Tick-Talk Tuesday is about the letters and comments I have received from you, the reader, concerning your clock, issues you might have had, challenges you face or a clock you would like me to profile or my responses to your questions with advice on your particular clock concern. For those comments and questions that stump even me, I consult within my clock circles for the best possible answer
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In the spring (2021) I found a tall case clock on an online for sale site at what seemed to be a bargain price. It is not what it appears to be. Although you can clearly see weights on the inside of the clock case it is not a weight-driven clock but a spring driven clock with fake weights.
I bought it anyway.
Seller’s photo
The New Haven movement was serviced and the case was cleaned almost down to the bare wood. It looks terrific and keeps good time. I don’t normally send photos back to the seller on a clock that I have rejuvenated but I thought, what the heck, the seller might be pleased that it went to a good home.
My email to TC:
“No need to reply but I just thought I’d send along a photo of the clock you sold me. The clock runs perfectly, everything has been polished, the movement taken apart and serviced and the case refinished.”
TCs reply;
“Wow…. Looks really good. Hard to believe it’s the same clock. Glad you got the clock all fixed up.”
On November 2-3, 2019 the Maritime Association of Watch and Clock Collectors held its first meeting. Members came together from various parts of the Maritimes to meet in Prince Edward Island (Canada) to form a club of like-minded individuals.
A educational component of the meeting, a lesson in bushing
Unfortunately the pandemic scuttled all plans for a subsequent meeting but the climate is right for another face-to-face meeting shortly. In the meantime the group has stayed connected through email.
The goal of this group is to gather individuals of every skill level from across the Maritime provinces (PEI, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia) to share experiences, mentor each other, learn new techniques, provide opportunities to acquire clocks/watches and foster social interaction.
Inspecting an antique pocket watch
We chose the name MAWCC, the Maritime Association of Watch and Clock collectors. We agreed to no less than 2 meetings per year but that sub-groups would meet more frequently.
At this point in time we are not affiliated with the NAWCC (National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors) an American-based clock and watch group.
Demonstration of the cleaning of a mainspring
If you are from the Maritime region of Canada (Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia) and you have a keen interest in advancing your skills in horology or just beginning your journey into clock and watch repair and would like to connect with like-minded individuals, contact Wendell Feener at wcfeener@eastlink.ca
Most clock enthusiasts have at least one kitchen clock in their collection and some collect them exclusively. I am not a huge fan of them but they very popular and considered important clocks because of their relatively low cost and availability.
Thousands of inexpensive oak-cased clocks were made by various American and Canadian manufacturers in the late 19th Century to the early part of the 20th Century. They are cheap, plentiful, reliable and easy to regulate.
They were typically sold in box lots of a half a dozen or so to merchants and offered for sale to customers for a unit price of around $4.50.
Although commonly called the kitchen clock it is sometimes called the pressed wood clock.
The designs were created by using high pressure rotary presses on oak wood that had been pre-steamed to soften it. The front of the clocks frequently displayed glass tablets with bronze or silver gilt designs.
This Arthur Pequegnat Canuck clock (above) is a typical pressing with floral designs on the top crown, base, and side columns, two upper rosettes and a framed access door with a floral style glass tablet.
Pressing designs into wood was much less expensive and quicker than machine carving, though the designs tended to be taken to excess at times like we see on this Sessions Grand Assortment with a top heavy ornate crown.
Sessions Grand Assortment
American manufacturers offered kitchen clocks with slight variations in the configuration of the case components and the decoration on the glass panel. It was common to name or number the clocks and present them as part of a series.
All kitchen clocks were 8-day running and featured either a one piece or two-piece 6-inch painted dial with Roman or Arabic numerals, railroad track minute chapter ring, and blued moon shaped or spade hands. A pendulum regulated the timing. The clocks included a half-hour strike on a bell or a coiled gong and some were offered with both bell on the half-hour strike and coiled gong on the hour. Additional features such as an alarm added pennies to the cost.
With inexpensive changes in the design for the press and minor changes to the case elements, clocks of different designs could be produced. Design elements for the pendulum varied between a plain round bob to a decorative pendulum bob in many pressed wood kitchen clocks.
Steam pressed designs were not confined to kitchen clocks and quickly found their way to wall clocks like the Gilbert Admiral.
Gilbert Admiral drop octagon wall clock
I have about 100 clocks in my collection and only two are steam-pressed. It is not a style that I am actively seeking but, admittedly, some are attractive. They are easy enough to find, fairly cheap and are relatively uncomplicated to service.
This movement came out of an unknown tall case clock that I am certain did not come out of New Haven’s factory. The case appears to have been made by an unknown case builder and I believe the movement, coil gong, dial face, and pendulum were all sourced from the New Haven Clock Company as a package, a kit, if you will.
The movement is a spring-driven count wheel time and strike commonly found in clocks for export. The chains are there for show. From the outside the clock may look like a weight-driven grandfather clock but it is clearly a fake!
Disassemblyand assessment of work to be done
The movement is held together with five pins. The number 27 is stamped on the movement. Other makers stamped their movement with dates of manufacture but I don’t think that’s the case here. It appears to be the length of the pendulum in inches. A 27 inch pendulum corresponds to 4350 beats per hour or 72.5 beats per minute (BPM). Ordinarily, weight driven tall case clocks are 60 beats per minute, so this movement looks good running in the case and will fool the average person.
It has 9 extra holes on the front plate, obviously designed for a number of configurations. For example, there is an unused pivot hole to the right of the fan which would have accommodated a fan with a different sized 4th wheel, presumably for another style of clock case.
With the top plate removed the gears and levers are exposed. I found three anomalies.
One, there is an additional piece soldered onto the escape wheel bridge. Since there are no new bushings anywhere on the movement I can only assume that the bridge piece is the fix for a worn pivot hole.
The fly. I should have taken a photo. Two pieces of brass were jammed into the arbour which I assume was meant to tighten it. Flies are meant to be a little loose because they act as an air brake to help arrest the strike strain at the end of its cycle.
The third is the mainsprings. Try as I might I could not remove them from their arbours. I did not want to force them so, left them as-is. I immersed the gear plus mainspring together in the ultrasonic cleaner (not ideal) and used a hot air blow dryer to ensure the parts were dry.
