassembling it is acceptable.

Apply only as much oil as required, a tiny drop goes a long way. Clock oil should occupy about one-half the capacity of the oil reservoir. Use an approved clock oil and a pin-type oiler to apply the oil.

Key Points Regarding Oiling

Lubricant: clock oil has the correct viscosity and has a low tendency to evaporate, spread or react adversely to various metals. Pivot oil is for pivots and spring oil is for springs; there is a difference! Clock suppliers such as Timesavers or Perrin will shave the correct oil for your clock. Do not uses household lubricants and especially WD 40 which is not a lubricant but a water dispersing agent. Synthetic oil is preferred since it retains its properties for a longer period but I work with mineral oil which is cheaper and just as effective.

When to oil: Some say that one should apply oil only after disassembling and cleaning. Others say that a clock’s service cycle might be an average of 5 years or more and oiling every two or three years without a thorough cleaning is acceptable. If there is a visible build-up of black, contaminated oily sludge in the pivot holes, a disassembly and thorough cleaning is necessary prior to oiling. A clock’s the environment will play a significant role since dusty, smoky environments contribute to accelerated wear. A sealed case will also keep out dust and lengthen the cycles between oiling.

How much oil: After oiling there should be a visible presence of oil in the oil sinks around the pivot holes. Oil running down the plates is to be avoided and is a indication that too much oil has been applied. I use a clock oiler with dispenser. Oil cup reservoirs are also very helpful as they prevent any foreign material from getting into the oil bottle when dipping with a pin type applicator. Long case clocks with larger pivot holes will require more oil than a small carriage clock.

What to oil: While looking at a clock plate (front or back) work from the top to the bottom. First and foremost are the pivot holes in the plate, then the points of contact between the pendulum and the crutch, escapement pallets faces and centre and motion works arbours. I generally do not apply lubricant to the mainsprings unless I have unwound them. Once out of the clock and assessed as to their condition and cleaned, I apply Keystone mainspring oil prior to re-installation. Do not oil the gear teeth.

This short primer on oiling your clock is not meant to be a definitive guide but will give you enough information to get you started if you have just found that mechanical clock you have always wanted.

In conclusion, a properly oiled clock, combined with regular servicing, is key to maintaining its functionality and extending its lifespan. Regular lubrication helps reduce friction between the moving parts, ensuring smooth operation and minimizing wear and tear. By performing periodic maintenance, such as cleaning and oiling, you can keep the clock running efficiently for many years, preserving both its accuracy and its value.

For more information on clock lubrication, I suggest the forum site at the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors where you can find many expert opinions.

August 12, 2016

Update to my clock museum post

The curator of The Canadian Clock museum was kind enough to respond to an email I sent concerning the absence of Martin Cheney clocks as well as provide further information on the collection.

First of all, Mr. Symons explained that the museum profiles two centuries of Canadian clocks, which include many Canadian manufacturers that represent 90% of the collection of over 2600 examples. The problem, he says, with Martin Cheney clocks is the cost. He is most certainly correct; most I have seen have been in the $5000-10,000.00 ballpark. The museum always considers donations, and if anyone out there feels they can part with their Martin Cheney wall or tall case clock, I am sure that Allan Symons would graciously accept it.

Mr. Symons notes one clarification. “The Seth Thomas Clock Company in the U.S. (dating back to the early 1800’s) became part of a larger company that owned Westclox in the early 1930s. Starting then, Seth Thomas “brand” mantel, alarm, and wall models were made in part of the existing Westclox Canada factory in Peterborough. Ontario, Canada. That new factory had opened in 1923 to produce Westclox clocks for the Canadian market, after about three years in rented space in Peterborough.”

The reference library now has over 500 titles on all aspects of horology, and visitors are welcome to sit down and conduct research on clock companies in general or a specific family clock.

RS Peggy doing some research (1) — _{Conducting research on a Forestville mantel clock}

RS Peggy doing some research (2) — _{Catalog of Canadian makers}

Thanks for an email from a reader in Romania who provided information on the Clock Museum in Ploiesti, Romania. This museum recently reopened after undergoing some renovation work and profiles European clocks from the 18th century. From their website, “Those who visit the museum have the occasion to follow the way in which the means of measuring the time had developed, from the first “clocks”- the sun dial, the burning clocks, the clocks with water (the outline of the clock with water being taken over from d’Horologerie Ancienne) or the clocks with sand; up to the “ancient” mechanical and modern ones.”

“Muzeul Ceasului from Ploiesti shows us such “folk clocks”, some with simple or double ringing with flute players, some others quite monumental, with rich ornamental design, dated in the 18th and the 19th centuries. The folk influence inspired the creation of the wall clocks in straight cases, made by lathering. Some of them are created in Romania, having German or Austrian mechanismes.”

For more information please visit this fine museum at http://www.cimec.ro/muzee/Ceasuri/ceas_eng.htm

Sounds like a very interesting museum and one that I will put on my “must see” list.

June 1, 2016

Why you should visit a clock museum

Every museum I have ever been to has allowed me to walk away with the feeling that I have learned something new. All museums document interesting histories that are intended to educate and inspire visitors. The Canadian Clock Museum at 60 James Street, Deep River, Ontario, operated by curator Allan Symons is one such example.

RS outside shots (2) — The Canadian Clock Museum

The Canadian Clock Museum in Deep River, Ontario is a 2 1/2 hour drive from the nation’s capital, Ottawa, Ontario. I have visited it twice and I found myself learning even more on my second tour. It has a fascinating collection of clocks that are largely from North America. However, it has the most extensive collection of Arthur Pequegnat clocks that I know of outside a private collection.

RS Pequegnat mantel clocks (3) — A collection of Pequegnat mantel clocks found at the museum

The Arthur Pequegnat Clock Company made clocks in Kitchener, Ontario (called Berlin, Ontario up to 1917) to 1941 when the company ceased production. Pequegnat clocks were wholly made in Canada while their counterparts built and assembled cases in Canada and imported movements from the US, England, France and Germany. The Canada Clock Company and Hamilton Clock Company had a 12 year span also made both cases and movements but not at the volume of Arthur Pequegnat.

I have written about Arthur Pequegnat clocks in previous posts and I have been slowly building a modest collection for myself.

RS Prince of Wales Canada Clock Co (2) — Prince of Wales parlour clock, Canada Clock Company circa 1880

RS pequegnat tall case clocks — Three tall case Arthur Pequegnat clocks

Many manufacturers are represented at this museum and even if you have only a passing interest in clocks you would no doubt find the displays both interesting and thought provoking. Companies represented are the Western Clock Company, Walter Clocks, the Snider Clock Corporation, Seth Thomas that operated a factory in Peterborough from the 1930’s to the 80’s, Breslin Industries, the Hammond Company of Canada Ltd to name just a few. Canadian Clock Maker Martin Cheney who briefly made high quality wall and floor clocks in Montreal in the early 1800’s is not represented, unfortunately.

