Clock therapy – it’s not a pill or counseling but it works!

I enjoy the ritual of winding my clocks once a week. It gives me a chance to “see how they are doing”. Each one is like a friend and my mission is to take care of them. As I go from clock to clock I listen carefully as I wind each one, adjust as necessary to speed it up or slow it down depending on the season of the year, humidity and so on and think about the last time it was serviced and what might need to be done.

Some keep very good time, especially the weight driven ones, because they release power at a steady rate while others, like the spring driven clocks either need adjustments often or only occasionally. Like friends, they are all quite different.

The grass is always greener.... — The grass is always greener….

This is the energy I need to keep going by doing physical things

It is Saturday. I wind my clocks up and then decided to mow the lawn. But you know how it is, you can’t just go out to the lawn mower and start it up and mow the lawn. First I had to go buy gas. I buy 10 liters of gas and wouldn’t you know it I return from the gas station to find that I already had another half full 20 liter container tucked away in a corner of the garage.

Mowing a lawn is unnecessarily complicated. I have been mowing my lawn for 20 years and each time I mow it I look at it and decide, which pattern will I use this time? But I end up mowing it pretty much the same way every time. It is a tedious task; it is a mindless task but it needs to be done. But, you know, the lawn looks great after it is cut!

Clock collecting and repair is good for the mind and soul

Anyway, the point is that this is the energy I need to keep going by doing physical things. Even cutting the lawn allows me to think about life’s little problems and provides the exercise that I need. Winding clocks is great therapy because it gets me off the couch and off the internet which is a time-sucking monster. Repairing clocks takes less physical energy but much more mental energy that keeps the brain cells from drying up.

Looking for new clocks to acquire or repairing my clocks takes a certain level of both physical and mental energy. It is a good feeling. Unlike lawn cutting there is nothing about clock collecting and repair that is mindless or tedious, you have to think about everything you do, meet each challenge with the thought that I might even learn something new.

For example, faced with two identical Sessions time and strike movements each one might have very unique challenges like a worn escape wheel tooth on one or a broken mainspring on another. Or, faced with a decision to buy or not to buy I must weigh the cost against my desire to have that particular clock. These weighty decisions take a lot of mental energy.

Clock collecting and repair is good for the mind and soul. One of the things I enjoy most is facing a difficult challenge and seeing it through to the very end, stepping back and saying….yeah, I did that. Take my Junghans Crispi wall clock for example.

This is what it looked like when I first got it

I decided that I would do my best to fully restore this clock

My mission from the very beginning was to have a Victorian style showpiece. I imagined what it might eventually look like and decided that I would do my best to fully restore this clock. Yes, there were challenges working on the case and learning new ways to fashion complex pieces, stain, glue and so forth. There were also challenges addressing issues with the movement which had not been running in 100 years.

I made the difficult decision to bring the clock to a horologist that I have used in the past. Why, it had two issues that I could not fix because I do not have the proper tools. I decided that while it was in the shop instead of having those two issues addressed, why not have it serviced completely. The horologist who worked on the clock did a fantastic job. When I picked it up she was very curious about its history and remarked that it was the first style of clock she had ever worked on.

Was it worth the many hours and the money to bring this fine Victorian style clock back to its former glory? Absolutely, without question! The before and after photos of this clock constantly remind me that when I put my mind to something I can achieve a fantastic result and every time I look at it I feel a sense of immense achievement. It gives me energy!

Yes, clock collecting and repair is good for the mind and soul. It is clock therapy and it works!

August 25, 2017

The lantern clock

It would be wonderful to have this unique piece of horological history, an English lantern clock. I am trying to negotiate a price, the trouble is I do not want to pay much for it but I am afraid once the seller discovers that it is worth a lot of money it will be too rich for me.

french-fusee1 — Lantern clock converted to a fusee movement

Lantern clocks have a very interesting history going as far back as the 16th century. They are the first type of clock widely used in homes in England as the middle class began to prosper. There are many theories as to why it is called a lantern clock but because it was hung on a wall like a lantern usually on an ornate shelf the name stuck. Although some were made of steel almost all were made of brass. It is a wall clock with square bottom and top plates surmounted by a large bell, four corner pillars, a series of vertical plates positioned behind each other, an hour hand, and proportionately large clock dial, and a 30-hour movement with one or more weights.

Originally lantern clocks are weight driven and not barrel driven like this one. Seventeenth century and eighteenth century lantern clocks almost always have a single hand. This clock is a later date of manufacture or perhaps a conversion. Brian Loomes, a specialist clock dealer, in his book on lantern clocks traces their evolution from the early 1600 through the mid 1700 when they went out of style.

Early ones had a balance wheel escapement. Around 1660 the pendulum was created and these clocks used a verge escapement and then transitioned to a long pendulum around 1680. The dial plate engravings were particularity intriguing and often had the maker’s name.

frecnh-fusee-3 — Side view of fusee clock

The one you see here is either a fusee conversion made sometime in the 19th century or a 19th century copy of a lantern clock using a fusee movement. If it was a conversion additions such as the winding arbor hole and the minute hand were made when the “newer” movement was installed. There are two reasons why a clock would be converted, to stave off obsolescence (changing a clock from 30 hours to an 8-days) and to increase the accuracy of the clock. If converted the bell becomes ornamental. As the 8-day tall-case clock became popular in England the lantern clock began to disappear but continued to be made in the rural areas until the middle of the 18th century. Although many were discarded some, such as this one, were converted.

french-fusee1a — Usually there is a maker’s name on the clock face

POSTSCRIPT

Despite emails going back and forth, and active discussion on a fair price, the deal fell through. It is unfortunate since it would be been nice to have a interesting piece of horological history.

August 20, 2017

French Carriage Clock – servicing

There is no maker’s mark anywhere on the case or the movement

The clock is an unsigned 8-day carriage clock in a rectangular brass case. This attractive little clock has a white enameled dial with Roman numerals, blued steel hands and a spring driven time-only movement with platform lever escapement visible through the top beveled glass. The brass case has 4 beveled glass panels complete with a fold-down travel handle.

In taking the movement apart to clean it I can see “73” stamped on the bottom of the case, the case handle, the door edge and 2 or three places on the movement and the letter “B” on the back of the front plate but no maker’s mark. What do the numbers mean? I think it is an internal production stamp. Thousands of these generic carriage clocks were made and I may never know the maker. The only taper pins on this movement are those that attach the dial face to the movement. However, judging from what see and its general construction I would comfortably date this clock to the 1880s.

The movement plates are secured by screws rather than taper pins. Older carriage clocks would have taper pins securing the movement plates. This clock would have been produced for the English market since it has “S”and “F” stamped on the escapement (Slow and Fast). The key has “France” inscribed on it so if it is original, then the clock is French.

Time-only carriage clocks are relatively easy to work on although the platform escapement takes a extra care. I chose not to service the escapement at this time.

First, let the mainspring down to release the power. If you take a wound clock apart it can injure you. Some of the compression points between cogs can have a very high gearing so even a weakly wound clock has the capacity to trap or pinch your fingers as well as throwing out and damaging components. I use a let down key that can be purchased at any clock supply house.

Taking the movement out of the case involves releasing 4 machine screws in the base. I use several elastic bands to keep the glass in place while I lift the sides and door off the base. When holding the clock firmly observe the effect of loosening the screws. The pillars have become loose and the glass can now move a little in the frame. If you unscrew all the screws completely without understanding that the glass is loose, it is too easy for the glass panels to slide out and break. They are not easy to replace! I’ll describe my work on glass cleaning later.

There are two screws which hold the base to the movement. Unscrew those and proceed to take off the front face. The enameled face is secured by 4 taper pins. In my case they were difficult to get out so I decided to take the back plate off the movement to allow my pliers inside to release the pins. Removing the platform escapement requires releasing 4 very tiny screws. A precision slotted screwdriver is absolutely necessary. It is best to unscrew all 4 together and leave them in place once off the movement so you do not have to fiddle with them when reattaching the escapement later, unless, of course, you intend to service the escapement.

I then separate the plates and inspect the wheels, pinions, pivots and pivot holes. I found a little bit of play in two pivot holes only observable with a loupe but not enough for bushing work. I polished the pivots, pegged the pivot holes and cleaned the wheels, plates and other pieces except the platform escapement in the ultrasonic cleaner.

Assembly of the movement is relatively simple as there are so few gears. Attaching the hour hand was interesting, however. Both the hour and minute hands are pressure fit, but the hour hand was a challenge because I had to use a screwdriver to push the hour shaft forward (gently) through the clock face while simultaneously attaching the hour hand. It was very tight. After a number of tries I managed to press it in securely.

Back to the glass. It is also important to put each panel back where it belongs. I discovered that there is a top and bottom orientation to each glass panel, they are cut so fine! There is enough resistance if you try to put the wrong end into the channels you will encounter difficulty. Each glass panel is taken out and cleaned with Windex and, of course, put back exactly how they came out.

Once everything is assembled the clock is oiled, wound and the time is set. Polishing the brass case is the final step. Brasso was used to clean up the brass and bring the clock back to its former glory.