Other than the above issues, there is not a lot of wear on this movement. The pivots are in great shape, with no wear evident on any of the wheel teeth, and the only pivot hole that must be addressed is the escape wheel bridge, the one that was “repaired”.
All parts were cleaned in the ultrasonic, dried and the pivots were polished. The movement was reassembled to check for general wear.
There is some pivot hole wear on the lower parts of the trains which, to me, is acceptable since all the gears mesh nicely. Since I am keeping the clock I am not concerned at this point. I plan on inspecting the movement every 2-3 years to determine if any bushing work might be required. So, I am content with a little wear.
Pivot work
One bushing was installed on the escape wheel bridge. I chose a 1.50 mm ID Bergeon bushing, 2.00 mm high with an OD of 3.5 mm. Since the pivot is 1.54 mm in diameter, the hole had to be reamed out with a cutting broach followed by a smoothing broach. While I drilled from the top (see below) I punched the bushing in from the bottom.
Escape wheel bridge
While polishing the pivots I discovered a bent arbour, the second wheel, which is also the strike wheel. Prior to servicing I checked out the movement on a test stand and noticed that the strike train would run for a period and stop. No doubt the bent second wheel arbour was the culprit.
The strike side mainspring is a replacement and a mainspring break likely caused damage to the second wheel. A broken mainspring does not always cause a problem but when they break a considerable amount of energy is released. As a general rule, if you are working on a movement with newer mainsprings check for damage up the train.
Bent arbour on second wheel
It is odd that the bent arbour was not caught when the mainspring was replaced. It is not hard to see the bend when spun on a lathe. It is always a risk straightening an arbour but since it is soft steel the chances of a positive result are very good. A staking tool was used to straighten it.
Using a staking tool to straighten and arbour
Assembly and testing
The movement was reassembled. I positioned the third wheel locking pin in the 12 o’clock position on the strike side to ensure the strike side would go into warning. I then synchronized the count and drop levers and managed to get it right the first time.
New Haven movement
Since this is a large movement with a long pendulum, a grandfather clock stand is ideal for testing.
New Haven movementNew Haven movement
The movement has been running a week as of this writing and striking as it should. I will continue to run it for at least two more 8-day cycles before returning it to its case.
Next is refreshing the case. It is very dirty with over 100 years of grime. I am curious to see what lies underneath multiple coatings of dirt.
The pandemic was certainly devastating and no doubt changed everyone and everything. Nothing will ever be quite the same.
As Dickens would say, it was the best of times and it was the worst of times. There are no hidden positives in a pandemic but if anything, this past year has given many of us the gift of reflection. It has also given us a chance to slow down and appreciate what is important in life. Part of that slowing down process has allowed us to pursue interests and hobbies that we not have otherwise had time for. Fortunately, my hobby was long established before the pandemic and it helped me get though some tough days.
HAC clock movement servicing
Once the pandemic is over, what happens to that newfound hobby? Hmm!
Let’s say your new hobby is clock collecting and repair old clocks but i could be just about anything. How do you maintain your new hobby beyond the pandemic.
Everybody loves lists so here we go!
Connect with like-minded people: In this age of social media, it is easier now than ever before. There are newsgroups, forums, and discussion groups for just about anything. I spend time on the NAWCC.org newsgroup where I find solutions to the challenges of clock repair. Input any hobby and you will find discussion groups aplenty and who knows, future friends. I connect with like-minded folks on Facebook.
Facebook group
YouTube is your friend: There are literally millions of videos and if you select the right terms you can find information that might offer solutions to your hobby problem. There is a lot of good advice but not everyone is an expert. I subscribe to several reputable YouTube channels in clock repair and I find their advice helpful. But it is a truly a jungle out there.
Research your hobby: Your local library is an excellent resource. The staff will help you narrow your search for information. For those staying at home, there are some very good websites that are run by well-respected professionals in their field. Blogs and Youtube are other good sources for information. The NAWCC has a subscription-based online research site that I find excellent.
NAWCC website
Start simple and progress slowly: if you have tackled something more that you are capable of in the beginning you will become easily discouraged. When I was starting out in clock repair I began disassembling and servicing time-only and 30-hour movements before progressing to more complicated clocks. Start simple, gain confidence, hone your skillset and work up to more difficult challenges.
Screwdrivers, an example of basic clock tools
Combine your hobby with other interests: My wife and I love to travel. Admittedly it has been difficult in the past year but small staycations have sustained us. We buy clocks online and travel to different parts of the province to pick them up.
My other interest is photography. Repairing clocks and photography go hand in hand. I take pictures at every step of the way when servicing my clocks.
Using depth of field to isolate the foreground image
Invest in the right tools at the right time: Invest in the right tools at each stage of your hobby; start with the most basic tools that you can find at a hardware or craft store. Spread your costs over time buying things as you need them.
Strategic purchasing means buying that expensive tool when you are absolutely sure you need it and have made a strong commitment to your hobby. For example, in clock repair, there are three essential tools that can be rather pricey. Over the course of four years, I bought a mainspring winder ($450), a bushing machine ($1550), and a mini lathe ($800). You can live without any of these tools and I know many clock repairers who manipulate mainsprings without a spring winder, who bush by hand, and who use a portable drill or drill press for clock repair. Buying used is an option but whatever the case, buy according to your means.
Olie Baker spring winder
Don’t be discouraged if things don’t go exactly as planned; A lot of us have high expectations when starting anything new. We have to realize that in any hobby there are hills and valleys, times when things are going well, and times when there are obstacles that seem impossible to overcome. For some hobbies, there is a steep learning curve.
Stick with it, Perseverance is the key. In time mountains become molehills.
Move out of your comfort zone; I work on many simpler one and two train clock movements but seldom work on 3 train movements which are much more complicated. However, I will buy the odd one to help me build confidence and broaden my skillset.
Despite my best efforts the strike side on this parlour clock refuses to run
Keep records: Records can be in most any form from handwritten notes to photographs, to an Excel spreadsheet (see below) or a written account of your successes and experiences such as a blog or website.
Keeping records reminds you of your successes when you are at a low point in your hobby and provides motivation to tackle new challenges.
Well, I hope that provides some ideas for maintaining your new hobby. A hobby can be a transitory thing or life-long pursuit but in tough times it is the one thing that sustains many of us.
I have just one other Kienzle clock in my collection and it is a rather unusual one, the World Time desk clock from the 1940s. I do not come across Kienzle clocks very often. They are no lessor quality than most German clocks, I just don’t see many around this region.