Twiss long case clock — Twiss tall case early 1800’s

There are even some special clocks such as this Synchronome electrical impulse master clock from the 1930’s.

So, spend time at the museum talking to its knowledgeable curator or avail yourself of the manuals and documents at hand and conduct your own research into a specific clock.

This museum is modest by museum standards and not quite up to the scope and scale of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors Museum located in Columbia, Penn, USA but don’t let its compact size fool you. There is plenty to see.

If you have any interest in clocks I strongly urge you visit this one if you are at or near the Deep River area. Outside Canada? I encourage you to seek out clock museums in your own country and take the time to understand the history of clocks from around the world. Its about time!

May 31, 2016

The shelf clock – what is it, exactly?

What is a shelf clock? If you have a number of clocks as I do it can be quite confusing to describe each specific type to the average person but it is really quite simple. Let me explain how you can identify the clock you might be looking at. The term shelf clock is a broad category but I believe it can be classified in the following ways.

Some 180 years ago the first shelf clocks were OG (Ogee) clocks. These were the first mass-produced American clocks, were inexpensive, and were made up to about the late 1870s. They represented the early years of American clock-making and the transition from more expensively produced wood movements to cheaper brass movement clocks. OG clocks are so named because of the double-curved molding on the front of the clock. The curved molding was designed to hide the weights. Many of these clocks were weight driven with 30-hour or 8-day movements and had mirrored or painted tablets. OG clocks were usually 25 inches in height and 15 inches wide and had hardwood veneers covering a softwood frame. They were surprisingly accurate and reliable.

Later, more stylish clocks could be found. These are called Column clocks because they would either have a half-column or full column on the left and right or even stacked half or full columns such as the one pictured below. Moldings on the top and bottom would be brought together by columns on each side of the clock with mirrored or painted tablets. Column clocks were almost exclusively weight driven with 30-hour or 8-day movements.

At around 1840 Steeple clocks were introduced. They had a peaked centre section bordered by columns topped with finials and a peaked sash with a decorated (often hand-painted) lower tablet. They were spring driven with 8-day movements. Steeple clocks are very distinctive, stood about 15 inches high with veneered hardwood over softwood, often with reverse-painted scenes and are made by a number of well-known companies.

RS on display — Arthur Pequegnat Maple Leaf “fan top” Kitchen clock, circa 1905

Kitchen clocks (Gingerbread) were simple or ornate with carved or steam-pressed patterns made by quick-saws and heavy steel presses, stood 22-24 inches in height and about 15 inches wide, and had a decorated sash which could be a very simple design as you see here or a much fancier reverse-painted glass scene. These inexpensive, visually pleasing timepieces sat in the kitchens of lower and middle-class homes and were produced by the thousands. They were so named because of their likeness to the design of gingerbread houses at the time (early 1900s). They are usually made of oak, walnut or even walnut trimmings on oak with a metal clock face and many had a simple alarm mechanism. The Gingerbread clock you see here is the Maple Leaf “fan top” by Arthur Pequegnat. The Maple Leaf came in 4 unique styles all characterized by the maple leaf decal on the glass door.

Some kitchen clocks had beautifully carved features and figurines such as this stunning clock made by the Hamilton Clock Company (Canada), though a clock such as this might be found elsewhere in the home and considered a parlor clock.

RS City of Hamilton Canada Clock Co — City of Hamilton, made by the Hamilton Clock Company, circa 1880 (Canadian Clock Museum)

When spring-driven clocks were introduced the Parlor clocks like this Hamilton Clock Company model became popular. They tended to be narrower than column clocks because they had spring-driven movements. These clocks mirrored the furniture styles of the time. This one reflected the Victorian era with its bold figurines, carved finials, elaborate patterns etched into its wooden frame, and the hand-painted floral design of the sash.

RS 45-175 — Seth Thomas round top cottage clock, circa 1930

Cottage clocks are less than 15 inches high and typically 8 inches wide are small, simple in design, and take up very little space. Many have basic alarm mechanisms but have one feature that distinguishes them from other pendulum clocks. They have a clip or a clasp that secures the pendulum rod for travel. The “round top” you see here was sold by Henry Birks and Sons an upscale Canadian jeweler. Others had “beehive” tops, flat tops, or octagon tops.

Pendulum rod clip for Seth Thomas round top

Smaller clocks are often referred to as desk clocks. They are usually mainspring driven with a flat dial. This Kundo 400-day anniversary German clock is an example of a desk clock but it might also be described more specifically as a torsion clock. This one stands less than ten inches tall and has a glass dome, a weighted wheel with 4 balls suspended by a ribbon called a torsion spring, and an exposed movement. It was typically given as a wedding gift.

RS Kundo — Kundo 400 day anniversary clock, circa 1970

Finally, the mantel clock.

Mantel clocks can be ornate, larger, and the centerpiece in a room. This particular clock, a Mauthe pendulum mantel clock offers a precision-built sophisticated German Westminster chime movement in a relatively non-descript but attractive and well-built cabinet that is simple yet elegant.

RS Mauthe mantle clock (30) — *Mauthe time. strike and chime, circa 1970*

ASIDE: Is it mantel or mantle? I have always considered a mantle as something you wear, a garment or a part of the earth’s crust. A mantel on the other hand is a shelf above, say, a fireplace. I see this word interchanged so often when clocks are advertised or described that either word is universally accepted. I prefer the word “mantel”.

RS April 12th — Ingraham Huron shelf clock, circa 1878

Mantel clocks were inexpensive to make, occupied very little space, and were part decoration and part practical timepieces. Mantel clocks were made with brass, wood, porcelain, slate, Bakelite, and metal though for the most part they were designed to be lightweight (slate clocks and cast iron clocks would be the exception), simple in basic design, and very practical. Mantel clocks have lasted so long, over two centuries, because they are dependable, versatile, and work so well in many domestic situations.

The categories of shelf clocks also include carriage clocks and lantern clocks. One of the first clocks whose movement and external structure was made predominantly from brass instead of iron or wood was the lantern clock. Although the shape of the clock looks somewhat like a lantern, the derivation of the name probably stems from the French word “laiton”, meaning brass. The earliest lantern clocks had striking mechanisms; later in the 17th-century alarms were sometimes added. Some lantern clocks had pendulums and could be hung on the wall.