August 17, 2017

Low antique clock prices – are they here to stay

There is a peculiar phenomena happening in the clock world today and that is tumbling clock prices. French cartelle clocks, American jewelers regulators, original E. Howard and Willard banjo clocks to name a few have retained their value but clocks that would have sold for hundreds of dollars a few short years ago can be had for almost nothing today. It is not a great sellers market.

Rare Ingraham Huron found on a local online for-sale site — Rare Ingraham Huron shelf clock was once sought after by collectors

Prices will not rise any time soon as modern generations have been conditioned to discarding old for new irrespective of merit and in contradiction to the ideology that recycling saves the planet

Why are clock prices so low?

I have acquired some very nice clocks for ridiculously low prices. While it is part luck there is ample evidence that recent clock prices have never been lower.

There are so many clocks that no one seems to want. Gingerbreads, school house clocks, mantel clocks, Ogees (30 hour or one-day especially), calendar clocks and most garden variety clocks go for very low prices. Good for collectors, not so good for sellers. Prices will not rise any time soon as modern generations have been conditioned to discarding old for new irrespective of merit and in contradiction to the ideology that recycling saves the planet.

Millennials are also facing a very different world than I and my contemporaries faced. Factory work or clerical positions are now considered a good job and young people are staying with mom and dad living in their old rooms as they try to pay off mortgage size student loans. Under those circumstances you will not consider buying a tall case clock or an 18th century French clock.

Thanks but I have no place to put one

My generation (I am in my 60s) did not typically have mechanical clocks in their homes (aside from Grandfather and cuckoo clocks), so younger people today do not have those kind of memories to inspire nostalgia. In my day mechanical clocks were thrown in the trash when they wore out to make way for the electric clock. For young people today the old clocks we loved are not in their sights for purchase. An offer to gift a clock to a millennial is often met with the reply, “Thanks but I have no place to put one” and of course, winding it is always a hassle. A visit to any antique store or clock fair says it all when observations show the average age of visitors and traders are often in their “senior” years.

Junghans Crispi wall clock, not rare but a fascinating history

Prices of clocks really did not begin their rise in value (at least in North America) until the mid to late ’50’s. Since then and up until the late nineties many ordinary clocks commanded high prices. Since the year 2000, the economy has been spiraling downward. Paralleling the declining economy is the decline of prices for antiques of all types. The at-times spectacular and troubling declines in real estate values, increasing unemployment and fewer discretionary dollars have all had an deleterious effect on dropping clock values. With the up-tick in the economy perhaps things will change

I collect clocks and other antiques for interest and history alone

I collect clocks and other antiques for interest alone and only those I can afford which often means that I will try to buy a clock for as little as possible. Collecting in this way allows me the comfort in knowing that there is no worry about future rises or drops in value. I acquire clocks simply because I want them, and pay a price that is worth it to me. If I see something that I do not have, it is unique or has some historical value and it is a reasonable price (to me), I will buy it.

However, many of us collectors are aging and downsizing. Few are in buying mode and many want to sell. The result is a glut of often lesser quality clocks that were once bought at higher prices.

French mantel clock, a very nice clock at a ridiculously low price

Unless you are prepared to learn how to repair or somehow care for an old mechanical clock you are faced with the prospect that the cost of repair far exceeds the value of the clock. Sentimental reasons always trump repair costs but the message from the clock repair person with integrity is clear, “keep it, it is not worth the cost of repairing”.

Will prices get better? Prices for antiques and collectibles is cyclical and chances are that they will go up again.

August 13, 2017

Aug Schatz & Sohne W3 – help me find a case for this fine movement

Arrows show new bushings and a newer click spring

W3 refers to the 3 chimes, St Micheal, Whittington and Westminster

This W3 Aug Schatz & Sohne movement is local antique store find for under CAN$20 though it came without a case and chime rods. W3 refers to the three chimes, St Micheal, Whittington and Westminster. The Whittington chime is my favorite.

Aug. Schatz, a German company, are known today for two types of clocks: the Schatz 400-day clock (including the 1000-day clock) and the ships clocks. They are not typically known for shelf or mantel clocks.

The movement has a platform escapement though earlier versions of the W3 came with a pendulum. I believe that this platform escapement has 2 jewels. Later platform escapement had up to 7 jewels. The front and back plates are solid. It has higher quality leaf pinions rather than lantern pinions and there are 8 chiming hammers, three for the hourly strike.

It has been worked on before, perhaps more than once, but it seems to be clean and in very good shape. There are at least 13 new bushings and a newer click spring.

Aug Schatz and Sohne trademark — Aug Schatz and Sohne German trademark showing W3 stamp

I oiled the movement and I wound all three arbors and it has been running happily for a week now, going through its quarter hour chime sequence flawlessly and hammer striking on the hour as it should. Well, at least the hammers moved.

If you have a spare case lying around in your shop I’d be very happy to take it off your hands

If you have a spare case that would fit this movement lying around in your shop I’d be very happy to take it off your hands. It would have been a mantel, shelf or bracket styled clock. If a mantel clock it might look similar to this Juba Schatz bim-bam clock.

Having a movement without a case is like have a car engine without the body. If you have or know someone with a case that will fit this fine movement please drop me a line.

August 7, 2017

Doesn’t all that ticking drive you crazy?

Circa 1890 French Black Marble mantel clock

No!

As a clock collector I have quite a few clocks in my home. Most are running daily. There are 34 clocks ticking away in my home as I write this blog article.

I have accepted them as normal sounds in my home

Some collectors have a dedicated clock room in their home but mine are scattered throughout the house. I try to arrange each one so that it fits more or less into the decor of the room. It is a big house and thankfully we have quite a few rooms in which I can display my clocks. I have all manner and styles of clocks including mantel, wall clocks, shelf clocks, carriage clocks, desk clocks, anniversary clocks but just one floor clock. My particular preference is wall clocks; I have 13 of them.

Kienzle clock on display with Ingraham Huron balloon style shelf clock

Gustav Becker Vienna Regulator and Seth Thomas round top

Arthur Pequegnat Brandon in an upper hallway

Mauthe Westminster chime mantel clock atop a Stromberg Carlson radio

So how do I put up with the cacophony of clock noises in the house? One, I thoroughly enjoy the sound of a mechanical clock and two, I have accepted them as normal sounds in my house.

However, there are rules in our house.

No striking or chiming clocks in or near the master bedroom.
No clocks in the bathrooms.
Clocks are stopped in those areas where guests are sleeping unless they do not object.

Are there clocks in the bedroom? Of course, three to be exact. Two are 400 day clocks like the one in the next photo and the third is a banjo clock.

9 inch 400 day Kundo clock — 9 inch miniature 400 day Kundo clock

The Ingraham Nordic banjo clock has a front-wind lever escapement and I would challenge anyone to hear this clock across a room. Is is no louder than an old alarm clock. The 400 day clocks are, of course, virtually silent.

We have a Mauthe box clock in our family room that makes such a wonderful sound that I actually pause the TV to listen to it

This is my advice to those of you who love mechanical clocks but are bothered by the “noise”:

Some clocks are loud tickers and some are not. As a general rule American clocks tend to be much louder tickers than German or French clocks. Loud clocks should be placed in noisy areas
Avoid clocks that have a striking or a chiming train. If you are not fond of the sound of an hourly or quarter hour strike clock, simply search for a time-only clock.
Most chiming clocks (Westminster chimes are the most common) have a shut-off feature located on the dial face.
For time and strike clocks simply wind the time side only. However, purists would say that this is not good for the clock.
Carriage clocks, clocks with lever escapements (like the Nordic above) and 400 day clocks are exceptionally quiet and do not normally strike or chime (however, some carriage clocks do strike).
Locate your clocks in an area where you will not be bothered by them, a dedicated room, for instance.
Stop your clock or never wind it. Perhaps you can appreciate your clock as a piece of art or furniture rather than as a timepiece.
For the nostalgic, run your clocks only at certain special times of the year.

I rarely hear my clocks. Yes, I am aware of the ticking if I stop and listen. By and large I am not at all bothered by the sounds of my clocks. In fact, we have a Mauthe box clock in our family room that makes such a wonderful bim-bam sound that I actually pause the TV to listen to it.

August 3, 2017

Regulating your mechanical clock – its easier than you think

Regulating your clock is the process of making repeated, precise adjustments to its mechanism with the goal of enhancing its accuracy and ensuring it functions as a reliable timekeeper over an extended period.

The running of your mechanical clock is influenced by three key factors: neglect, friction, and the environment. These elements will determine whether your clock can maintain accurate timekeeping. The article ends with tips on regulating your clock and the effects of mainspring power on timekeeping.

Let’s look at each factor.

Neglect

Neglect is easy to understand: without proper care, a clock will lose its reliability as a timekeeper. Placing a clock in a sunny spot, especially in a hot window, can cause the case to age prematurely and dry out the movement. Setting a clock near a heat source, like a heating vent, can affect its performance. Transporting a weight-driven clock without securing the weights can result in broken case parts and shattered glass. Moving a pendulum clock without removing the pendulum can cause internal damage.

Additionally, turning the hands backward should be avoided unless the manufacturer specifically permits it in the clock’s instructions.