Kienzle World Time clock
The latest is a German styled round top box clock. It was a an auction buy. I knew it was German at the time but did not know the maker. After a little research I discovered that it is made by Kienzle Uhren.
Kienzle Uhren GmbH is a well-respected German clock company that has a long history.
The company was founded in Schwenningen in southern Germany, in the Black Forest, by Johannes Schlenker, in 1822. In 1883, Jakob Kienzle became part of the family by marriage, and took control of the company, becoming its sole owner in 1897.
Jacob revolutionized production by mass-producing individual components and then assembling them. This modern manufacturing approach led to a massive expansion, and by 1939, Kienzle had over 3,500 employees and was making about 5 million wall-clocks and table clocks per year.
The company continued on through the years, changing hands a few times and gradually shifted production to wristwatches. It continues in business to this day as a watch maker.
The movement
In many respects it is a typical well-engineered German movement from the 1930s. The movement is compact in design and anyone who has worked on German movements will feel right at home. It has a 43 cm pendulum length and runs at 104 beats per minute as per the stamping on the back plate.
Kienzle movement, back showing pendulum leader and strike hammersFront plate showing rack and snail mechanism
Unfortunately, the spring barrels cannot be removed separately, the movement must be completely taken apart to replace the mainsprings if they break.
The 4 hammer strike assembly can be taken apart separately. One advantage is that once the plates are back together the strike paddle can be easily positioned on the star wheel. The strike has a repeater function which is handy.
With top plate off and showing the placement of the wheels
All parts are hand-cleaned before putting them in the ultrasonic cleaner. Taking excess oil and grime off the movement prior to cleaning ensures a longer life for the cleaning solution. When the solution gets dirty enough I discard it.
The movement has a combination of leaf and lantern pinions, leaf pinions on the second wheels and lantern pinions up both trains. I expect the ultrasonic will do a great job cleaning the lantern pinions.
Taking the mainsprings out of their barrels
The mainsprings must be taken out to be cleaned and the barrels cleaned in the ultrasonic. The springs are quite powerful and mainspring troubles account for many problems with German clocks.
When the mainspring breaks movement damage can result. Teeth are torn form the barrel and the first leaf/lantern pinion is destroyed or the second arbor is bent. I have had movements go both ways from severe damage to simply a broken mainspring (which is easily replaced).
Cleaning of springs and barrels is therefore essential not only to ensure they are free from old oil and dirt but to inspect them for cracks, breaks, and tears. These mainsprings appear to be in very good condition.
Parts are sorted into containers
I typically preheat the Polychem Deox 007 solution and run parts for 20 to 30 minutes in the ultrasonic, switching off the heat midway through the cycle. I dry all the parts by hand and for the lantern pinions and some parts that seem to hide water, I use a hairdryer to ensure that everything is free of any potential rust build-up.
The mainsprings, which are cleaned of old oil are done separately in the ultrasonic cleaner.
All parts except mainsprings are placed in the ultrasonic cleaner
The next step is putting the re-oiled mainsprings back into their barrels and for that a spring winder is a must. Polishing the pivots come after that.
Olie Baker spring winder. Cleaning the strike side mainspring
Bushing work
This movement might have been cleaned at one point in its life based on pivot scratches on the inside of the plates and worn screws on the back cock but it has never been bushed. When I tested the wheels in the movement I found the time side ran relatively freely while the strike side seemed stiff and sluggish. So, the movement is worn but the wear would be no more than typical for its age.
Following my first assessment I have determined that the movement requires as many as 10 bushings, 6 on the backplate and 4 on the front or, 5 on the strike side, and 5 on the time side. As expected there is more wear lower in the trains.
On the front plate are:
The second wheel time side, third and fourth wheel on the time side and the verge.
On the rear plate are:
Second wheel on the time side, second and third wheel on the strike side, third and fourth wheel on the strike side and the verge.
I always like to start with the most difficult, the pivot hole on the back cock which supports the suspension spring, crutch and pendulum.
In total 12 bushings were required, including the escape wheel. The escape wheel was pretty sloppy both front and back, and better to do those while the movement is apart. 12 is probably the most I have installed in a German clock in quite a long time.
Reassembly and testing
I generally perform a power test prior to the final assembly of the verge, rack and snail, and all outside pieces. It is a good check against my bushing work and if anything is tight or stiff I can address it without taking everything apart. Everything looked good at that point.
Both trains are moving and being tested before the other parts go on
However, with verge installed, pendulum leader, crutch and pendulum, the movement consistently stopped after a few minutes. I took it apart and discovered that the 4th wheel on the time side was moving stiffly. As that wheel had a new bushing installed all it took was reaming out the pivot hole to free it up. Now the movement is running well.
Testing the Kienzle movement on a makeshift test stand, beat amplifier is attached
Onward to the strike side and attaching the levers, snail and rack. The levers, rack and snail and gears are attached and finally the strike hammers are installed. The strike hammer posts must be bolted in from the inside of the back plate, something to remember when reassembling the movement.
When I got the clock only one strike hammer functioned but with all hammers repositioned all 4 strike hammers are doing their job and producing a melodic bim-bam strike.
The case does not require much attention other than a cleaning with soap and water.
There is absolutely nothing on the movement, gong block or case that tells me who the maker is though I now know it is definitely a Kienzle.
In the spring of 2021 I responded to an ad on a local online for sale site for what appeared to be an antique hall clock. It was inexpensive and I now know why. The seller bought it 20 years ago and in the midst of downsizing it had to go.
I knocked on the seller’s door, she answered. The clock was a few feet from the front door. It looked quite a bit larger than I imagined. Will it fit in our wagon?
Prior to loading the clock into the car, I noticed that the weight cans were very light. The seller said the weights were fake. She gave me a key and I inserted it into the winding points to discover mainsprings, something I was not quite expecting for a hall clock. Okay, I’ll take a chance on this one, and the price is right.
The base and the top crown lift off, presumably to ease relocation. My wife and I loaded the clock in the car. Everything fit nicely. The case is very solid and unbelievably heavy. The clock just fit into our station wagon. On the way home I thought, how strange, a clock with faux weights.
When I arrived home my curiosity got the better of me. I removed the hands, then the dial which was, interestingly enough, quite heavy. Once the dial was removed I saw a large spring-driven New Haven mechanical movement.