Carriage clocks were spring-driven clocks developed in 19th century France and are made of plain or gilt brass. They are often no more than 8 inches tall, designed to be portable, and are characterized by a rectangular shape, glass or porcelain panels, and a carrying handle on the top. If you have a Breguet carriage clock as part of your collection you are very lucky indeed!

This is by no means an exhaustive description of the types of shelf clocks. There are others such as swinging clocks, tambour clocks, pillar and scroll, and so on. Whether you are shopping for a clock as a gift or adding one to your collection or even describing what you have seen to a friend, it is important to understand the distinctions between one type and another.

April 27, 2016

My clock and Mickey Mouse are related!

Anyone who collects clocks knows that Waterbury clocks have had a long and illustrious history but did you know that the modern day Timex watch can trace it’s roots all the way back to the Waterbury Clock Company?

Let’s start with my Ingersoll-Waterbury time and strike mantel clock that I picked up late last year (2015) and following which we will explore this most interesting company.

This mantel clock was sold to retail outlets by the G.R. L’Èsperance Company of Montreal, Canada who advertised themselves as the sole distributor. “Made in Canada” it says on the case but as is typical of clocks sold in Canada before and during the Second World War the movements were made in the USA, assembled and shipped to Canada to be installed in cases that were sold in many stores across the country. Other clock companies such as Seth Thomas established a similar practice. Aside from the very rare Martin Cheney clocks made in Montreal in the mid 18th century, the only clock company that made their own movements and built their own cases was the Arthur Pequegnat Clock Company based in Kitchener, Ontario in the early 1900s to 1941.

This Ingersoll-Waterbury mantel clock was made in 1943 and likely very popular at the time.

clock face — Clock face showing somewhat flimsy hands

It has a conventional pendulum adjusted by a small arbor under the “12” and the company logo “W” in raised relief on the bob. It has a common recoil escapement. The clock face is paper with the inscription “Waterbury” on top of the “6” and”Made in Canada” below it.

operating instructions — Label showing instructions for operating the clock

The label is a generic one found on a wide variety of clocks to save printing costs. The swinging front panel door is unique to this clock and there is a small catch underneath the right hand side to secure it.

The hands may look very ornate but they are in fact quite cheap looking. A quick search on the net reveals that are, in fact, original. The inexpensively made hands and paper face are not unexpected for a mass produced clock.

clock movement — Time and strike movement

The veneers on either side of the back panel were split open when I first received the clock but clamping and carpenter`s glue tightened things up. It is very common for clocks of this vintage to have chipped or missing pieces of veneer which unfortunately reflects their cheap construction. However, this clock presents well and is free of serious flaws on the case itself.

The Waterbury name has been around since 1857. From my research I found that in 1922, the Waterbury Clock Company purchased the Ingersoll operation whose business had begun to decline after 1910 and had gone bankrupt two years previously due to poor management. Waterbury’s operation was particularly hard hit by the Great Depression of the 1930s. Clocks were considered luxury items and many could ill afford a timepiece for the home.

By 1932, their huge factory complex was almost idle when demand was so low. The company avoided bankruptcy and the firm was reorganized as the Ingersoll-Waterbury Company with investors raising half a million dollars in new capital. During this period (1933) the popular “Mickey Mouse” character watch was made and electric clocks were added to the line which revived the company. The Mickey Mouse watch was known as the “mouse that saved the day”. Draw any conclusion you wish.

After the USA entered World War II, the Ingersoll-Waterbury Company switched almost entirely to manufacturing war products though a small number of clocks were still produced. However, in 1942, the company was purchased by a group of Norwegian investors and a new factory was built at Middlebury, CT. Two years later, in 1944, the firm changed its name and became known as the United States Time Corporation. They introduced the widely popular “Timex” watch a year later. In November, 1969, U.S. Time was succeeded by Timex Corporation (now Timex Group), whose corporate headquarters are located in Middlebury, CT. to this day. The Timex museum, located in Waterbury, Connecticut, USA, is said to be “both the birthplace of Timex, and of modern timekeeping”.

So there you have it. My clock and Mickey Mouse are indeed related!

April 19, 2016

It was my mother’s clock

I hear this so often when I am purchasing clocks for my collection. Time and time again (pun not intended) I walk into someone’s home with the intent to purchase an antique clock and I am greeted by the same words more often than not, “It was my mother’s clock” or a variation, “My grandmother had this clock” or “My wife loved this clock”.

Some time ago (April 2016) my wife and I took a trip to the Bridgewater which is located about two hours from our home in Nova Scotia, Canada. I knocked on the door walked into a modest home and spoke with the seller who explained that the clock he was about to say goodbye to had been in his family for over 70 years, perhaps longer. When I was “so high”, he motioned with his hand, “I remember this clock in my grandmother’s home”. Although I did not ask him why he was selling it I could not understand his motivation for parting with this “family” clock.

Mothers and grandmothers seem to be the keepers of the the flame, the maternal spirit of sentimentality. No doubt the clocks were originally purchased by the “man of the house” because it was the man’s station to life to make important decisions for the home though the person who invested emotionally in the acquisition was the wife. Has this changed?

Another example. We traveled to Halifax, Nova Scotia to see a grandfather clock. Now, I have always wanted a grandfather clock. Twenty five years ago my wife and I put a deposit on a beautiful grandfather clock with the hope that it would one day be proudly displayed in our home and our homes to come. Life got in the way, the money was required for a deposit on a new home so we canceled the order. That has always been a deep regret. Fast forward to three years ago. That grandfather clock that I always wanted was staring me in the face when I saw it on a for-sale site. The price was very reasonable. On the phone I asked the seller. “What condition is in in?” and he replied, “You have to see it to believe it”. We visited the seller who explained that the clock was his mothers. He was sorry to see it go but it and several other beautiful clocks just had to go to make room for the “next phase of my life”, whatever he intended that to be. It was in truly exceptional condition so we bought it. I often wonder what he must have told his mother or if he had any regrets when we walked out the door.

RS Ridgeway clock_2 — Ridgeway tall case clock circa 1996

We were in the Annapolis valley (about 3 hours from our home) checking out an Ansonia Short drop schoolhouse wall clock in the fall of 2015 and settled on a price with the seller on the phone. When we arrived the seller explained that the clock had been in the family for a number of years. His mother had passed on and they were in the process of managing her estate. I asked him if he knew anything about the clock. The seller was in his late fifties and said,”I remember it hanging on the wall of my mother’s home when I was a kid, but I never actually saw it running”. “She loved it and she brought it especially to Nova Scotia from a school in Ontario”. We bought it.