Preparing to wind a clcok using a winding crank — _{Using a winding crank}

Friction

Each moving part of a clock must be in optimal condition. The gear train should move freely, but excess friction will negatively impact the clock’s performance. Regular lubrication is crucial to prevent this. Friction causes wear, and over time, wear can lead to costly and time-consuming repairs. As bushing wear accelerates, the clock’s functionality will deteriorate, eventually causing it to stop.

_{Close-up of bushing wear; the pivot hole is oval when it should be circular}

It’s good practice to inspect your clock’s movement every year or two and add oil if the pivots are dry. If you notice a buildup of thick, dirty oil around the pivot holes during your inspection, it’s time to service the clock’s movement. This can be done either by you, if you have the necessary skills, or by a clock specialist.

Six bushings on back plate — _{Six bushings installed on the back plate of a Sessions Westminster A mantel clock movement}

Once the lubricating oil is used up or dries out the clock continues to run but the wheels are running without lubrication in their pivots holes. Once the pivot holes are enlarged (see above) the gears begin to run too deep into each other and the clock eventually stops. In clock circles the proper function of one gear operating with another, smoothly is referred to as “meshing”. Once wear becomes a factor, winding the springs no longer helps, as the springs lack sufficient power, or the gears fail to mesh properly, preventing them from overcoming friction in the gear train.

This leads some owners to think the clock is stopping due to being “over-wound,” when in reality, it’s simply worn out, or there is so much debris and dried oil in the mainspring that it sticks and refuses to unwind.

Preventative maintenance can help avoid costly repairs.

Servicing a clock is a separate topic altogether but black or green oil around or in the pivot holes is an indication that re-oiling will be ineffective; dis-assembly and cleaning of the movement is necessary.

Mixing old, dirty clock oil with new oil will speed up wear, and adding more oil won’t improve its performance.

Environment

Changes in the ambient temperature of your environment will affect it’s timekeeping rate. It is quite common to make seasonal adjustments to your clock. If you are in a temperate climate such as my part of the world, humidity, and temperature changes have a noticeable effect on the rate-keeping of any clock. Increasing the ambient temperature will slow it down, from the expansion and lengthening of the pendulum rod (unless it has a compensating type pendulum).

Clocks perform better in the more controlled environment of a home, but damp basements, window sills, bathrooms, areas above heating elements or vents, garages, and other humid spaces are unsuitable for mechanical clocks. Harsh environments can damage both the movement and the case, leading to issues like cracks, fading, and detached veneer in addition to a myriad of problems with the movement.

pendulum bob with adjuster — _{Pendulum bob with regulating adjustment}

Regulating your Mechanical Clock

Regulating a clock often means making incremental changes to the length of the pendulum by means of a rate adjustment screw located at the end of the pendulum, or as in the case of a French clock pendulum (above) a rating screw inside the bob. Turning the rating screw clockwise shortens the pendulum (faster) and counterclockwise lengthens (slower) it.

Usually, one full turn of the screw means adding or subtracting a minute per week. To simplify the process some clocks have a rate adjustment arbour on the dial, typically at the 12 o’clock position. That way you do not have to open the access door at the back of the clock to adjust the rating nut on the pendulum.

If you have a double-ended key, the smaller end is used for the rate adjustment arbour. The “S” (slow) and “F” (fast) settings correspond to adjusting the clock’s speed—slowing it down or speeding it up. Clocks may have either one of these adjustments, but sometimes both (adjustable pendulum and rate adjustment arbor), as on this French shelf clock.

Rate adjustment is a trial-and-error process and typically takes a week or longer. If you can adjust your mechanical clock within a minute or two per week you are doing well. You will gradually gain a feel for the kind of adjustment required to regulate your particular clock.

Clocks without pendulums are those that have lever escapements, floating balance escapements, or balance wheel escapements. Regulation is achieved by moving a lever from slow to fast (as indicated on a wheel for instance) or adjusting weights in one direction or another on the escape wheel. There are specific directions on how to this and it is best to consult the instruction manual on your clock or search for resources online.

Mainspring Power and Regulation

When winding a spring-driven clock you are winding a sturdy coiled metal spring. The mainspring is an energy storage system or a power source. When you turn the key the winding gets tighter until you cannot turn the key any further. This stored energy (or potential energy) is now ready to be released but because a clock has reduction gears and an escapement (method for energy to escape) the energy is designed to be released at a steady and controlled rate. The purpose of the gear train is to convert the slow rotation of the main wheel into the faster rotation needed to tell the time. Each wheel in the train turns faster than the previous one.

A spring-driven clock tends to release most of its energy at the beginning of a cycle and releases less energy towards the end of it’s winding cycle which is typically an 8-day period. Most clocks will run longer than eight days but will lose more time as the spring supplies less power.

Regulating some spring-driven clocks can be challenging due to the way they release their power, though this can vary depending on the clockmaker. If your vintage or antique spring-driven mantel or wall clock is accurate to within 1-2 minutes per week, it’s performing quite well.

_{Sessions Beveled No 2 tambour style clock and French carriage clock}

My Sessions time and strike tambour-style clock typically runs about one minute fast at the start of the week and around one minute slow by the end of the week. This is normal.

_{This one-weight Vienna wall clock is accurate to within 30 seconds a week}

On the other hand, weight-driven clocks are more accurate since they release power at a constant rate through the winding cycle. Weight-driven clocks are generally more reliable timekeepers and are easier to regulate.

Junghans Crispi wall clcok with compensating pendulum — _{Junghans Crispi wall clock with compensating pendulum}

Neglect, friction, and environmental factors play a significant role in a clock’s ability to keep accurate time. By ensuring proper maintenance, placing your clock in a location free from heat and humidity, and regularly checking for adequate lubrication, you can extend its lifespan, maintain its value, and enjoy dependable performance for years to come.

July 31, 2017

Profile My Clock: Seth Thomas Column and Cornice clock

Carole Ann Bennett of Ottawa, Canada asked me to profile her latest clock acquisition which was bought at auction and advertised as a triple-decker clock. It is, in fact, a column and cornice clock.

This lovely Seth Thomas time and strike eight-day weight-driven column and cornice clock with hour strike features a mahogany veneer case with cove molded crest, ¾ columns in painted gold and two reverse painted doors opening to the interior clock works which reveals a tin painted dial and the original printed and illustrated Seth Thomas clock makers label. It is 32″ tall, 18″ wide and 5“ deep.

The painted tin Roman Numeral dial has hand-decorated flower spandrels in all four corners with the centre portion of the brass lyre movement visible though the dial.

There is a small amount of chipping around the winding holes and face mounts. The hour and minute hands are in an Ogee style and original to the clock. The movement is clean and running well.

The upper tablet has a hand-painted fruit bowl framed within a clear rectangular section with an onion top surround by a gold laurel design. The lower tablet shows a headless eagle framed in an clear oval centre with clustered gold berry spandrels in all 4 corners and encircling the oval section is a gold wreath made of berries and leaves. The headless eagle has clawed feet, one holding a sheaf of arrows while the other holds what appears to be a holly bush. There are 13 stars above the wings presumably representing the original 13 colonies. There is the expected amount of flaking consistent with the age of the clock which seems to disappear when the doors are closed. The missing paint areas blend into the remaining design and look good in spite of the minor issues. A red banner runs through the centre. It appears to be a very loose interpretation of the eagle on the presidential seal.

My first impression is that the top and bottom tablets are not a match because of the different themes on each panel however the blue paint is identical.

It has a very good interior label with the name J. M. Paterson, Hamilton, Canada West which appears to have been pasted over an original label.

Canada West, previously known as Upper Canada, formed one-half of the British colony of the Province of Canada. The region was governed jointly along with Canada East (formerly Lower Canada) from 1841 to 1867, when Canada West became the province of Ontario under Confederation. This would put the clock between 1841 and 1867.

More research is required. Below the added label are instructions for the operation of the clock. It has newer 6 ¾ lb cast iron replacement weights which are correct for an eight-day clock. The pendulum is a replacement as the original would have had a rate adjustment screw as per the last line of the instructions.

Minor areas of paint around the main designs on the top and lower tablets are beginning to flake, however most of the original paintwork shows very well. The case has some scuffs and a little veneer chipping as one would expect. The deep grained mahogany veneer adds to the overall look of this big and beautiful shelf clock.

There are newer softwood strips attached by Robertson screws on the top and very bottom of the back of the case which appear to have been added either as a repair or to strengthen the case. There are 4 holes on the backboard just below the movement which may indicate the presence of an alarm mechanism at one time.

All in all it is a good looking clock that reflects the period and a fine acquisition.

July 28, 2017

Timezone clocks – keeping track of family across the country

It this day and age it is very common to have family scattered to the four winds. What time is it is such and such? Why not create timezone clocks? I live in Canada and I have one daughter in Calgary, Alberta, one of our mid-western provinces and one in Victoria, BC, on the west coast of Canada. We keep in touch with Skype and telephone and as I am working on my computer in the kitchen area of my home all it takes is one glance upwards to see what time it is in Calgary or Victoria.

This is my trio of clocks. The two on either side are eight inch while the centre clock has a 12 inch dial. The centre clock is a New Haven time and strike from the 1930s taken out of a decommissioned school house in Saskatchewan in the 1950s. My aim is to have three 8 inch dial clocks. Once I find another 8 inch time-only clock the New Haven will be replaced.