Why is there a spring-driven movement in a hall clock?
Did this clock have a weight-driven movement at one time? The spring driven movement is mounted on a raised platform, interesting. Later, I will remove the platform to see if there is any evidence of a seat board as weight-driven movements almost always sit on a seat board.
The ladder chains are crudely screwed onto the backboard to simulate a weight-driven movement, hence the empty weight cans.
The next day
I removed the raised platform and could not see any evidence of a seat board ever being in this case.
I do not believe this is a New Haven factory clock. As far as I can determine it started life as a grandfather clock with a spring-driven movement and fake weights. Spring-driven Mission style hall clocks were made with fake weights by some makers many years ago so, they are not so rare and New Haven did sell mechanical packages to case builders.
I have no idea why the cord is tied to the strike lever as it serves no useful purpose.
Next steps
I am not overly concerned, it was cheap.
Are both the case and movement antiques? The movement is stamped 27. This could be a date stamp but it is more likely the length of the pendulum in inches. The movement plates are pinned rather than held with screws or nuts suggesting an older New Haven movement. My research tells me that it is referred to as a square-aperture movement and appears on occasion in Anglo-American clocks.
I removed the movement from its case and mounted it on a test stand. It runs for a short period and stops. The movement runs at 72 bpm, not quite the 60 bpm one would typically expect from a hall clock but still, it looks like a weight driven clock. Yeah, fake!
My take on this clock? The cabinet was made separately perhaps in a shop along with others, and a New Haven movement, dial face, numbers, hands, chains and weight cans were acquired as a kit and installed in the case. That is the only thing that makes sense.
In the meantime, I intend to service the movement and clean the case. Check for articles on movement servicing and cleaning the case in the next few days.
I am writing this post during what we all hope are the final stages of the pandemic. As of this writing there are many rules in place because of the large number of active cases. One rule is that we are not permitted to leave our municipal areas (May 2021).
As a clock collector it makes it very difficult to acquire clocks especially if the clock that one wishes to purchase is outside ones permissible locale.
For example, I was looking at an Arthur Pequegnat “maple leaf” kitchen clock that was offered for sale on Facebook Marketplace in Bathurst, New Brunswick. Bathurst is about 4 hours drive from my home and in another province which simply means that I cannot pick it up from the prospective seller nor can the seller deliver it to me at this particular time.
I communicated with the seller and I agreed that the price was reasonable. She indicated to me that if she cannot sell it locally she will put it aside for me and when she travels to Nova Scotia, we can connect.
As a Pequegnat collector this clock would be a nice addition to the three other kitchen clocks in my collection.
In early May I floated the idea that it could be shipped to me and I would pay the costs. She replied that she had “googled” it and found the process too complicated and risky. I did not argue with her.
As we are driving through New Brunswick in late June I suggested we could meet at a neutral location near where she lives.
June contact
I contacted the seller this week Late (June) and suggested a rendezvous to make the deal. “I have to speak to my husband” said the seller.
In a modern relationship where each has equal decision-making power, clearing a purchase with the husband is, well, very archaic.
Three other Pequegnat kitchen clocks in my collection are the Canuck and two in the Maple Leaf series, the “pointed top” and the “fan top”
Arthur Pequegnat Canuck kitchen clockArthur Pequegnat fan top kitchen clockArthur Pequegnat Maple Leaf Pointed Top
I suggested that we meet along the Trans Canada Highway (TCH) in New Brunswick and the seller replied that she was close to the highway. Well, she thought the TCH ran through Bathurst which is 2 1/2 hours away from the TCH. So, that will not happen. Too bad!
I like the clock and it would be a very nice addition to my collection but I will look elsewhere.
I have a growing collection of clocks with upwards of 85 in my collection. My focus is on clocks made in Canada that are entirely manufactured in this country or companies such as Fleet and Forestville, that assembled clocks with foreign/domestic cases and movements. In addition, I have many other clocks that were made in France, Briton, Germany, Austria and so on.
In terms of style, my particular interest is wall clocks. Within my collection, I have 21 wall clocks, the oldest around 1870, and the newest is from the 1930s.
I would like to add one more to my collection but it is sitting in an auction house awaiting my bid. This post will describe my experience bidding on a clock at an online auction. Did I win the clock? Read on and the answer will be revealed at the end of the post.
During pandemic times it is probably safer purchasing a clock online. There remains a risk however. Unknowns are the condition of the case, who the maker is, the state of the movement and what time and money it will take to service it. At this point I only have photos to go on. This is an estate auction and the auction house is located 1 1/2 hours drive from my home.
The clock appears to be a vintage oak-cased German time and strike from about the 1930s. I am guessing Mauthe as the maker since there is no indication from the auction information as to who made the clock. Many German makes have the company name or logo on the dial face; there is nothing on this one. Nevertheless, It looks like a good prospect and I will chance it.
Box clocks were all the fashion in the 1920s and 1930s but those with round tops were less common. Many German tall case or hall clocks of that era had round tops so it is unusual to see a round top on a wall clock. Nevertheless, it is a very attractive clock with simple lines in the Art Deco style.
The three tall panes of beveled glass look good. There appears to be a scratch or a crack on the right hand section of the door about halfway up, but nothing is showing on the inside of the door in that area.
There are no pictures of the movement but one can see the movement seat board thumb screws and the winding arbours in the next shot. The rod gong is visible behind the pendulum rod and it looks like a rod lock at the midway point.
The item description does not say it is running and it does not come with a key. The pendulum is crooked on the auction photo which might mean the connecting hook is broken or it is hooked incorrectly.
This is an online auction called a “Lockdown Live Auction” that, as of this writing, closes in one day.
I have a good feeling about winning this item for four reasons.
One, it is the only clock offered which means that clock collectors will not be drawn to this auction,
There is no reserve bid, the opening bid is $5.00 A reserve is off-putting because auction houses that seldom have clocks for offer, price them higher than they are worth,
There has been no pre-bidding yet and,
It is offered without a key which means that it may or may not be running and might or might not need adjustment or repair. The casual collector might avoid this one.
The auction house allows all bidders to set up a “watch list” and I will be monitoring the bids on this item until the item hits the “auction floor” tomorrow.
A Google search reveals that this style of clock is uncommon but I found one that sold at auction for $100. It was described as an unknown German wall clock.