RS April 16 — Ansonia Short drop schoolhouse clock

We saw an ad on a local for sale site. It was for a spring driven Mauthe wall clock with a horse crown (top piece) made in about 1895. An elderly couple was in the process of down-sizing and made the decision to divest themselves of some of their keepsakes, his mostly it seemed. He was obviously in a new relationship and explained that his wife had passed away some three years ago and she always loved the Mauthe clock which she considered a family heirloom but it as well as other keepsakes had to go.

RS Mauthe — Mauthe clock with middle finial missing

He told the story about how she had brought it and a number of other items in a suitcase from the Netherlands in the 1980s. The bottom middle final was missing because I suspect that it simply did not fit in the suitcase and somehow got lost over the years. It was the only thing amiss with the clock. It must have been hard for him to see the clock go but he seemed heartened to see that it was going to a good home.

We were on our way to Tantallon (near Halifax, Nova Scotia) to look at a small wall clock, a Waterbury Arion short drop schoolhouse / office clock. The gentleman we spoke to on the phone said that he wanted to reduce his collection of clocks. We arrived and I was quite surprised at the size of this particular clock. It is really quite diminutive with a dial of less than 8 inches and 19 inches from top to bottom. It was missing the glass and bezel but the oak case was in excellent condition. The dial face was in poor condition with barely readable numerals from 6 to 10, however, the price was right. I then asked, “Where did you get this clock”. He replied,”I didn’t; my wife bought it from a fellow in Debert”. “She buys them and I fix them”, he said. I looked around the house and there were some truly beautiful clocks of all types and they were all well cared for and each one was purchased by his wife and cared for by him. A truly symbiotic relationship!

RS_1080437 — Waterbury Arion short drop wall clock

In my journeys throughout Nova Scotia and elsewhere in Canada I have been amazed at how many clocks were collected and cherished by women. In many cases the clocks are in excellent condition, a tribute to those who cared for them, the Mothers.

April 17, 2016

Ingraham Huron shelf clock- Part II

In my last post I profiled my latest acquisition (April 2016), a Ingraham Huron shelf clock, and now we will look at the movement, the case in more detail and other aspects of this fine clock.

RS Ingraham Huron (23) — Ingraham Huron shelf clock

What makes this clock special is the case. The movement, a time and strike, was found in thousands of Ingraham clocks. There is nothing unique about it.

I had an opportunity to take a closer look at the clock movement today (April 12, 2016) and here are my impressions. When I took off the dial pan I immediately observed how much cleaner and brighter the movement was than I expected. A pleasant surprise.

It was clearly evident that the clock had been worked on at least once in its life. A number of bushings had been installed, 8 in the front alone (and perhaps a number on the back plate), however, there was no evidence of poor repair. The clock was serviced by a clock repair shop owned by a gentleman named Hebb in 1944, Bridgewater, Nova Scotia as he left his pencil notation to that effect inside the case. There is no label on the inside of the clock; it would have been nice to see one. However, I do not see any evidence that one was ever there.

clock pendulum — Pendulum with patent from Dec 11. 1877

I discovered the suspension spring was bent so much so that the pendulum bob was striking one side of the case. It was likely transported with the pendulum attached. That could have been years ago and perhaps the seller thought it was not repairable.

A quick fix. Take the rod and suspension spring (one piece) off the post and unbend it, reinstall it and give the pendulum a push and adjust the verge to find the beat. I applied a little pivot oil to the bushings in the front of the clock and observed the action. I was initially getting 3-5 minutes before the clock simply stopped. Okay, let’s try this again, I said. In time up to 10-15 minutes and now as I sit here it is running 2-3 hours before stopping. The escape wheel is wobbly (bad bushing) and a few other bushings are suspect but if I can get to to run reliably for several hours I will pull the movement out and lubricate the bushings on the other side. Granted, this is no substitute for a proper servicing but it allows me to determine how much of a repair it requires. On the other hand, the strike side seems to be functioning normally.

On the upper right side of the movement there is a long rod that is looped at both ends. One end is attached to the count wheel lever. I am thinking two things, first, a way of determining the time in a darkened room or or secondly, a method of syncing the strike with the time. It is in a very awkward location and I wonder, why not just turn the hour hand, which is a friction fit, to the corresponding strike if it is for syncing the time.

Otherwise the case hardware, hinges and clasps are in excellent condition. The glass is perfect. The hands look a little unusual though I believe they are the original.

I let the clock sit for a couple of days to give me an opportunity to work on the case. Such a beautifully designed case with rich rosewood veneers. It was very grimy with years of oils and dirt. I used my go-to cleaning solution, Murphy’s Soap which quite literally took off all that dirt and grime. The soap leaves a little residue which can be polished out much like wax. The gleam of the rosewood veneer suddenly came to life.

My first inclination when I first looked at the clock was that some minor case restoration was needed but after cleaning the case I was really impressed with the results. Not much else has to be done but the only area that concerned me was the base trim which I thought could use a little attention. You can see here where the finish has been abraded due to years of cleaning around the clock.

Here are some before and after shots of my work on the case. The rosewood veneers are in fine shape but you can see the base pieces had been scuffed and marred over time. The first is the before photo showing marred corners and areas where finish has lifted off the trim.

RS Ingraham Huron (21) — Before cleaning the case and it’s trim piece

The second and third photos show the results of a very through cleaning of the case and base trim pieces which included taking off what I believe was a whitish patch of lifted finish with a sharp razor followed by a light application of yellow shellac.

RS case (1) — After a thorough cleaning and a light application of shellac

RS case (3) — Second photo taken with a camera flash showing the base pieces

Shellac, a protective wood covering would have been used at the time the clock was made. I am pleased with the results and now on to the movement itself.

So far so good. This clock will certainly occupy a prominent location in our home.

April 12, 2016

A rare clock – the Ingraham Huron – Part I

My most recent acquisition (April 2016) is an Ingraham Huron shelf clock. The Huron is one of the less commonly found Ingraham models, having been manufactured briefly between 1878-80.

The clock you see here is Rosewood Veneer “Huron” Shelf Clock, by E. Ingraham & Co., Bristol, Connecticut. It has paper on a zinc dial with a round glazed door and lower glass access panel. The maker’s label is inside the backboard. It is a brass eight-day spring-powered movement, with a height of just under 41 centimeters.

The case is in very good condition. The veneers are in excellent shape (no splitting or cracking), the clock face has a build-up of grime which I may leave as is, the base corner pieces have a little wear but the 2 door catches are sound, the glass is perfect, the door hinges are in very good condition and the doors, top and bottom, still fit with precision. The pendulum retains it’s original lacquer and presents well. I have not looked at the movement yet but a little push of the pendulum tells me that something is amiss. Could simply be wound down springs or something more involved. I will leave as is until I have the time to look at it further this coming week and I will post my findings later.