The clock on the left is a Waterbury Arion. It came to me without glazing and bezel but ordering a replacement was easy enough through a clock supplier, Perrin in Canada. While writing this blog I decided to touch-up the 7, 8, and 9 numerals. It is the quietest of the three clocks.

The one on the right is Sessions Drop Octagon. The dial face is in rough shape but I decided to leave it as-is. The clock came from a decommissioned schoolhouse in Springhill, Nova Scotia in the 1960s.

It is by far the noisiest of the three but you get used to the sound. All three will be time-only clocks, preferred if you are looking for the dedicated function of simply telling the time. Of the three my favorite is the Waterbury. Even with the “messed-up” dial face, it is the most accurate of the three and will run for 12-15 days on a single wind.

Keeping track of family all over the country is part of being a normal modern family and timezone clocks certainly help.

July 24, 2017

Junghans Crispi wall clock – from a clock-in-a-box to a clock that rocks!

This post describes the final detail work on my Junghans clock.

My winter (2017) project was an antique German Junghans Crispi time and strike spring driven wall clock made in the style of a Vienna Regulator. It was manufactured in Schwenningen, Germany in 1899. It came to me as a box of parts. To some a box of clock parts and pieces is discouraging but to me it was the challenge I was waiting for.

A clock in a box, how it came to me originally — A clock in a box, how it came

I wrote a multi-part series on the restoration of this clock. Use the search feature on this site to find past articles. I discovered this antique clock from a seller on an online for-sale site in January (2017) and was intrigued with its incredible history as a survivor of the Halifax Explosion on Dec 6, 1917.

On the morning of 6 December 1917 the SS Mont Blanc a French cargo ship laden with high explosives and Benzol collided with the Norwegian vessel SS Imo in the Narrows, a strait connecting the upper Halifax harbour to Bedford Basin. A fire on board the French ship ignited her cargo, causing a large explosion that devastated the Richmond District of Halifax. Approximately 2,000 people were killed by blast, debris, fires and collapsed buildings, and an estimated 9,000 others were injured……and a Junghans clock fell off the wall in a house on Princess court, North End Halifax

At first I was not sure how far I would go with this project but I decided I must go all the way towards restoring this clock to its former 19th century glory.

Most of the clock is original; the movement, the pendulum, coil gong and movement bracket as are the bottom base and top part of the case plus the crown, the backboard, the vertical columns and most of the decorative trim. What has been replaced is the box frame, the front piece that supports the right and left columns. I can only assume that parts of the clock were destroyed beyond repair on that fateful day.

Thirty years ago the previous owner used contemporary materials and techniques to reconstruct the frame and front piece. Although not authentic, I have no objection for two reasons; much of what he has done is unseen and care was taken to replicate period woodworking techniques to reconstruct the case except for the Robertson screws. During the restoration process I have added or in some cases made:

Front glass and 2 side glass panels,
3 glass support rails,
3 top replacement finals,
2 newly constructed top finial bases,
2 brass door hinges,
2 brass door catches,
2 brass case stabilizers,
2 hardwood trim pieces and
6 decorative buttons.

I disassembled the movement and in the process made two errors. In my attempt to re-position the star wheel paddle by bending it just a little bit, I managed to snap it off. Although I might have been able to fix it I do not have the tools, yet! I also managed to snap off the paddle wheel arbor spring which is essentially a thin steel rod. Again, I could have fixed it if I had the tools. As a result the strike side did not function. I cleaned and re-assembled the movement, got the movement running and thought, what is my next move?

Very dirty movement; after all it had not been running in years

I might have been content with a time-only clock but I decided that my mission was to have it fully restored. I decided to bring the clock to a horologist that I have used in the past. While it was in the shop, why not have it serviced completely. The horologist did a great job and when I picked it up she remarked that it was the first style of clock she had ever worked on.

What remains? There are two trim item on the left side just below one of the buttons as you can see in the photo below and a corner piece on the right side of the case in the same area.

Let’s see if my skill with router can address these issues.

I took out my vintage Black & Decker router and managed to find the correct bit. Since it is a very small trim piece birch rather than oak would do. I made the measurements using my micrometer. The dimensions had to be precise in order to duplicate the trim piece exactly. I am very pleased with the result. Now for the right side.

I made a corner piece out of birch and glued it in place. In the next two photos you can see the very small piece that fits into the corner trim.

I am very pleased with the repair.

I posted a reference to this clock in one of my blogs and received a curious letter from someone who thought it was a Chinese clock. I fully understand the comment because the clock is so “blingy”. The many brass buttons and trim items might make one think that it was made in China. It simply reflects the Victorian era, a grand excess of ornament and an eclectic revival of historic styles mixed with middle east and Asian influences in furniture design. A Chinese clock? No, but an understandable error.

It is a clock that will be in our family for years to come

Was it worth the hours of toil and the money to bring this Victorian style clock back to its former glory? Absolutely, without question! The clock works perfectly. The coil gong on the hour and half hour sounds terrific and resonates throughout the house. Visitors to my home are immediately drawn to the clock because of its unique Victorian style. Indeed, it is a clock that will be in our family for years to come.

From a clock in a box to a clock that rocks.

July 21, 2017

Tick Talk Tuesday #10 – Do I have an Arthur Pequegnat Canadian Time clock?

Tick-Talk Tuesday is about the letters and comments I have received from you, the reader, concerning your clocks, issues you might have had and challenges you face and my responses to your questions with advice on your particular clock concern(s). For those comments and questions that stump even me, I consult within my clock circles for the best possible answer.

DP writes, “Hello Ron: I have a clock I bought recently at an auction.The clock is from Pictou County Nova Scotia. It has Canadian Time On the glass. I live about 50 kms from Truro. I would like to take the clock over to you and find out if it is a Pequegnat clock. The clock keeps good time. It is made out of birds eye maple. It measures 29 inches high, 15.5 inches wide and 5 inches deep. My technology skills are not very good and I am not able to send you a picture. My name is DP and I would be pleased to hear from you.”

My response to DP

“Yes you are pretty close to where I am. We can meet but you can also save yourself some trouble by doing a little investigating yourself. Regarding the dimensions, are you measuring the whole clock from top to bottom. The Canadian Time is 36 inches high by 15.5 by 5 inches deep. If the entire height of yours is 29 inches you are likely missing the top piece (crown) and the bottom section or both. Most were made of quarter sawn oak. I have never seen one in Bird’s Eye maple. And the words “Canadian Time are stenciled in gold on the glass door.

Next, on the bottom part of the dial face you should find the inscription, “Arthur Pequegnat Clock Company”. If not, it is a replacement dial.

If you are adventurous enough, you can unscrew the minute hand nut, take off the minute hand and pull off the hour hand underneath which is a friction fit. Next, you can unscrew the square wood panel the dial pan is mounted on. There should be 3 screws, one on top and one on either side. Once you unscrew those you can take the piece that holds the dial pan out. You can then check to see if the company name is stamped on the lower right hand side of the movement. Obviously if it says Arthur Pequegnat, that is what you have. I have included photos showing what you should see when you open it up.

Let me know how you make out.”

DP writes back.

“Hello Ron, I am not really comfortable taking the clock apart. I did take it over to DG in BH about a week or two ago. He repairs watches and clocks. He did a repair to a thin strip or band of metal (punched a new hole through it) and then reconnected it to the movement. DP is referring to the suspension spring. When it was apart the only thing I could see written on the movement was (no jewel and I think not adjustable or unadjustable). It looks like the movement might have been replaced because there are two extra holes on the back. The dial face has been put back in place incorrectly and has nothing printed on the face. I would like to take the clock to you and just get your views and opinions on where or who might have it or any other information you can give me. I would be pleased to hear from you.”

DP, “An Arthur Pequegnat movement would never have “no jewels” or “non-adjustable”on the movement. The company name would clearly be there. What you have is what some collectors would term to be a “marriage”, that is a case with another, more modern movement. If your case is 29 inches high then something is clearly missing. If you still want me to look at it, I will. Give me a call at (phone) and we’ll meet.

Folk art version of Canadian Time_4 — Folk art version of Canadian Time

DP arrived with the clock that he won at a local auction for CDN$25. Underneath the folk art and all the modifications is, indeed, a Canadian Time Clock. What appears to be maple finish is painted Birds Eye maple; underneath is oak. The base and crown are missing; the dial is a replacement and whoever replaced it mounted the dial in the wrong position. The decals are on the outside of the glass and were added later probably the same time as the Birds eye maple finish. The pendulum bob, painted some sort of brass or gold colour, is original but the pendulum rod is a replacement with a home-made leader hook. The only thing in good shape and original is the Canadian Time reverse decal.

Attaching the pendulum — DP attaches the pendulum

The movement is a replacement, an Indian made reproduction time-only movement exactly like this one at Timesavers.

Found on the back of the dial pan is this inscription.

REPAIRED SEPT 18, 2013

REPAIRS BY JAMES xxxxxx

12C PLEASANT ST STELLERTON NS

CLOCK AND xxxxxx CLOCKMAKER SINCE 1956

In short, it is a very modern interpretation of a classic clock. If it were my clock I would not do a thing to return it to its original condition; there are just too much things that would need to be addressed. However, it might be appealing to some people as a piece of folk art. As a piece of folk art DP should be pleased that he got a good deal.