What would I bid? I am going no higher than $75 but winning it for less would be nice. The final price includes a buyers premium of 15%, 15% sales tax and shipping.
The next day
At 10:30 AM there have been a couple of pre-bids and the clock is now at $12.50. I held off bidding until 8 minutes before it came up for sale at 8:00 PM. At the 8 minute-to point the bidding was $22.50. I placed a “high bid” of $60 which means paying only a small amount more than the next highest bid. Not wanting to get caught up in last second bidding, I walked away from the computer. I was prepared to let it go if I lost the bid.
I returned later to discover that I had won the item for $52.50. With buyers premium, tax, and delivery the final cost is $73.43.
Who is the maker?
The clock arrived. There is no trademark name on the dial face, and nothing on the outside of the case to identify the maker.
The movement sits on a seat board, typical of most German clocks. I released two thumbscrews at the bottom of the seat board and slid the movement out for further inspection. There is no maker’s mark on either the movement or the iron block of the 4-rod gong.
These two shots are the front and back of the rack and snail time and strike movement.
There are two numbers on the bottom right of the rear plate, 43 (length of pendulum rod) and 104, (beats per minute). Using those two numbers and the search terms “German”, “wall clock” and “round top” I conducted a search on the internet and found a matching clock. I compared the design of the plates on mine with the clock I found and it is a Kienzle from the early 1930s or late 1920s.
Who is Kienzle?
Kienzle is a well-respected German clock company that has a long history.
The company was founded in Schwenningen in southern Germany, in the Black Forest, by Johannes Schlenker, in 1822. In 1883, Jakob Kienzle became part of the family by marriage, and took control of the company, becoming its sole owner in 1897.
He revolutionized production by mass-producing individual components and then assembling them. This modern manufacturing approach led to a massive expansion, and by 1939, Kienzle had over 3,500 employees and was making about 5 million wall-clocks and table clocks per year.
The company continued on through the years, changing hands a couple of times and gradually shifted production to wristwatches. It still exits today.
The most distinctive feature of this clock is the 4-rod bim-bam strike. Probably the nicest sound of any striking clock that I have.
I wound both sides and it runs well but the movement is dirty and requires a servicing. Stay tuned for that.
My Chauncey Jerome 30-hour Ogee weight driven time and strike clock has stopped for no obvious reason. Let’s see if we can get it going again.
Chauncey Jerome 30-hour Ogee clock
But first, no-one can deny that Chauncey Jerome had made a historic contribution to the American clock industry in the 18th century when he substituted brass works for wooden works and was said to be “the greatest and most far-reaching contributor to the clock industry.” Although he made a fortune selling his clocks, and his business grew quickly his company ultimately failed in 1856.
After researching Mike Baileysexcellent site on Jerome clocks I was able to determine that my clock is a number 11 Ogee made just before the Jerome bankruptcy, 1855. The patent 30-hour brass movement is the number 1.314 which is likely in its original case.
C Jerome 30 hour movement testing in the case
The only time I serviced the movement was in February 2018. It was dirty as expected and it appeared that no work had been done for quite some time. It was well worn. At that time 8 bushings were installed, 4 in the front and 4 on the backplate. Most of the wear was on the strike side and lower in the trains.
C Jerome movement right out of the case in 2018
It ran very well for 3 years and now (May 2021) it has stopped.
Preliminary checks
I performed the usual checks prior to taking the movement out of its case. I inspected the time-side cable for kinks and that it was not binding. A binding cable will definitely stop a clock. It was fine.
I checked the crutch loop clearance and found nothing seriously amiss. It should have run. It did not.
While it was running I noticed that it was drifting in an out of beat and it ran no longer than a minute or so before stopping. This indicates a number of issues; a bent escape wheel teeth, damage/wear to its lantern pinion, a bent escape wheel arbour or an enlarged pivot hole. I suspect the last one is the culprit.
The strike side is fine and it is functioning as it should, but without the time side running correctly the clock is just an ornament.
Next, taking it out of the case
I checked it over and determined that the movement required two new bushings, one for the escape wheel bridge and the other for the hour wheel in the motion works. I did not have a multi-level bridge tool when I serviced this clock the first time three years ago so, it came in very handy. The hour wheel pivot hole looked fine then but now there is enough wear that it justifies being done. I checked the escape wheel arbour and it was straight.
Multi level bridge tool
With those two wear issues addressed I put the movement back together for testing and assumed that the clock would run. Unfortunately the clock stopped after less than a minute. Something else was amiss.
The trouble with trundles
I adjusted the beat but still nothing. I noted where the second wheel, time side, was stopping as it would stop about every eighth of a turn. Since the second wheel gear teeth are in excellent condition, it could only be one thing, worn trundles in the escape wheel lantern pinion that prevent the second wheel from meshing correctly with escape wheel.
Lantern pinion on escape wheel
As you can see in the above photo the trundles are in terrible condition and there is little doubt that this is what stopped the clock. Wear such as this cannot be ignored. Without a repair the clock will not run.
Trundles are often replaced by drilling out the shroud end where the trundles are inserted, taking the worn trundles out, replacing them with new ones made from pivot wire and staking the holes to ensure they stay in place. On this escape wheel the cap must be removed to access the trundles. This is common on ogee movements such as this and it means a different approach for the repair.
End cap for lantern pinion
I secured my crow’s foot to my bench vice, inserted the top cap of the lantern pinion into the V part of the foot and gently tapped on the pivot end to release the cap. It released easily. The trundles should have literally fallen out but two of the 6 were firmly in place and had to be cut and drilled out. Not fun.
crows foot
I have a good assortment of pivot wire, selected a .95mm wire for the trundles and cut each one to length with a Dremel cutting disk.
I used a hollow staking tool to push the cap back in place and the trundles into their respective holes but the cap was loose. This is when Loctite is your best friend. Using a toothpick I dabbed a small amount onto each end of the trundles, secured the trundles in place and waited 24 hours for the Loctite to cure.
The next day for testing purposes I left out the strike side levers and wheels.
On the test stand the movement ran a couple of 30-hour cycles and the issue has now been addressed. The remaining gears and levers were assembled into the movement and the movement was placed into the case for a final test of both the time and strike side.
It should run reliably for years to come.
From time to time a repairer will have to deal with worn trundles.