I asked the seller who is about 70 years old, “what do you know about this clock?”. He extended his hand palm down out to about a meter from the floor and said, “I was this tall when I can first remember it in my grandmother’s home”. There is a penciled marking just inside the case indicating that it had been serviced by a person by the name of Hebb in 1944. The seller recalls a Hebb family who at one time lived in the Bridgewater area of Nova Scotia near where I purchased the clock.

The company had a long and renowned history. Elias Ingraham was the founder of this 19th-century Connecticut company that bore his name.

Ingraham won 17 patents between 1853 and 1873, all protecting the unique design of his clocks, most of which were made to hang flat on a wall or sit on a shelf. Ingraham was able to devote his attention to the physical look of his clocks because the technology inside them was rapidly becoming commonplace. By the middle of the 19th century, spring-driven clockworks were replacing weight-based ones, which allowed clocks to be smaller and lighter. These innovations permitted Ingraham to focus on the look of his clocks in order to differentiate himself from his competitors.

RS Ingraham Huron (18) — Dial door clasp

And that is precisely what he did. In 1844, he and his brother Andrew joined with Elisha Curtis Brewster to form the Brewster & Ingrahams (plural) company. The firm would become E. and A. Ingrahams Company in 1852, Elias Ingraham and Company in 1857, E. Ingraham & Company in 1861, The E. Ingraham & Company in 1881, and The E. Ingraham Company in 1885. These subtle name changes might seem overly petty, but they provide the modern collector of antique Ingraham clocks with a accurate way to date clock styles that were produced during a span of years.

Ingraham shelf clocks ranged from painted timepieces richly decorated with mother-of-pearl to round Venetian and Grecian styles clad in rosewood veneer and adorned with gilt columns. Versions of these shelf clocks were also created for walls—the Ionic style was so popular that Ingraham made it from 1862 until 1924.

RS Ingraham Huron (10) — Clock face showing what I believe are original hands

In 1885, Elias’s son Edward took over the company and continued its innovation in clock case design. Double-dial wall and shelf clocks produced during this period told the time of day, the day of the week, and the month. As the 19th century wore on, Ingraham made mantel clocks with Chinese motifs and carved dragon’s feet, as well as a number of patriotic clocks depicting American war heroes.

The Ingraham Clock Company continued to produce clocks through the 1920s continuing with the tradition of unique clock cases with Oriental designs and patriotic themes. Throughout the war years the company diversified into pocket watches and wrist watches. During the post war period the Ingraham company continued to produce wall clocks, mantel clocks and wrist watches but by 1967 the company was acquired by McGraw-Edison who converted production into making more profitable fuses spelling the end of formal clock production and the end of the Ingraham tradition of producing uniquely designed clocks for the masses.

Much of the information for this post came from this site.

April 10, 2016

Floating balance no longer “floats”

Sspriral spring for floating balance escapement

Floating balance movements began appearing in mechanical clocks in the early 1950s. The floating balance has distinct advantages over pendulum clocks. It is robust, dependable and not susceptible to disturbance. It will tolerate being out of level unlike pendulum clocks which must be on a level surface.

This Hermle movement was taken out of a Dugena 1960s vintage Mantel clock and is otherwise unmarked. The seller advised that it loses time and might just require a simple adjustment. This is code for, “it’s worn out”. The clock has been completely disassembled, cleaned, reassembled, oiled and tested. have I have eliminated friction loses in the trains. Not sure, but let’s see.

To function correctly the balance wheel rotates back and forth and maintains the steady beat of the clock through a pallet fork assembly. There is a speed adjustment and after adjusting it enough it becomes clear that the problem is within the balance wheel itself since it continues to run slowly.

The floating balance assembly consists of a balance wheel, 2 jeweled bearings on each end of a hollow tube riding on a pivot wire supported in a u-shaped frame.

The most common reasons for sluggish balance performance are dirt, rust/pitting/roughness of the wire, bent or weak wire or excess oil on the wire & jewels.

Removal is simple – take out two screws, tilt the balance to avoid bending the pallet fork and pull out. Here is the assembly removed from the movement. The bad news is that the helical hairspring appears to be distorted. Ideally it should enclose the balance shaft without bending.

The balance wheel should float on the wire that goes through the cylindrical shaft like the next photo. While in this position a push on the balance wheel should allow it to rotate freely for a minute or more. No more than a few seconds for this one, however.

The thin wire is actually resting on the banking forks (or base). If the shaft rests on the base, additional friction slows the rotation of the balance wheel and will eventually slow the clock.

In this case either the jewels are cracked or the spring has lost its strength. The solution is to either find a new helical torsion spring or find a replacement balance wheel assembly.

Given what I paid for it, it is probably not worth additional resources.

Call it a learning experience. Into the drawer it goes and perhaps someday it will provide parts for a better running movement.

April 4, 2016

Clocks of Cuba

During two vacation trips to Cuba in the last 4 months I managed to locate a few clocks in my travels. Though some clocks were very intriguing none that I saw save for the tower clocks were in working condition. Nonetheless it made me wonder about their provenance in a land that time seemingly forgot.

At Christmas time my family and I traveled to Trinidad of Cuba. We stayed overnight at Los Helechos Hotel in Topes de Collantes which is located about a half an hour bus ride from Trinidad of Cuba. The next day we spend our time exploring the wonders of Trinidad of Cuba.

I saw some interesting clocks in a couple of restaurants. The first is a Wm L. Gilbert time and strike wall clock with calendar dial from Winsted Conn., USA. It looked like a reasonably well preserved dark walnut regulator clock with an 8-day brass movement with pressed features dating to about the 1900s.

The next is unknown to me. It is a Spanish clock. Whether or not Malaprade is the maker was difficult to determine as I could find no information on the internet. However, it is clear that this spring wound time-only clock with second hand feature was made in Barcelona. I would date it to pre-1930. It is a relatively short clock and might have been originally designed as a wall mounted clock as it stands less than 5 feet tall. I am not sure what the area around and below the keyhole represents. I cannot make out any sort of design if there is one.

Next is a floor clock. Again the maker is unknown. I do not see any winding arbors on the dial face and can only assume that it is weight driven (the weight was not attached) and that the weight (or weights) were pulled up by chain to reset the clock likely once every 8 days. This clock was clearly in meed of restoration as were most of the clocks that I saw.

In March we stayed at the Paradisus Rio de Oro in Holguin province located on Playa Esmeraldo near Guardelavaca. The resort is set on a beach next to Bahía de Naranjo Natural Park. In it are a number of interesting clocks.