July 18, 2017

Clocks at the summer cottage

We have a seasonal cottage that is used primarily in the summer and at times during Thanksgiving in October. While I have a number of clocks at my residence in Nova Scotia the cottage is a great place for displaying a small selection of my clocks.

Our first clock at the cottage was a Danial Dakota time and strike that we had converted to a quartz movement. The clock is from the 1960s and reflected Chinese design elements copied from American clocks at the time. It requires very little maintenance and is as accurate as one would expect. It requires a “C” cell battery to operate. It is a chiming clock with Westminster and Whittington chimes and my wife and I much prefer the Whittington chime. I still have the original mechanical movement and may someday use it in another case.

The clocks do not run during the winter but oiling once per year addresses the issue of dried pivot holes

Last summer (2016) we were travelling through an Ontario town of Halliburton and stopped by an antique shop. The owner brought in a number of clocks from Ireland, all British made. They were in very good condition though some were a bit on the pricey side. My eye was drawn to this simple but attractive Smiths Enfield time and strike Art Deco style clock. It has a chromed square bezel and Roman Numerals on a slivered background. The ornate brass coloured hands compliment the square dial face. The squared off dark oak case with half height side shoulders is in excellent condition. I placed this clock on a shelf between our kitchen and family room.

Smiths Enfield time and strike, circa, 1950

Our kitchen has a Delft style, triangle shaped front-wind 8-day time-only porcelain clock with a lever escapement similar to those found in marine movements. It is an estate auction purchase. On the dial is the name Forestville. The Forestville Clock Company of Toronto operated from 1928 to the late 1970s. Though wholly Canadian owned the company had cases made in its early days (from Kitchener, Ontario) but later imported cases and movements from Germany then France and England during the War years and Germany again, after the Second World War. The clock has a Dutch motif which reflected a popular trend in the 1950s and 1960s but also recognized Canada’s close relationship with the Dutch people since the war years.

The clocks do not run during the winter but oiling once per year addresses the issue of dried pivot holes. We also take the battery out of the quartz clock.

There is nothing like the sound of mechanical clocks at the cottage particularly on a cold, quiet night when the only other sound is the melancholic cry of the whippoorwill.

July 13, 2017

Taking a little break

it is time to take a little break.

You will see fewer posts over the next 2 months as I spend quality time with friends and family and decompress at our summer get-away in central Canada. I intend to make my third visit to the Canadian Clock Museum in Deep River, Ontario while in the region.

Regular readers know that I typically profile my own clock collection, the challenges of maintaining and repairing clocks in my collection plus articles of interest based on observations in my travels including general interest clock subjects as I navigate through the fascinating world of horology.

I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy the researching each article. I will maintain a presence on my blog by posting regularly though it means that there might be some delay in answering letters. I invite you to browse through my archive; there is always something that will interest clock lovers at all levels.

Over the next 8 weeks you will find articles on a little Delft kitchen clock I discovered, my thoughts on a Aug Schatz movement I found, final detail improvements on my Junghans Crispi wall clock, some helpful information on clock keys, how to live with all the clocks in my house and notes on clock therapy. So, stay tuned as they say and if you like what you see let me know.

July 8, 2017

Tick Talk Tuesday #11 – clocks of Cuba

Tick-Talk Tuesday is about the letters and comments I have received from you, the reader, concerning your clocks, issues you might have had and challenges you face and my responses to your questions with advice on your particular clock concern(s) and of course, general comments. For those comments and questions that stump even me, I consult within my clock circles for the best possible answer.

On my trip to Cuba in March of 2016 I happen to capture a number of interesting clocks. The two pictured below prompted a comment from JC.

wall clock — Wm Gilbert clock found in a restarant

The first two clocks are the most interesting to me. The Gilbert looks fairly standard (often called a “Store Regulator”) but I think it’s been painted black. Normally these are in oak cases, occasionally (but rarely) in walnut. The colour would have matched the interior back.

The second clock looks like a fine and expensive Jeweler’s Pinwheel Regulator. I’m wondering if you’re wrong about it being spring driven. These are normally always weight driven. The weight normally hangs behind the pendulum. Is it possible you didn’t see the weight? The movements from these are almost always Swiss made (near the Jura region of France), with pinwheel escapements. They are VERY EXPENSIVE clocks. The movement alone would fetch around 1000$. I have no idea what that circle is on the dial. I’ve seen some with inlaid marble dials, but most have enameled dials like this one. Cases can range from plain to extremely elaborate, and from 5 feet to 9-10 feet.

The name and place on the dial is the retailer where the clock was sold. It is never the manufacturer (this is typical on all French and some Swiss clocks of this type/vintage – the same is true of Comtoise clocks and French mantle clocks).

The rest of the clocks (with the exception of the 2 figure 8 wall clocks) seem to be imported German clocks from 1930 and later. These include both tall clocks and all the 400 day clocks shown. The figure 8 clocks are either American or Asian made copies (likely from Japan) from the early 1900s.

July 4, 2017

Jauch Drop Octagon – one problem I cannot address…..yet!

Jauch wall clock — Jauch German drop octagon wall clock

We often cruise the HiBid sites. While they may be wholly Canadian I am sure there are similar sites in the US. HiBid are a hosting service for antique online auction companies and from time to time clocks come up on estate sales.

One day in early February 2017 we were on a Nova Scotia HiBid auction site and noticed a Jauch drop octagon with a PL42 movement. I made what I thought was a reasonably good bid. We had errands to run that day so I just left the bid, got home later and realized and surprised that I had won. It was a good purchase. After running for several weeks I opened the case up and discovered its hidden secret.

Time only movement — Time-only Jauch movement

The clock easily runs a full 8-day cycle but it gains about 5-7 minutes at the beginning of the cycle and loses the same at the end of the cycle. A dramatic difference! A properly functioning clock is designed to run at an acceptable rate of + or- 1 minute per week but this depends on adequate power to the escapement with very little fluctuation in that power.

Scored pivots and worn barrel arbor holes are real issues for this movement. The pivots are small, a light touch with a buff stick and a minimal polish along with pegging and round broaching the holes should be the first steps in reviving this clock. Bushing work is also quite possible. The barrels are another matter. If worn, they require bushing. The cap is too thin to bush without making a thin flange or leaving the bush a bit proud and peening both sides. The barrel is narrow and it is said that they really get the wobbles when worn.

This is an inexpensive German movement but finely made and well engineered. An overhaul should result in a good long run.

I took the movement apart and discovered two things. One, it needs at least 3, perhaps 4 bushings and secondly, there is a significant gap in the barrel cap as seen in the photo below.

Barell showing a very wide gap — Barrel cap showing a wide gap caused by wear around the arbour, weak point of this movement

Front plate is removed showing going train

The real issue for me is the barrel cap. I can attempt to bush the cap but the bushing would likely not hold unless it is peened. The gap is causing an unbalance in power transmitted through the gears as a result of the wear. The soft brass barrel cap is definitely a weakness of this movement. The result is the erratic running described above and a wobble in the pendulum. I contacted a gentleman in Arizona who would be prepared to correct the wear by installing two new bushings on the gear side and cap of the barrel. The cost is 1 1/2 times the value of the clock so I have decided against that option. It is just not worth it!

1 Day Later

I installed 3 bushings. The front side of the escape wheel arbour, the front side of the second wheel and the minute shaft. I re-assembled the movement, oiled it, adjusted the pallets, reinstalled the worn barrel and have put the movement back into its case. It is now running and in the next week or two I will see what effect new bushings will have on the running of the clock. My hope is a marginal improvement given the worn barrel.

A barrel repair will have to wait until I have the proper tools.

June 30, 2017

Would you like to profile your antique or vintage clock?

Would you like to tell the world about your special clock?

Would you like to tell the world about your special clock? Is it a clock you have had for years or was it handed down to you or you did you win it an an auction or find it in a dark corner of an antique store?

Is it a favorite clock you would like to see profiled on this blog? It could be one of the clocks in my collection or it could be one of your own (or several that you own). If you would like to profile your own clock(s) send me as many photos as you can (1 meg each is fine) but include shots of the movement as well. If I use your photos I have your permission to post them. If you are using photos that someone else took (Google or eBay for example) it becomes more problematic from a copyright perspective.

I will keep your name and location private

Provide me with a history of the clock and/or some interesting details that I could include in the blog article and let me know if you want your name included. If not I can assign an identifier, the first and last letters of your name and of course I will keep your location private.

Send me an email with pictures.

ronjoiner@gmail.com

June 27, 2017

More fascinating terms – the language of clocks

Regular reader and contributor JC suggested a few more clock terms I thought readers and fellow horologists might find interesting.

My source for this article is the Watch and Clock Encyclopedia by Donald de Clarke, published by Bonanza Books (1984) which is still available on Amazon.

Gridiron pendulum: A pendulum consisting of alternating steels and brass rods coupled together to compensate for downward expansion so that the centre of oscillation of the pendulum remains consistent with changes in temperature, invented by John Harrison in 1725.

final look — Gridiron pendulum on a Junghans Crispi wall clock

Broaches: To broach is to open and enlarge a hole. A Broach is a steel cutting or smoothing tool with a tapered or parallel sided edge used to cut or “finish” holes in a clock plate. Used to enlarge and then finish (smooth) a newly installed bushing on a clock plate.