New trundles made from pivot wire
If a clock stops and there is a gear meshing issue, then it is time to replace the trundles but if they are a little worn and the clock runs well, I tend to leave them as-is knowing that at some future date if the clock stops it is one of many issues I will address.
I have mentioned this before but if you are just beginning your journey into clock repair, the 30-hour ogee, because of the large gears, the overall simplicity and the absence of mainsprings make this a great place to start.
In January 2017 I took a chance, plunked down $75 and bought a project clock which consisted of a box of clock parts.
Junghans clock in pieces (notice bottom finial)
I took it home, stared at the box for a while trying to figure out what to do and how far I would get with this project. I itemized the parts, arranging them on the case as best I could and put together a plan. At least I had something to go on when someone sent me the actual catalog image of the clock.
The clock is called the Crispi by Junghans, Ca. 1899. Junghans is a reputable German clock-maker that made all styles of clocks for over 100 years in Germany and continues in the watch business to this day.
There are subtle differences between my clock and the clock in the catalog but to the untrained eye it looks much the same.
What I did not change at the time was the bottom centre finial. Most who are familiar with clock case design would agree that the bottom centre finial is actually one of the top crown finials and was re-positioned in a previous repair. I left it as-is as I went about restoring the rest of the clock.
After completing a number of other clock projects during the Pandemic as well as addressing an errant strike issue with this clock, I decided it was time to replace the finial with something more in keeping with the original design.
Here is the clock (next photo) when I finished with the case. That bottom centre finial always bothered me but, as I said, I let it be.
This is a clock that I took to a professional clockmaker to have repaired in the days when I did not have the skills to service a clock.
It worked well for about two years or more and then the strike side became very erratic. It would either strike incorrectly on the half hour or strike until the mainspring wound down. I cannot blame the repairer as these movements can be finicky to work on but my knowledge of clock repair has improved such that I can better diagnose and repair most clock issues today.
The problem was twofold. One, the paddle was not quite in the correct position in the deep slot of the count wheel at the end of the strike and the strike paddle ended the strike sequence by hanging off one of the star points of the strike wheel.
It took several attempts through trial and error but eventually I was victorious and the movement now strikes correctly.
Top finial placed on the bottom by a past repairer
Now, let’s get back to the case. As you can see the clock had been returned to its former glory and is quite faithful to the original except for that bottom finial.
I chose a flat back unfinished 2 1/2″ by 2 3/4″ hardwood finial that is available from most clock parts suppliers. I matched the stain to the case and applied three coats of shellac. Using a drill press I made a hole to accommodate a piece of dowel in the base and finial to secure it to the lower base section. I applied yellow carpenters glue to secure it and here is the result. The cost to rectify it was minimal.
The shape, size and style is now appropriately suited to the case.
The seller had the clock in his family for many years, perhaps as long as the clock is old. Anyway, he would not budge from the $75 but he asked me to send a photo of the clock when it was completed. I did, and received no acknowledgement. I don’t think he ever thought it would look quite like this.
The Fleet Time Co. was a short-lived Canadian clock company that operated between the years 1936 and 1940 producing a range of two and three-train mantel clocks with movements sourced from Germany. All clocks had pendulums and were spring-driven. According to the Canadian Clock Museum in Deep River, Ontario, the company was listed as an importer of clocks and watches. The locations were 440 McGill and then 303 St. Paul West, Montreal (Canada).
The Second World War took a heavy toll on this company as the source of movements dried up and so the future prospects of this small company. Why they did not source movements from France and Germany like the Forestville Clock Co. of Toronto and others during the war years and beyond is anyone’s guess. Perhaps the margins were slim or alternate suppliers could not be found. That and the increasingly popular electric clock doomed the company.
Wood cases were made in Canada for some models while other cabinets were imported from Germany.
Of the two Fleet clocks in my collection one is this two-train clock with an unknown German movement and the other a Westminster chime mantel clock with a German Gufa movement. For more on the Gufa clock go here.
This clock is in much the same condition as my first Fleet clock, dents, gouges and scratches everywhere. Unfortunately, the tinted lacquer finishes on these old clocks do not survive well over time. It is one reason they attract little attention and sell for almost nothing despite having movements that are relatively strong runners.
Fleet Time time and strike mantel clock, broken glass
It is a plain, generic mantel clock with a walnut finish, flat front, a slightly domed top, and step-side features on outboard feet. The dial is heavily tarnished and the glass bezel that should be soldered to the chapter ring has detached. These bezels often go missing. At least it came with the clock.
Fleet time movement
The clock strikes on 3-rods producing a bim-bam sound, just loud enough so as not to be too intrusive.
The location of the star striking wheel on the movement is somewhat unusual. Commonly found between the plates, the star wheel is on the outside of the rear plate.
Damaged Fleet Time barrel
As I have said in a previous articlethe barrel and second wheel on the time side were damaged during servicing. I don’t know who the maker is and I would appreciate any information to aid me in my search for a donor movement. The case has been reconditioned, with the addition of a dial and bezel from an old Blackforest Clock Co. clock.
Fleet Time case ready for repaired or replaced movement
It is a nice piece of Canadian horological history that I would like to see running.
It might sound a little strange to use a paint roller on a clock dial. This is not just any paint roller but one specifically designed for the purpose. The candidate is a embossed dial pan for a Waterbury Wren shelf clock C.1895.
Most of the paint has been rubbed off the dial over the years which you can see in the photo below.
Should the dial be left as-is or retouched? It is an age-old clockmaker’s dilemma. We all have our views but I tend to take the position that if it is grimy and unsightly and takes away from the look of the clock it should be cleaned and retouched.
I decided to start from scratch. I knew that if I immersed the dial in my ultrasonic cleaner with the heat setting on I would risk stripping away all paint from the numbers and that is exactly what happened.
The cleaning also took off a thick layer of grime and dirt leaving a much brighter dial.
Dial as found
Hand painting is an art and a steady hand means the difference between a homemade job and one close to the original factory application. I used a multi surface water-based acrylic satin black paint, one I often use for clock dials, hands and so on.
Here is the dial just out of the ultrasonic cleaner. All paint has been released from the embossed areas. The ultrasonic solution was black and had to be discarded.
The paint roller is made out of 18 gauge wire and masking tape, specifically made for this job. I added a strip of double-sided tape to the roller to allow a rough surface so that the paint could adhere.