There were a total of 4 of these lobby clocks which were originally intended to display time zones for the guests. They are time-only and the cases appeared to be in good shape but I do not think they have been running for quite a while. My thought is that there is nobody at the resort tasked with the responsibility of maintaining these and other fine clocks.

face of clock — Face of unknown floor clock, second hand is missing

RS Tall case clock (2) — Unknown floor clock

This clock actually works though it needs servicing. It is located in an ante-chamber adjacent to a Mediterranean themed restaurant. I opened the front door of the clock and found the rod gong impeding the pendulum. Once I dislodged the gong the clock happily began to function and it was in beat, surprisingly. Although it had two weights there were three winding arbors and I would be curious to see the internal workings of that movement. Inside the door was an official seal from the Ministerio de Cultura.

This 400 day clock was made in Germany. There were no other markings that I could determine. It could be a Kundo Kieninger & Obergfell dating to about the 1940s or so but that is just a guess. It needs a thorough servicing and clearly it has been neglected for some time.

Carriage style clock — Carriage or wall mounted clock

This is another an anniversary mantel clock but it appears to have a wall mounting bracket on the rear. Not sure why as these clocks are not meant for wall mounting. Again, an unknown maker but possibly German and in very poor condition. The front glass looks like it can be lifted up for adjustment purposes.

While hiking through El Cubana National Forest we came across a small dwelling and we were able to briefly tour inside. In it I found an old quartz clock dating from the 1980s or earlier.

The first tower clock is located in a tourist village in Cayo Santa Maria called Peublo la Estralla while the next is in a downtown principle square in the city of Holguin. The Olvera clock is a modern electric clock and I am assuming that the tower clock in Holguin might also be electric.

I am told that my next stop in Cuba (another time) should be the Paladar Decameron restaurant in Havana, a fixture in the paladar scene that’s located in the leafy residential district of Vedado. The restaurant is said to said have an old world charm with a collection of various collectibles including antique clocks of all shapes and sizes.

Cuba is a fascinating country and certainly worth exploring time and time again.

March 21, 2016

Girod movement in Canadian made case

This fairly non-descript mantel clock is a puzzler. It has a nicely constructed case with curved wood relief features and a westminster chime, hence the three winding arbors. It is in very good condition and required a simple de-greasing of the cabinet to bring it back to it’s former glory.

The clock was presumably made after the war years, perhaps the late 1940s and has a pendulum movement. Most mantel clocks beginning in the 1950s had balance wheel escapements so I am putting this in the late 1940s perhaps even the early 1950s. This particular mantel clock has a French Girod westminster chime movement.

Girod was a clock maker based in the Morbier-Jura region of France and produced clocks from the 1930’s into the 1960’s. The firm of Girod was founded in 1865 by brothers Leon and Auguste Girod. The clocks were made almost exclusively in the Art Deco style. This clock has Art Deco features particularly the formation of the dial numerals but I would not say it was sold as a Girod clock.

Girod clocks (both mantel and tall case) often came with Westminster chimes, and often a second chime named Cloche de Jura, using the same notes as the Westminster chime. A handful of clocks were built with Ave Maria de Lourdes, and St. Etienne chimes. This clock is westminster chime only; no double chime feature unfortunately. Girod cases usually featured carved walnut appliques and were very ornate, almost garish. Mine is very plain and as I said non-descript.

So, what is it? Well, from my research I have discovered that despite the fact that the clock movement is stamped Girod, it might be a German Kienzle movement. Girod movements had the distinctive feature of split plates, this one has solid one-piece plates. Again my research reveals that as a result of the post-war German reparation effort, Kienzle clock movements were brought from Germany into the Girod factory in France, assembled and stamped as a Girod movements for, it is my guess, export to Canada and other countries.

Another clue. The case has a stamp on the back. It is a little faded but it says, “Quality Cabinet Made in Canada”. There are three letters in the middle that I cannot make out. PHS or FHS perhaps?

RS Girod mantel clock (11) — Upside down stamp on back

There is no trademark on the dial face which would normally indicate the retail seller or manufacturer but my guess is that it was likely sold as a Forestville mantle clock (the Forestville Clock Company was based in Toronto). The logo (??) punched into the hour hand makes me wonder though.

Look at the key. Why two wrench punch-outs and a screw driver end?

RS Girod mantel clock (1) — Key with screwdriver and wrench punch-outs

RS Girod mantel clock (4) — Girod movement showing chime rods and unusual pendulum

The above shot shows the movement. It has five strike hammers, 4 of which carry the Westminster chime and three hammers for the on-the-hour strike. The strike feature is quite loud. The rods appear to be differing lengths of copper and the pendulum has a relief of the Eiffel Tower that you can just make out. There is also a lever on the upper front of the movement which serves as a repeater. The movement appears to be very sturdily built and reflects German (??) quality.

Again my best guess is the Forestville Clock Company of Toronto but if you have other information or if you know more about the history of Girod clocks please drop a line.

March 7, 2016

Forestville mantel clock

If you’re expecting a post about clocks from the Black Forest region of Germany, I apologize for the mix-up. This article is actually focused on the Forestville Clock Company of Canada.

Forestville clocks were assembled in Canada with foreign movements in local and foreign-made cases through the late 1920s to the mid-1970s.

This particular Forestville mantel clock is not particularly special but it comes with a story.

In 2013, during a visit to the Thousand Islands, my wife and I stopped by an antique store in Gananoque, Ontario. While browsing, I was drawn to a clock that caught my attention. I was somewhat familiar with the Forestville name, as the Forestville Clock Company of Toronto had assembled thousands of these clocks. The price tag on the back was $175, which seemed a bit high to me. We stayed overnight in the area and decided to return to the store the next day. When we did, a different clerk was on duty. Although I knew the price listed, I asked him what the clock was priced at, just out of curiosity. Without checking, he replied, “It’s $75,” and I bought it. Afterward, he noticed the price tag on the back and said, “You got a good deal.” I think he learned something that day.

History of the Blackforest Clock Company of Toronto

The Blackforest Clock Company of Toronto, Ontario was founded by Leopold and Sara Stossel in 1928. Both clock movements and complete clocks were imported from Germany and sold through department and jewelry stores across Canada. Their son Ed Stossel started working part-time with his parents’ company in the 1930s and later became a full-time employee in the late 1940s.

Some assembly work was carried out in their Wellington Street East factory. Initially, imported mantel clocks and grandfather clock movements were installed in cases made in Kitchener, but later the complete mantel clocks were imported from Germany. This arrangement was interrupted by the Second World War, which also led to a name change to the Forestville Clock Company in 1941. During the war years, this company imported its clock movements from England, the United States, and even France. However, starting in the mid-1950s German factories again became the source of most Forestville clocks, with Mauthe being a major supplier. (source: The Canadian Clock museum)

The Forestville Clock Company was very successful during the middle decades of the twentieth century. Ed Stossel retired in 1979 and unfortunately, the company survived just a few more years under new leadership.