Swiss made smoothing broaches — A set of Swiss made smoothing (or finishing) broaches

Motion Works: The train or wheels of a clock directly connected with the hour and minute hand.

Great wheel: The teeth that form part of the barrel of the going barrel. It is also the wheel to which the mainspring is attached.

The motion works of a clock; the largest wheel on this movement is the great wheel (Pequegnat Clock Co.)

Maintaining Power: A method to maintain the driving power while the weight is being lifted or mainspring with fusee is being wound. In effect keeping the mechanism going while winding.

Weight driven movement with maintaining power, (unmarked Vienna Regulator)

Huygens Endless Rope Drive: It is a method of providing maintaining power to drive the clock while the weight was being raised. The endless cord passes over pulley A which is attached to the great wheel and supports the driving weight B, it then passes over pulley C which has a ratchet to support small weight D. As cord E is pulled down to wind the clock ratchet C turns under it’s click to raise weight B which continues to drive the clock as it supplies torque to wheel A. This ingenious system is found in some 18th century long-case clocks.

Locking Wheel (or Count Wheel): A count wheel is the wheel that determines the number of blows to be struck in striking mechanisms.

The left wheel with notches is the count wheel

Ratchet wheel: A toothed wheel into which a click engages permitting the wheel to revolve in one direction only.

Click replaced — Toothed ratchet wheel and click

Cam: Usually a disk so that upon revolving it transmits movement to or exerts pressure upon a connecting unit.

Arrow showing location of a cam, the fly is located in the upper right

Fly: Often called the governor or controller of a chime or strike train. It is the last piece in a train of wheels.

The language of the clock world always amazes me. There are a plethora of other clock terms that I will be happy to explore in future blogs.

June 23, 2017

Tick talk Tuesday #9 – Mauthe Horse Crown clock

Tick-Talk Tuesday is about the letters and comments I have received from you, the reader, concerning your clocks, issues you might have had and challenges you face and my responses to your questions with advice on your particular clock concern(s). For those comments and questions that stump even me, I consult within my clock circles for the best possible answer.

This an antique (circa 1895) Mauthe Horse Crown Clock. Some would say it is ugly but I disagree – it is a beautiful clock. Some would even say it is a Vienna Regulator style of clock. PS has a different opinion.

PS says. “Happy to see this – my parents in law had exactly the same clock ! The wood was brighter and the horse stood (a bit loose) on the roof directly, so most likely a part was missing. We have destroyed (yes! yes!) the wooden case – quite a tough job, German quality. We found it sooo ugly, sooo old-fashioned! We left the the metal parts alive, though. The clock needs maintenance, because it does not continue to tick. I could send it for free to a clock-lover for a build-in somewhere. Any hints? Greetings from Brussels, Belgium”.

My reply. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think it is a good looking clock but it is only my opinion. If it has the same movement as my Mauthe you could send it to me for use as parts should my Mauthe decide to stop.”

Alas PS did not send the movement.

June 20, 2017

Mauthe box clock – Sold by Eatons under the Solar name or a Forestville?

German box clocks are quite common. Prices for these clocks are all over the map, some ask hundreds of dollars but they can be had for very little money like this Mauthe box clock I picked up in a flea market outside Peterborough Ontario. The hands were faded and the case was in rough shape but I knew it was a good deal.

Thousands of German “box clocks” were made in the first third of the 20^th century and even to the middle of the century. The box clock replaced the classic “Vienna Regulator” after the First World War and reflected a minimalist approach to clock design. Most, if not all, were made in Germany. Despite the absence of markings, I have no doubt that this clock was made in Germany by Mauthe.

This vintage clock is 29 inches long by 13 inches wide and 7 inches deep. It has a 7-inch silvered Arabic dial with a spade hour hand and speared minute hand. The lower section of the case door has 5 beveled glass panels (middle one is arched) with brass connecting strips. There are two fluted columns that frame either side of the door and circular glazed viewing panels on each side. The movement is mounted and secured by thumbscrews on a seat board. The clock case is in fair to good condition with no gouges, deep scratches or missing pieces. Refinishing at some point in its life combined with environment factors has resulted in a darker walnut shade. The case is made of cheaper pine rather than the more expensive oak found in higher end box clocks.

The door has its original glass, catches, hinges and swings very easily. There are no case stabilizers (stand-offs) which I found curious given the height and weight of the clock. It has a rod gong twist locking feature about one third up from the longest rod to secure the rods during transport. Rods are brittle and can easily snap off if unsecured when moving the clock.

Rod twist lock to secure the rods during transport

I would comfortably date the clock to the 1930s

The dial face has been “messed with” in some fashion. I suspect someone tried to clean the face with an abrasive cleaner as there are scratches on the numerals. The numbers were touched up with flat black acrylic metal paint. Evidence that it was distributed by a Canadian clock company is a maple leaf applique on the crown.

The five-point maple leaf is a common symbol for Canada. There are two possibilities. It might have been sold by the Forestville Clock Company of Toronto or Eaton’s department store under the Solar (Soler?) brand name. I would date the clock to the 1930s.

The price was right so I bought it

The rack and snail, time and strike, spring powered movement with recoil escapement has no markings but for the numbers 42 (pendulum length in cm) and 105 (beats per minute), the letters C,A, with numbers, 79/9 engraved in the lower right of the front plate, presumably a clock-makers mark for servicing in September of 1979 and a serial number, 25226. The back plate is solid brass while the front plate is open. It also has a repeater function on the strike side.

This is an antique mall find and the seller left a note saying that the clock required servicing (code for not running). While on the wall in the store the clock ran for a few seconds and then stopped. So, yes, it needs servicing. The price was right so I bought it.

I took the movement out of its case, inspected it and found it very clean. I looked for any obvious signs of wear or damage such as bent arbors or broken teeth and found nothing. The pivots holes were dry though absent of the tale-tell signs of thick black or green oil indicating wear. The mainsprings were wound tight as I would have expected. I oiled the movement, ran it outside the case for a few hours, returned it to its case, re-positioned the 3 strike hammers for the rod gongs and it ran strong, striking as it should on the hour and half hour.

The 3-rod “Divina gong” was, according to the standard German reference, Hans-Heinrich Schmid’s (2005) Lexikon der Deutschen Uhrenindustrie 1850-1980, a Mauthe trade-name registered in 1912. I compared the movement to similar Mauthe movements online and but for minor details it is the same. The case design is plain and free of decoration and is quite unremarkable save for the aforementioned beveled glass panels.

Divina rod gong, patented by Mauthe in 1912

I refreshed the case by first giving it a good cleaning with Murphy’s Soap. The cleaning revealed some light and dark patches so I opted to give the case a light coat of walnut stain followed by Poly Wipe Satin clear coat.

Box clock after case refresh — Box clock after case cleaning and refresh

There is not much I could do with the unsightly black smudges on the dial without lifting the silvering so I left that untouched but it still retains that vintage look.

There were a number of unsightly black marks on the pendulum bob that I cleaned up using Brasso. Brasso was also used to clean up the brass bezel. The beveled glass and the brass strips were cleaned as well.

The Divina rod gong bim-bam strike has an especially pleasing resonance that echos through the house.

For a 50CDN investment the result after a refresh, is remarkable. It shows very well and it is a welcome addition to my growing clock collection.

June 15, 2017

Tick talk Tuesday #8 – Mauthe mantel clocks

Tick-Talk Tuesday is about the letters and comments I have received from you, the reader, concerning your clocks, issues you might have had and challenges you face and my responses to your questions with advice on your particular clock concern(s). For those comments and questions that stump even me, I consult within my clock circles for the best possible answer.

From JG.

“Hi, Ron ! I’m a clock lover (and small time collector) based in Gurgaon, just outside the capital city of New Delhi, India. My surname suggests that my ancestors were clock and watch sellers but the family lost it’s business due to a profligate great-grandfather, or so family lore says.

About four years ago I picked up a Mauthe wall clock with a quarterly self-correcting Westminster chime with an art deco exterior and it has given me trouble free service subsequently. Minor adjustments are needed to keep time, particularly since the climate in our part of India can get fiercely hot (usually dry heat but humid in monsoons) and bitterly cold in winter. A bit of tweaking on the pendulum bob keeps the clock going well. Like your mantel piece, the chime gets a bit sluggish after 5 days, so I need to wind it up twice a week.

The dial has the Mauthe trademark and name, but there’s another separate mark on the dial stating “Gani and Sons, Madras”. This firm still exists and they were formerly importers of quality watches and clocks into India. They still assemble German movement long-case clocks and install tower clocks to this day.

Last month, I picked up my second Mauthe from Zurich – again a Westminster quarterly chime wall clock – but this is a much larger clock. It travelled as checked-in luggage padded in bubble wrap and surrounded by clothes as further padding (I had no choice !), zipped into a rather large soft bag bought specially for the purpose – I couldnt find a hard bag large enough. Thankfully, it survived three flights and several baggage belts without any damage, and took up poisition immediately. It took about a week of pendulum adustments and now keeps great time.

This clock, too, has a Mauthe trademark, but it seems to be an older variant.