A homemade paint roller
The roller worked reasonably well over the embossed dial and it was certainly a lot faster than hand painting. Excess paint was removed from the dial with a Q-tip and toothpick.
Using a Q-tip to clean excess paint
I used the roller for the chapter ring as well. After rolling there were some touch-ups and an artists brush #2-0 was used for areas the roller could not reach.
Artist’s brush
I allowed the paint to dry and scraped off the excess.
Inpainting nearly complete
I am very pleased with the results. Here is a before and after shot of the dial.
BeforeMovement yet to be installed
It is not factory perfect but from a reasonable viewing distance it is difficult to tell it was repainted plus, it looks much more presentable.
Now, to find a 5 1/2 inch bezel and glass to complement the dial.
About a year ago I picked up two clocks. I had my eye on one, an Arthur Pequegnat Canuck shelf clock, and the other was “thrown in” as part of the deal. We completed the transaction on the Pequegnat clock and the seller asked me if I wouldn’t mind looking at a mantel clock stored on a shelf in his garage. He said, “for $10 more you can have this”. I did not know the make at the time but for $10, why not! It was in sad condition as you can see in the next photo.
Fleet clock with a worn finish
A tin plate affixed on the back of the clock told me what it was made by the Fleet Time Company of Montreal (Canada).
Many of these clocks were sold at department stores across Canada during the pre-war (WWII) era. However, this little-known Canadian clock company had a brief life span. Between 1936 and 1940 the company produced a range of two and three-train mantel clocks with movements sourced from Germany but were forced to end their operations when the war began.
Fleet Time Co. label
The Second World War took a heavy toll on this company as the source of movements dried up and so did the company’s fortunes.
Wood cases were made in Canada for some models while other cabinets were imported from Germany.
Servicing the movement
I had completed work on the case a few months ago and now it is time to service the movement.
3 train Fleet movement by Gufa
The clock has a Gufa Westminster chime movement. Gufa is the Guetenbacher Uhrenfabrik, located in Gütenbach, Germany. They manufactured 400-day clocks, cuckoo-clocks and later they became the “Jahresuhrenfabrik” (August Schatz & Sons in Triberg, Germany). Gufa is not a name horologists come across very often in North American. There is a chime gear patent date number ending in 34 which likely refers to the year 1934 indicating manufacture between 1935 and 1939. It is a solid, well-built movement.
Assessment of the movement
I had replaced the time mainspring shortly after I bought the clock but I knew that I would eventually have the movement on the workbench. As is typical of German clocks of this period in that the mainspring barrels can be removed without dismantling the movement, so, replacing the time mainspring was an easy fix.
The clock was running, though not well. On the fourth or fifth day, the chimes (and strike) would stop though the time train would soldier on a few days more. Wear issues on the strike and chime train had to be addressed.
I disassembled the movement, put the parts into the ultrasonic cleaner, and discovered afterwards that the plates had been lacquered. With the ultrasonic heat setting on, the lacquer stripped off but not uniformly. As it is a $10 clock I am not concerned about aesthetics.
Fleet movement wheels tied together according to location
To eliminate the chance that I would mix up the wheels for the 3 trains, I tied each set together. Once out of the ultrasonic cleaner I untied them and placed them in their respective trays. Westminster chime movements have similar-looking gears in the three trains and it is best to separate them to avoid frustration during re-assembly.
After inspecting the movement I determined that new bushings were required on the second wheels plus the motion works arbour. Three of the second wheels on the backplate, one bushing for the strike side second wheel front plate, and one for the motion works for a total of 5 new bushings; not bad for a 3-train movement. These are the typical wear points on three-train movements as the second wheels handle the greatest load.
Bushing work
Once the pivot holes were pegged out and the wheels rechecked in their locations, the bushing begins. Aside from the second wheels, most other pivot holes were in good shape. I don’t often use bushings with an outside diameter of 4.50mm but this movement required 4 in total. All bushings had to be reamed out with a cutting broach followed by a smoothing broach. All wheels were test fit with the plates together and things looked good.
Reassembly
Next is reassembly. With so many wheels it is a bit trickier than a two-train movement but it is important to work slowly and carefully to avoid a bent pivot. Once the wheels are positioned, test each train to check that everything is in place. After the nuts are tightened, the remaining parts such as the locking plate, chime locking lever, warning lever, rack snail, mainspring barrels and so on are installed/attached.
Testing
Of all movements, three trains are the most difficult to set up correctly. Although all three trains spin independently they are interconnected by levers. In order for everything to function in unison, careful attention must be paid to the job of each lever, what it does and how it performs its function every 15 minutes.
Gufa movement, front plate showing rack, snail, levers, and so on
Everything went fairly smoothly. Both the strike side and chime side go into warning as they should, the locking plate stops the chime at each quarter-hour including the hour, which is a good sign the locking hook on the chime train is in the correct position.
Gufa movement on the test stand
The chime strike lever is, however, sticking on the strike warning pin. Without taking the movement apart I used 1600 grit memory paper to smooth the hook end surface where it meets the strike warning wheel pin. The polishing allowed it to function a little better but continued testing revealed that that solution did not work. I finally had to remove the chime strike lever and polish the hook. the polishing was successful.
The next issue is the strike paddle which is ending the strike sequence hanging off one of the star points. The plates on the strike side must be opened up and the paddle repositioned. For safety reasons and to preserve the mechanism should things go awry, the power is let down on all mainsprings. Adjustments such as these come with the territory as nothing should be expected to work perfectly the first time.
Gufa movement, the upper wheel is the main chime wheel
After the aforementioned adjustments are made, next is the chime sequence and that means loosening the set screw for the main chime wheel and rotating the drum till the quarter strike is at the 1-2-3-4, the beginning of the sequence.
Once the adjustments have been made it is back to the test stand.
Okay, my strike paddle adjustment did not work but in the meantime, the testing of the movement proceeded and everything looks very good at this point. I will give it a few days and return to re-adjusting that paddle.
Everything is working now.
I’ll be honest, 3 train movements are not my favorite type to work on for 4 reasons. One, they often need major work only after a few years. Secondly, it is often not enough to install new bushings for worn pivot holes lower in the trains but to address other worn holes up the trains, as well. Thirdly, they are labour intensive and finally, except for modern movements, parts are almost impossible to find.
In many cases, certainly as far as a modern Hermle is concerned, it is often more cost-effective to simply replace the movement rather than repair it.