Both the movement and case were imported from Germany probably in the late 1960s or the early 1970s and the style reflects that period. There is a serial number on the backplate but it is not much help in dating the exact year the clock was made.

Movement of clock — _{Movement showing evidence of over-oiling}

As clock manufacturers were searching for efficiencies, lever escapements replaced floating balances and pendulums in the 1960s and 1970s. I much prefer a pendulum clock but clocks such as this have the advantage of operating on surfaces that are not level.

Balance wheel and hairspring escapement — _{Lever escapement with speed regulator}

This is a closeup of the strike lever mechanism.

inside of mechanical clock — _{Lever mechanism for strike}

strike mechanism — _{Lifting mechanism for strike function}

The three strike rods give the clock a “bim-bam” sound on the half-hour. Not unique but disctinctive.

This mantel clock is a handsome piece with great lines and makes a wonderful addition to my growing collection of antique and vintage clocks. However, it is quite dirty and will need a thorough cleaning. I’ll save that task for another post.

February 26, 2016

Sessions Beveled Number 2 Re-assembly

This clock has been sitting on my workbench for a couple of months. It is an attractive little Sessions tambour style mantel clock, very popular in the 1930s. I spent a little time refurbishing the case, have had good success making it look presentable compared to when it first arrived. The case was marred and it looked like it had been kicking around in a basement or a busy street (LOL) for a number of years. After a thorough ultrasonic cleaning and polishing of the pivots it is time to re-assemble the movement.

It was very inexpensive clock and a great one to hone my skills in clock repair and case restoration. One of my tasks was to use it for bushing practice but my Bergeon bushing machine is back ordered and it does not look like it will arrive until April. I really do not want to learn how to hand bush, I will leave that to the traditionalists. The bushings are in good shape and I am confident it will run but eventually it will need bushing work.

The first challenge after dis-assembly was to clean the movement and the springs. When I first pulled it out of the case, the time spring had completely let go as a result of a click failure. You can see the retracted spring in the photo below. Click failures are a common problem with Sessions movements. In fact, I have another Sessions Westminster chime clock with the same issue.

I cleaned and lubricated both springs. Everything went well until I tried to hook one of the springs to the winding arbor. After many tries I managed to massage the spring around the arbor with needle-nosed pliers and it finally hooked. The other spring was fine. Let’s hope it stays put and lets hope my click repair is successful.

The next photo shows everything in place on the bottom plate. You will see some strange looking wires which appear to be added to the movement but they are actually helper wires installed at the time the clock was made, essential to allow retraction / movement of some of the levers.

Getting the top plate on can be frustrating without the proper tool. One such tool is a pivot locator. It is a hooked device about 8 inches long that allows one to position the pivots into the bushings with minimal fuss.

Here is the assembled movement with the springs clamped for safety. You will notice the top plate appears to be dirty. In fact, this is some kind of lacquer residue. I am not into aesthetics and have chosen not to buff out the plates. A repair shop might for appearance-sake. The important things is that the mechanism is clean, which, of course, it is.

As I have others things on the go I have not tested this movement yet though I checked the action of the time side and the count wheel and they seem to be moving without restriction.

The next phase is testing and if necessary, minor adjustments.

Sessions Tambour – Beveled Number 2

This is a Sessions Tambour style clock that I have been working on for the past two months. I bought it as a non-working clock. As I said in a previous post it is a fairly attractive mantel clock featuring a mahogany finish with faux inlay just south of the dial. It was made in the late 1920s or early 1930s. The case is finsihed and now for the re-assembly of the movement after a good cleaning.

The clock has a few issues aside from the missing pendulum bob. Once the movement was out I inspected the click on the time side and sure enough it had slipped off the teeth. These clicks were poorly designed and often fail. However I think one for the reasons why the click failed was because the arbor hook detached from the spring somehow, I don’t know for sure. I feel that two are connected. I filed the click, gave the rivet a gentle bang with a hammer to set it more firmly in place and now it seems to work as it should.

I recently bought an Ollie Baker spring winder and this was it’s first test. I had a heck of a time getting the main wheel arbor to hook onto the spring and really had to muscle with the inner part of the spring to get the curvature just right so that it could hook. At first I thought that the hook was the problem but as you can see the hook looks fine. Then I thought the spring was the problem but as I said, perseverance paid off. User interface error I suppose.

As others have said that is one of the common frustrations of working with clocks. But in the end I managed to get it to hook. The two springs are coiled and secured and are now waiting to be put back onto the movement. But not today! One victory today is enough. I will keep the reader informed as to my further progress with this clock which I am determined to get working.

It all seems to be coming together although like most things worth doing, it takes time. Let me know what you think and if you have a chance I have a poll that you can respond to. Thanks.

January 13, 2016

Repair and Cleaning of Sessions Beveled Number 2

I did not pay much for this Sessions tambour style clock (circa 1927) though my first thought when I picked it up was that I paid a little too much, such was the work that awaited me. This was obviously a non-working clock when I received it and it did not take much to discover why. It also came without a key and a pendulum bob. Not a problem since I have an extra bob and a universal key set.

I suspected a problem when I first saw it advertised. When I finally picked it up I noticed that the strike side spring was fully wound while the time side was completely unwound.

A turn of the key on the time side told me that nothing was engaging . I suspected three things; a broken spring, broken click or unhooked spring. It turned out to be a broken click. Here it how I found the time side mainspring wheel (see photo below). The click engaged very poorly and ultimately slipped quite a bit making it impossible to wind. Sessions are great clocks but they have a dubious reputation for their click design and the clicks quite often fail over time.

and the repair.

The click was filed down and the rivet was made secure by tapping the back lightly with a ball pean hammer on a vice. Brass is pretty soft and easy to work with.

The clock was disassembled and the parts were first cleaned by hand and then placed in an ultrasonic cleaner. The bushing holes were pegged and the pivots were polished. I did not detect any serious bushing wear though at some time in the next year or two the clock will probably require some bushing work.

I test fit the movement but have not put on the top plate just yet since I am waiting for my spring winder to arrive.

The case was in poor shape and as mentioned in a previous post I stained, used steel wool and applied 3 clear coats to bring the case back to a presentable condition. I am pretty confident that once everything is all back together the clock should run nicely and be a fine addition to my collection.

November 12, 2015

Sessions Tambour Style clock

This is a Sessions Tambour style clock that, according to the label on the inside back access door is a Beveled Number 2. Seems like an odd name for a clock. It is a fairly attractive mantel clock featuring a mahogany finish with faux inlay just below the dial. It is a time and strike clock, two hammers striking on rods. I would put the date of manufacture at the late 1930s or early 1940s. I have 2 other Sessions clocks with a very similar movement so it looks very familiar. This one came without a pendulum bob so I will have to order one from Timesavers. I am not sure at this point whether the bob is a 2.3 oz or 3 oz so I will order both.