I am aware that Mauthe changed their trademark a few times (thrice ?) but I’m unable to gather accurate and authentic information on the years in which these were changed. I’d be able to date my clocks if could get get this, and I was wondering if you would be able to assist me in this.

I could email or “whatsapp” you pics of both these clocks and specifically the logos if you’re in a position to help.

For your information, some of the other clocks in my collection, some of which are heirlooms, are two Beaumonts (one is a mantel piece from around 1920, unfortunately this one has a crudely replaced dial and a new case, but retains the original movement, and the second is a wall clock, completely original, from 1915 or so); an Ansonia wall clock with a calendar (1905); another Ansonia (probably earlier than 1900) which stands on a low cabinet but can also be placed on a wall; a new grandfather cased in India and a couple of pocket watches.”

I was fascinated with JG and his family history as well as his appreciation for Mauthe clocks. He send me photos of his clocks with photos of trademarks. My reply.

“Not much success determining the trademark dates you are looking for but I wonder if you have tried http://www.antiqueclockspriceguide.com/identifytrademarks.php
There is also a forum (discussion board) connected with this site that might lead you to more information.

I posted on the http://mb.nawcc.org/forum.php discussion site but I gather there are not many Mauthe collectors however if anything comes up I will let you know.”

June 13, 2017

9 reasons why clock collecting and is a great hobby and why it might be a fit for you

Hobbies are a great way of finding comfort through stepping off the roller coaster of life

In this increasingly complex and chaotic world where many of us seek ways of exploring constructive activities & pastimes a hobby is one such escape. Hobbies are a great way of finding comfort, stepping off the roller coaster of life and rising to the surface after seeming to drown in life’s problems. A hobby allows one to disconnect briefly or longer from the social media universe that seems to consume us every day. Pursuing and maintaining a hobby, whether it is for casual leisure or serious pursuit, is a regular activity that should be done for pure enjoyment. It is healthy for mind, body and soul!

The more you know, the more you grow

There are 9 Reasons why clock collecting/repair hobby works for me and might even work for you.

I meet people. This hobby requires that I come into contact with other people when I purchase clocks, have clocks repaired or ask for advice.
A clock repair shop in Nova Scotia
Builds my self-esteem. Developing and maintaining a clock hobby is important because the small successes I have from day to day or week to week are enough to sustain me while other pressures are occurring in my life and it is the one solid thing to feel good about. It gives me renewed energy to tackle other challenges in life.
Avoid boredom. I have zero scientific evidence of this but I really believe that boredom is responsible for a lot of society’s ills and destructive behaviours. How many people come home after a challenging work day to watch TV for hours on end when they could be doing something constructive and rewarding?
My Hobby is a point of connection with other people. It gives me common ground with a small, select portion of the population, the people who collect, repair antique and vintage clocks, the people who share my passion. They are from all over the world. Every week I get inquiries from clock enthusiasts from all corners of the earth asking for advice on their particular clock.
Clock collecting enriches my perspective. I remember an old adage: “The more you know, the more you grow”. Any opportunity to learn something new, to be challenged anew, is great for character-building by seeing the world through refreshed eyes. Clock collecting and repair helps me differentiate myself from others and provides me with key examples of where I have overcome adversity or tackled a difficult situation and emerged on the other side.
It keeps me stay youthful. Establishing and maintaining a hobby is a very healthy habit to form for later years. Hobbies are excellent for brain health especially if you are looking for something to stave off cognitive decline. The older you get the more trouble you will have struggling to fill your time with meaningful activities. Starting a hobby early in life pays dividends in the long run, much like an interest bearing investment.
Clock collecting combines with other interests. Photography and traveling are two other interests in my life. Blog writing is another, of course. This hobby allows me to combine all of those interests and as a side benefit my wife, who is also my travel partner and clock locator, encourages me every day.
My hobby makes me interesting. At a party, you can only talk about your occupation or your grandchild for so long before people’s eyes begin to glaze. But if I mention that I have a clock that fell off a wall during the Halifax Explosion, a clock that hung in a railway station near where I live, a rare clock I bought for almost nothing, their ears perk up.
Halifax Explosion clock, Junghans Crispi wall clock

Pictou rail station clock, Arthur Pequegnat, Canadian Time circa 1930
A way to relieve stress. My hobby provides stress relief simply because it is an oasis from the rest of my life. You can immerse yourself in a totally different world when you are focused on getting that darned strike side to work correctly on a troublesome clock movement.
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Okay maybe clock collecting and repair is not a hobby for you but you can insert whatever hobby you wish to have or already have and I'll bet the 9 reasons above are pretty much on your list.
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June 9, 2017

Ingraham Nordic Banjo Clock

I did not have a banjo clock in my collection and my latest acquisition is certainly a banjo styled clock but not in the tradition of a true weight-driven American banjo clock which continues to allude me.

There is no scarcity of spring driven recoil escapement (lever escapement) banjo clocks. This particular clock has a balance wheel/hairspring escapement which Ingraham calls a “marine” movement.

Balance wheel/hairspring escapement — Balance wheel/hairspring movement

This is the Nordic, one of a series of small, hairspring banjos that Ingraham produced in the late 1920s and 1930s. The Nordic is one of three that Ingraham introduced during the aforementioned period, the others being the Norfolk and The Norway. In the mid 1920s it would have cost about $11.00.

Nordics come up occasionally on EBay and seem to be very desirable if in very good condition. Often the throat or bottom tablet is cracked or missing and the clock face is distressed in some fashion. This particular clock is in exceptional condition for its age and shows very well. It is both diminutive and attractive.

Marine movements were (and are) very accurate eight day lever movements which are key wound and key regulated. It is wound from the front unlike Gilberts and others that must be taken down from the wall to be wound. The movements are constructed with extra heavy brass plates, steel cut pinions, a double roller escapement and are made to last.

The case is described by Ingraham as having a “fine rubbed mahogany finish”. Fake done nicely!

These movements are not commonly found outside the confines of a case. They were also used in other Ingraham wall clocks. Tran Duy Ly’s book on Ingraham Banjo marine movement clocks shows them from the 1927 catalog.

Clock face showing silvered dial and press-fit hands

Handsome Banjo Clock — A Handsome Ingraham Banjo Clock

Both the hour and the minute hand are “pressed-on” friction fit. It has solid brass side arms, brassed eagle and a circular finish silver-plated dial with a non-tarnish-able gilt sash. Framed glass panels with coloured ship scene and floral throat complete the look. It is 26 inches in length. It lacks a label which would normally be affixed to the back of the clock.

As the most inexpensive of banjo clocks many homes could have one to avoid the higher cost (though higher quality) of a weight driven banjo clock.

June 2, 2017

Sessions Westminster A mantel clock Part III – re-assembly and cursing the chime drive

Do you like the challenge of working on a mechanical clock? This one might have you ripping your hair out. These are not the best clocks to start on and can be a headache for the experienced clock-maker.

You will find Part I of this project here and Part II, here.

#1 Refinishing the case while movement is on the test bench

In August 2015 I wrote, “This a good project clock that is not for the inexperienced. As I gain more knowledge I will tackle this fascinating clock.” Well the time is now

With a little experience under my belt it time to tackle this vintage circa 1931 Sessions Westminster A chiming clock.

I had removed the movement from it’s case in 2015 to replace a bad click since the mainsprings can be easily removed without dis-assembly. The click holds the tension or power of the mainspring and is identified by a clicking sound when the key is turned on the winding arbour. Although I have not run the clock much since then the click is holding up well.

The movement required a total of 17 bushings. There was some movement of the pivots in the pallet arbour bushing holes, not enough to be overly concerning but they were addressed during servicing.

I was unable to pull the centre cam off because I do not have a puller which was unfortunate as the hole might have called for a bushing.

I was also unable to pull the arbour for the gathering pallet pins. It also might have needed a bushing though luckily I was able to bush one end. I mentioned in Part II that parts that are pressure fit on any movement are frustrating when said parts cannot be removed without special tools. Fortunately I was able to hand pull other chiming/striking parts off this movement.

#5 All parts in except the minute / hour canon

Old and new brass spring — #6 Old spring on rack and new brass spring ready for the second rack.

There are two racks on this clock (see photo #4). One rack was missing it’s retaining spring. I made a new one out of brass wire. The clock was not striking properly and this small, seemingly inconsequential part might be the reason.

It shows very well for a vintage 86 year old clock

Between re-assembling the movement and testing of the time side I had an opportunity to address the finish on the case. I used a wood stain to hide scuffs and nicks, applied 5 coats of Minwax Satin Wipe-on Poly using 1500 grit emery cloth between coats to bring up the finish. Although not quite the deep luster of a clock coming out of the factory it shows very well for a vintage 86 year old clock. Purists might argue that I am using a modern finish on a classic clock but I don’t mind since the clock was found in a dusty old barn and cost me only $25.00.

Robert Croswell’s guide for the Sessions Westminster A clocks is excellent

The dial bezel was polished using Brasso.

Five Days Later

The clock has been running for a few days and I am satisfied that the time side is functioning well. I can now proceed with the strike and chime side, following Robert Croswell’s excellent manual.

