If you know the maker, let me know or direct me to where I can find out. I was in an antique shop in a small village in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia lately and came across this unusual box-type wall clock. I glanced at the back of the clock and noticed that the wall … More Mystery clock – if you know the maker, let me know
I absolutely love Art Deco clocks. They are understated, elegant, have great collector value and are timeless, of course (!). Although we tend to throw the term around loosely Art Deco is actually derived from the phrase Arts Décoratifs which was a dominant decorative art style of the 1920s and 1930s, it’s heyday. This unique form is characterized … More Smiths Enfield Art Deco mantel clock
My next project is this vintage Ingersoll-Waterbury time and strike mantel clock. Ingersoll-Waterbury clocks were sold in Canada and had Canadian made cases using American made Waterbury movements. G.R. L’Esperance of Montreal were the sole distributors of Ingersoll-Waterbury clocks in Canada. Waterbury has a long history going back to 1857. Like many American clock companies … More Ingersoll-Waterbury time and strike mantel clock
The other day, I was browsing through a local online for-sale site looking for antique and vintage clocks and saw a Mauthe Westminster chime mantel clock for sale. From the photo it looked great. But wait! Here is one photo from the ad. Why would I post a photo from the ad? Simple. It is my photo. The … More Copyright, what does it mean for you and me?
“A pig in a poke” is an old expression but it still has relevance in the clock world today. What does it mean? It means something that is bought or accepted without knowing its value or seeing it first. Or, another way of putting it, a deal that is foolishly accepted without being examined first. If you have been … More A Pig in a Poke
In this fourth and final entry of the series I will discuss bushing work, re-assembly and finally, testing and mounting the movement back into it’s case. Part I of this series can be found here, Part II here and Part III here, Once the pivots are inspected, cleaned and polished it is now time to install any bushings required as result … More Servicing a Sessions American No. 2 mantel clock Part IV
The movement is disassembled and now it is time for further inspection, cleaning, servicing the mainsprings, pegging the pivot holes, polishing the pivots and installing bushings where needed. In this, Part III we will cover cleaning and mainspring servicing. I have a small ultrasonic cleaner so I tend to clean parts in batches since this … More Servicing a Sessions American No. 2 mantel clock Part III
I put a quick article together on my newly acquired modern Art Deco brass Kienzle World desk clock in August and with only one photo in my post I really did not do this fine looking timepiece any justice. I hope the following photos will show that this clock really impresses. As I mentioned in my last post … More Kienzle World Time clock – a second look
This is Part II of the Sessions American No. 2 servicing. As I mentioned in my last blog entry (Part I) this clock was running but is in need of a little attention. This is a fairly simple clock to work on for an American time and strike movement. I cannot stress enough that photos … More Servicing a Sessions American No. 2 mantel clock Part II
I am going to take you, the reader, through the process I follow when servicing a clock. There will be several posts in this series. I am not a trained expert in clock repair, nor do I do this for profit and have learned most of what I know through trial and error, careful study … More Servicing a Sessions American No. 2 mantel clock, Part I
After not having visited my sister in some time I was surprised to find that she is an avid clock collector. I must stress the word collector because although she appreciates the beauty of each clock she has acquired over the years how they run is somewhat of a mystery to her and that is just … More So, my sister also loves clocks
Hugh Gordon, clock-maker worked in Aberdeen, Scotland from 1748-90. He had previously worked in Edinburgh and London. Although a very proficient maker little of his work seems to have survived. This is a friend’s clock and I was asked to research it. Unfortunately, I have discovered very little so far. This time and strike clock … More Hugh Gordon longcase clock
Now that I am back on my regular schedule I can begin work on some upcoming articles. In the days and weeks to come I will be reporting on a visit to my sister’s home and talk about her small collection of interesting clocks and a friend’s most interesting antique tall-case clock that came all the way from … More Upcoming clock articles
I acquired this mechanical Kienzle World Time clock recently from an antique shop in Quebec. No matter where you are in the world this clock will tell you the local time. Quite ingenious! This is accomplished through a rotating hour indicator in the lower half of the clock. As the time advances the indicator moves along with it … More Kienzle World Clock
Regular readers have followed my progress on this 1927 Sessions tambour style clock. Better news this time. After installing 10 bushings, repairing the strike click, replacing the pendulum bob and suspension spring and reassembling and oiling the clock and the springs I am having excellent success regulating this fine old clock. On a full wind I am … More Sessions clock final thoughts
Oiling your mechanical clock is an essential part of its maintenance, ensuring smooth operation and longevity. Proper lubrication reduces friction between moving parts, preventing wear and tear while keeping the movement running smoothly over time. During the summer of 2016, my wife and I were traveling through the Muskoka area of the province of Ontario … More How to oil your mechanical clock
In the year or so I have been running this blog I never imagined that it would have achieved so much. It is at 8500 and climbing page-views. In the late spring of 2015 I attended a workshop on WordPress blogging. I was impressed how a powerful blog tool it is. I had already had some … More 8500 views and climbing
Regular readers might have followed my progress on this 1927 Sessions tambour style clock. After installing 10 bushings, replacing the pendulum bob and suspension spring and reassembling and oiling the clock and the springs I am now in the process of regulating this old clock. I am finding that despite all the work I … More Sessions Beveled Number 2
Let me take you on a brief journey as we explore the history of the bracket clock. If you’re already familiar with them, perhaps I can offer some additional insights into what exactly defines a bracket clock. So, what exactly is a bracket clock? A bracket clock is a type of shelf or mantel clock. … More The Bracket Clock
Taking a little time off seems like an amusing title for a clock blog. It just struck me (there I go again). In the next few weeks you will see fewer posts as I am spending some quality time with friends and family at our summer get-away in central Canada. While in that area I intend to make … More Taking a little time off
Have you ever stayed at an inn or B&B? If you have you might have noticed those that have some sort of historical significance with furniture dating back a 100 years or more, have the odd antique or vintage clock. However, it frustrates me to no end to see them not running. In the summer of 2014 my wife and … More Inns and B&Bs – why don’t the clocks work?
I noticed this topic in a well frequented clock forum site and it prompted me to write this article. Many clock collectors realize that presentation is everything. I have about 25 clocks on display in my home and in each case I try as much as possible to situate the clock so that it catches the eye, enhances … More Clocks in their natural surroundings
Last summer (2015) I bought a Blackforest time-only shelf clock for $10 at a small antique store in Kazabazua, Quebec which you see pictured below. To be fair it did not look like this when I bought it. It was quite beaten up and a case refresh was sorely needed which included stripping and re-staining. It’s a relatively simple … More Searching for a donor movement pays off
The curator of The Canadian Clock museum was kind enough to respond to an email I sent concerning the absence of Martin Cheney clocks as well as provide further information on the collection. First of all, Mr. Symons explained that the museum profiles two centuries of Canadian clocks, which include many Canadian manufacturers that represent 90% … More Update to my clock museum post
Collecting, Repairing and Restoring Antique/Vintage Clocks
Antique and Vintage Mechanical Clocks 
You must be logged in to post a comment.