The clock has a few issues aside from the missing pendulum bob. I noticed right away that the time side arbor turned freely and therefore it was impossible to wind the time arbor as the click was not engaging the time spring teeth properly. Once the movement was out I inspected the click on the time side and sure enough it had slipped off the teeth.

This is a common problem with this type of movement and a repair is definitely in order. The movement itself is very oily and dirty having been sprayed with some sort of lubricant at one point in its life. There was back gunk (old caked oil) on some of the pivots but there was not as much play in the bushing holes than I would have expected. The spring issue probably arose early in its life. One thing which I first thought was an issue turns out not to be. As the photo shows there are helper wires between the escapement and the fly.

They keep the strike levers from bouncing and assure better operation of the striking mechanism. They are in factory installed condition.

The case was a little banged up. I did a little sanding with 0000 steel wool, removed dozens upon dozens of white paint drops, filled gouges in the veneer with a red chestnut stain and applied the same stain over the entire finish and it seems to pass for mahogany.

A little Brasso metal polish was applied to bring the shine up on the bezel and I Windexed the dial glass inside and out. The results, I think, are impressive. As a final stage I will apply a clear coat on the case.

Can I get this clock to work? I am convinced that if I can fix the time side click, give it a thorough cleaning, this clock will run fine for a long time.

November 1, 2015

Update on Smiths Enfield clock

Servicing this Smiths Enfield clock went without a hitch, well almost.

All parts underwent Ultrasonic cleaning, the pivot holes were pegged and oiled and once re-assembled the clock was oiled, then bench-tested out of it’s case to check for beat and proper strike.

On Sept 30^th – back in the case without destroying 2 U-shaped retaining clips. Took it back out as the strike train was not engaging. Oiled one component on the strike train and put back in the case. Tested the strike. Seems to be okay but the minute hand was not preset so it strikes 10 minutes before the hour. Some re-adjusting

is required. However the clock is running well so far. Although not in bad shape, there are two pivot holes that are suspect. In two years time I will take a look and see if there is any further wear.

September 30, 2015

Smiths Enfield Mantel Clock

Restoring and repairing antique clocks is a rewarding and sometimes challenging journey, and my latest project has been no exception. I recently acquired a time-and-strike mantel clock from the Enfield Clock Company, a British manufacturer known for its utilitarian designs, especially post-war.

_{Smiths Enfield time and strike mantel clock}

In this article, I will share my experiences as I continue to restore this time-and-strike mantel clock, detailing the steps I’ve taken so far, the challenges I’ve faced, and what I’ve learned along the way.

The Enfield Clock Co. & Association with Smiths

The Enfield Clock Company’s history is as intriguing as the clocks they produced. Established in 1929, Enfield became known for its mass-produced timepieces, manufactured using modern assembly line techniques inspired by American factory systems.

By the early 1930s, Enfield was manufacturing clock movements that were sold wholesale, eventually leading to the formation of the Smiths Enfield brand after the company was sold to Smiths Industries in 1933. The clocks, particularly those produced in the 1950s, reflected the utilitarian, post-war aesthetic of the time.

Initial Observations

When I first examined the clock, I could tell that it had been worked on by someone with a tinkerer’s touch, rather than a skilled clockmaker. Although its striking mechanism sounded great and the clock was visually appealing, I knew it required a thorough service to restore its functionality.

This clock occasionally stopped for no apparent reason and was difficult to keep in beat, prompting me to learn more about clock repair. The movement was relatively simple, with two trains, so I set out to clean and service it. As I worked through the process, I encountered some challenges, including an unhooked mainspring and worn pivot holes, but I made progress nonetheless. Though I had to delay some repairs due to my limited experience, I gained valuable insights into the inner workings of this timepiece and look forward to continuing the restoration.

Two pivot holes on the back plate were a little worn but not enough to cause any issues at this time. However, since I know very little about bushing work at this point I think it wise to put off repairs until I know how to do the work. A bushing machine is on the horizon but limited funds do not permit me to tackle those more in-depth repairs just yet. Anyway, back to the movement.

_{Movement showing hammer, and pendulum leader and bob}

While reassembling the strike side the mainspring unhooked. I am not sure why. I was prepared to disassemble the movement to reattach the mainspring but a little wiggling corrected the problem. Once the parts were cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner and the parts were dried, the movement was assembled and oiled. There are two adjusting two screws on either side of the verge that determine the correct height between the pallets and the escape wheel. Through trial and error, I was able to get a good pendulum swing and a steady beat.

I decided not to re-attach the 2 clips just yet since it would not take much to break them. Only after the clock has been running reliably and striking correctly will I reattach the clips.

Not a good design in my view and I wonder if these clocks were ever meant to be worked on after they left the factory.

In the next article, I will share my experiences as I continue to restore this time-and-strike mantel clock, detailing additional steps I’ve taken so, the challenges I’ve faced with this project, and what I’ve learned along the way.

September 27, 2015

Sessions Raven clock

I acquired my Sessions Raven clock about a year ago. It had been serviced by someone knowledgeable about clocks and arrived in excellent condition. The movement had clearly been disassembled, oiled, tested, and the case carefully reconditioned. Interestingly, it also came with a set of instructions from the person who had worked on it.

Sessions clock — _{Ebony in colour and very attractive}

Sessions mantle clock (12) — _{Detailed operating instructions}

I imagine he wanted to ensure the clock found a good home—and it certainly did! The only drawback was the absence of a label, which is always a consideration when purchasing antique clocks. Otherwise, everything appeared to be in order. According to Tran’s book, the leading authority on American clocks, the Sessions Raven dates to the 1920s. It is a time-and-strike clock, featuring a bell for the half-hour and strike rods on the hour. I suspect it was named the Raven because of its deep ebony color—quite striking, in fact.

Sessions mantle clock (17) — _{Time and strike movement showing the bell}

The Sessions Clock Company emerged from the E.N. Welch Clock Company in the early 1900s and was once one of the most recognized American clock manufacturers. However, like many others, it struggled to compete with the rise of electric clocks. Despite its efforts to adapt, the company persisted until the late 1960s before ultimately being forced into liquidation in 1969—a bittersweet end to a once-prominent name in horology.

My clock holds a prominent place in my family room. Its simple design reflects the style of its era and blends seamlessly into any space.

September 19, 2015

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Oiling Your Mechanical Clock

Key Points Regarding Oiling

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The Enfield Clock Co. & Association with Smiths

Initial Observations

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