One Week Later

The time is running well and I am getting a full cycle (8 days+) however I am still having issues with the strike side. It manages the quarter hours as it should, 4 strikes on the quarter, 8 on the half, 12 on the three quarter and 16 on the top of the hour. However it is obvious (to me) that I do not have the hour strike sequence set up properly. Robert Croswell’s guide for the Sessions Westminster A clocks is excellent but I am having difficulty understanding how the racks, and there are two, and the snails, again two, are set up.

Stay tuned, I know I will solve this little annoyance eventually.

May 25, 2017

Tick-Talk Tuesday #7 – SP’s thoughts on dating a Kienzle Weltzeituhr clock

Hitler's clock — Kienzle Weltzeituhr clock presented to Adolf Hitler in 1939

Tick-Talk Tuesday is about the letters and comments I have received from you, the reader, concerning your clocks, issues you might have had and challenges you face and my responses to your questions with advice on your particular clock concern(s). For those comments and questions that stump even me, I consult within my clock circles for the best possible answer.

On display in an antique store in Quebec Canada

Weltzeituhr is German for “World clock”.

The first Kienzle World Time clock was presented to Adolf Hitler on his 50th birthday in 1939 by the government of Würthemberg. The classical design with the world map in the “Mercator” style (cylindrical map projection presented by Gerardus Mercator in 1569) and the moving narrow scale with the time in the denoted cities came from the Heinrich Johannes Möller hired at age 27 and Kienzle’s principle designer from 1931 til about 1970.

The original clock had a bulky “foot” or base (first photo) and was decorated with swastika patterns on the edge. After the war, the decoration was necessarily altered, the base became smaller but the general layout of the dial was preserved through all permutations of the clock, from the early mechanical versions to the electro-mechanical versions and finally the quartz movements in the 80s. A unique feature of this clock is that it shows Germany to be the centre of the world.

SP writes, “One way to narrow down date of one of these clocks is to look at the names of the cities. For example, mine has Jakarta, Indonesia as ‘Batavia’ which was the name given by the Dutch who ruled until the Japanese took over in WWII. The name was officially changed Dec. 27, 1949.”

Side view of World Time Clock showing substantial brass surround

Your clock says ‘Germany’ and has ‘Djakarta’. It could have been made between 1942 and 1949

SP wrote further, “I got to thinking and I suspect that further sleuthing may be in order. If you go to the Wikipedia article on ‘Batavia’, you’ll see that the name was changed when the Japanese took over in 1942. It also says that the name change from ‘Batavia’ to ‘Djakarta’ was ‘internationally recognized’ on Dec. 27, 1949 so that there was a seven year period when it was called ‘Djakarta’ by part of the world and ‘Batavia’ by another (Keep in mind that the Germans, allies with Japan, would have been partial to seeing things the Japanese way). Then, at the ‘West Germany’ Wikipedia, I see that ‘West Germany’ was declared on May 23, 1949. Your clock says ‘Germany’ and has ‘Djakarta’. It could have been made between 1942 and 1949 if the names on the dial were determined by Kienzle in strict conformity with official names. Of course, whether or not they were strict in that way would be hard to pin down but it seems to me that an earlier date for your clock’s manufacture seems just as plausible as a later one. It does seem to me, however, that, if it was made in 1950 or later, it would very likely say ‘West Germany’ given the 7-month lead time and the earth-shaking importance of the name change at the time.

Is it a clock or a work of art? Both it would seem

I replied that the clock was likely not produced during the war years when many German plants turned their attention to the war effort. My clock was either made in 1942 or close to 1949.

SP wrote back some time later and shared this with me, “I was also thinking that the war years are unlikely for the same reason. I was just doing a little exercise in marking rough parameters. Another rough parameter: mine has no country of origin as in ‘Made in Germany’ or ‘Made in West Germany’ — perhaps an indicator that it was made for the domestic market. I came here originally to learn how to calibrate the ‘world time zone’ scale. Then I took the clock to my local clock maker to have it serviced and he explained that, on my model at least, you have to take the back cover off and manipulate the metal disk inside with your finger. I see that some clocks, including yours, have a little button or knob on the back half-way down from the center knob that controls the hands and I assume that it controls the time zone scale. Anyway, if you are a visitor to this site looking for the same information, now you have my report.”

On my clock the tiny knob controls both the hands and the zone scale. As I rotate the knob the zone advances incrementally.

I am certainly on the lookout for more Art Deco styled Heinrich Johannes Möller clocks to add to my collection and when I come across another I will be sure to write about it.

Thank you, SP, for sharing your knowledge and experiences concerning this wonderful clock.

So, it seems that my Kienzle was made between 1942 and 1949.

Is it a clock or a work of art? The latter I would submit. Thanks to Heinrich Johannes Möller and his ability to turn a timepiece into a true work of art.

May 16, 2017

Unsigned French mantel clock – pretty but I wish I knew more about it

Clock face showing the two winding arbours

I acquired this elegant antique French mantel/shelf clock online in March of 2017 and it is the only French clock in my collection. Not many come up on Nova Scotia online for-sale sites.

I felt somewhat guilty leaving the home of the man I bought it from because he told me that he was selling off his possessions to provide for his wife after his passing as he was in the final stages of a terminal illness.

The elderly gentleman said that the low price reflected the fact that the strike side was not functioning and it had been like that since shortly after the last servicing. When inserting the key in the strike side arbour I immediately noticed that the spring had tension but it would not click. It could be a simple fix.

There was nothing on the inside of the case that would tell me anything about the maker

It is a time and strike clock of French origin from the turn of the 20th Century. The clock is 11 inches high by 8 1/4 inches wide by 5 1/4 inches deep, jet black, either slate or Belgian marble with lighter reddish brown rectangular accents and serpentine scrolling. It is quite heavy! The dial has a brass centre cup with enamel surround, delicate hands and painted Arabic numerals.

It is in the Grecian architectural style popular during the late 19th century both here and in France. But for a large chip on the bottom right of the case and a smaller chip on on the bottom left it is in very good condition. Unfortunately chips on the corners of these old French marble clocks are quite common. The movement is an exquisitely crafted French time and strike mechanism with a pleasant sounding but subdued coiled gong. It is unsigned.

The only markings are the word Brocot on the speed adjustment gear and another marking on the back plate. This patented Brocot speed adjustment was invented by French clock maker and inventor Louis-Gabriel Brocot in the 1800s.

Brocot patented speed adjsutment — Brocot patented speed adjustment

Stamped on the rear plate is Marque Deposee which means registered trademark in French. EBay sellers often mistakenly refer to it as the maker’s stamp. Careful examination of the movement revealed that there was nothing on the inside of the case or the movement that would give me a clue about the maker. A mystery, but not surprising as many French clocks are similarly unsigned.

The previous owner advised that the clock had been serviced but I decided to take the movement out of it’s case to inspect it more closely, re-oil if necessary and determine why the strike side was not functioning. The movement is relatively simple to remove. To extract it from it’s case undo the two slotted screws (rear) that hold the straps and pull the movement out from the front.

Side view of movement showing brass straps

A very nice acquisition though I keep thinking about that old fellow

I discovered that for whatever reason the click screw was very loose, and not engaging the ratchet. After screwing it down tightly the click engaged the ratchet as it should. I can only assume that during it’s last servicing the click screw was not tightened securely.

The strike side click was loose — The strike side click screw was very loose

Numbers on bob correspond with the movement — Numbers on bob correspond with those on the movement

I re-oiled the movement, returned it to its case and wound both sides. There are two speed adjustments on the clock, one on the bob and a finer speed adjustment arbour just above the number 12 on the dial. At the moment the clock is running a little slow and will take weeks to regulate. A one-ended key came with the clock, the original would have been double-ended.

It is a very quiet ticker with a pleasant strike and perhaps the perfect clock for those who might be bothered by the sound of a mechanical clock in any room.

A very nice acquisition though I keep thinking about that old fellow.

May 12, 2017

This is the energy I need to keep going by doing physical things

Clock collecting and repair is good for the mind and soul

I decided that I would do my best to fully restore this clock

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There is no maker’s mark anywhere on the case or the movement

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Prices will not rise any time soon as modern generations have been conditioned to discarding old for new irrespective of merit and in contradiction to the ideology that recycling saves the planet

Thanks but I have no place to put one

I collect clocks and other antiques for interest and history alone

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W3 refers to the 3 chimes, St Micheal, Whittington and Westminster

If you have a spare case lying around in your shop I’d be very happy to take it off your hands

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I have accepted them as normal sounds in my home

We have a Mauthe box clock in our family room that makes such a wonderful sound that I actually pause the TV to listen to it

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Neglect

Friction

Environment

Regulating your Mechanical Clock

Mainspring Power and Regulation

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It is a clock that will be in our family for years to come

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The clocks do not run during the winter but oiling once per year addresses the issue of dried pivot holes

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Would you like to tell the world about your special clock?

I will keep your name and location private

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I would comfortably date the clock to the 1930s

The price was right so I bought it

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Hobbies are a great way of finding comfort through stepping off the roller coaster of life

The more you know, the more you grow

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Your clock says ‘Germany’ and has ‘Djakarta’. It could have been made between 1942 and 1949

Is it a clock or a work of art? Both it would seem

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There was nothing on the inside of the case that would tell me anything about the maker

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Antique and Vintage Mechanical Clocks