If you are a collector or simply have a general interest in mechanical clocks and wish to sell antique and/or vintage clocks then, read on. I am not a seller but I purchase clocks to build my collection.
I occasionally sell clocks locally as a way to manage my collection. Most of the clocks I’ve sold have been serviced by me, and my main goal is to recover the time spent on cleaning and repairs, rather than promoting sales on my blog.
Mauthe buffet clock C. 1950
The Difference between Antique and Vintage
Let’s begin with definitions. Antique is anything over 100 years old and vintage is less than 100 years but more than 30 years old. Anything that is less than 30 years old may be considered vintage but more often it is called collectible. Try to pass off a 30-year-old clock as an antique and you will turn off a lot of prospective buyers.
Miniature one-weight Vienna wall clock C.1870
Clock Terms
When selling a mantel clock, it’s important to use ‘mantel,’ not ‘mantle.’ A mantel refers to a shelf or structure, while a mantle is something one wears. Using the correct terminology also signals that you have a deeper knowledge of clocks than the average person.
A clock with two winding points (with some exceptions) is typically referred to as a striking clock, which strikes but does not ‘chime.’ A chiming clock usually plays a quarter-hour melody, such as Westminster or Whittington, and often has three winding points (though there are exceptions). There is no such thing as a ‘Tempus Fugit’ clock; ‘Tempus Fugit’ simply means ‘time flies in Latin.
A grandfather clock is a clock that stands 6 feet or taller and is not a wall clock. A grandmother clock is a floor clock that measures less than 6 feet in height. Grandfather clocks are also known as tall-case clocks, longcase clocks, or hall clocks.
Gingerbread and parlour clocks are distinct in design, but both are typically classified as kitchen clocks.
There are many other styles but let’s leave it at that.
Honesty and Disclosure
In my view, the most important element in selling a clock is honesty.
Inform the prospective buyer by describing as much detail as possible about the clock without getting too wordy. A clock that is a marriage, a case with a similar but replacement movement, should be stated as such. Replacement glass, newer dial, replacement crowns and finials, case repairs, or full case restoration should also be disclosed, perhaps not immediately in your ad but as a follow-up.
If the clock is running and was recently serviced by a competent repair person, state such in your ad. If the clock is running but the movement requires cleaning it should be stated as such. If it is not running explain why and what issues it might have such as a broken mainspring, missing pendulum bob, missing winding key, and so on. If you don’t know why it is not running, say so but be honest about it.
If you’re selling a clock and don’t know much about it, be honest and say so. Similarly, if you’re selling clocks in general but lack knowledge about them, it’s better to be transparent about that as well.
If your clock is rare, indicate why it is rare and support your claim with credible documentation including its provenance.
E. Ingraham shelf clock C.1878, not rare but uncommon
Establishing a Value
Research auction prices to get a feel for the value of similar clocks that are offered for sale and the price realized. Sources are Kijiji, Facebook Marketplace, eBay, and any number of respectable auction houses.
There will be a range of prices and something in the middle of the range is a good guide though its condition will determine what people expect to pay.
Determining the condition of a clock is an important factor in evaluating its value. The clock’s overall appearance, functionality, and any repairs or restorations it has undergone will all impact its worth. A clock in poor condition generally has a lower value than one in excellent condition, as potential buyers may factor in the cost and effort required to restore it.
Know that a clock is only worth as much as someone will pay. If you price your clock too high you will know it soon enough.
Rare and desirable clocks, as well as clocks with an interesting provenance, will command higher prices.
Clocks also vary in price according to the geographic location where they are sold. Generally, clocks that are made in the same location as the clock is sold will command higher prices. English and German bracket clocks are not as popular in America as they are in Europe and are priced accordingly.
Preparations for Sale
A clock in running condition will fetch a higher price than one that is not. A professionally serviced clock in excellent running order will command an even higher price. A clock case cleaned of grime will present better than a dirty one. Missing hands or dial glass will adversely affect the price. Items such as these can be replaced and parts are available from clock suppliers but it becomes an extra cost for the buyer and for many, it is a deal-breaker.
If you are handy at clock repair, servicing the movement or any case repairs will enhance the value of the clock you are selling. If you have serviced a clock, always be clear about the work you’ve done. Describe in detail the specific repairs, cleaning, or adjustments you’ve made to the movement, as well as any parts that were replaced or restored.
This transparency not only helps potential buyers understand the value of the clock but also assures them that the clock is in good working condition. Whether it’s oiling, replacing worn parts, or correcting any mechanical issues, providing this information builds trust and demonstrates your expertise.
The term servicing has many definitions. Be wary as sellers may claim a clock has been serviced if the only thing done to it is oiling. Among reputable clock repairers, servicing is defined as, taking the movement out of its case, disassembling the movement, cleaning the parts, addressing wear issues/repairs/parts replacement, reassembly, oiling, and testing before reinstalling it back into the case.
Sessions Raven time and strike shelf clock
Visual Presentation
While few cell phones (though some are improving) can capture highly detailed images of a clock, they often suffice for many purposes. However, blurry or out-of-focus photos are unacceptable.
Smiths Enfield mantel clock serviced and ready for its new owner
Several images from different angles as well as a photo of the inside of the clock case are much more helpful than one photo. During the daylight, place the clock near a window and position yourself between the window and the clock to take a series of photos in natural light. If there is damage or wear take close-up photos of those areas.
In general, a dedicated camera with artificial light will produce better results than a cell phone camera.
Clock Description
Crafting an ad is an art in itself. You must be concise and accurate and not overly wordy. There is a balance between too little and too much information. Less information means fewer inquiries from prospective buyers. Too much information with technical terms will turn off prospective buyers. Try to anticipate the questions prospective buyers might have in order to limit the number of follow-up queries.
State the clock’s maker if known, the model if possible, the year it was made, the type, (time-only, time and strike, chiming clock), the style of clock (mantel, wall, shelf, parlour, Ogee, tall-case, etc.). as well as any interesting features, for example, a steeple clock with an alarm function or a clock with a second’s hand. Along with your description state the approximate age. If you do not know, a picture of the maker’s mark on the dial or the movement will assist prospective buyers.
While it’s not necessary to give a reason for selling, doing so can sometimes enhance the ad.
1860s era Seth Thomas column and cornice shelf clock
Where to Advertize
There are a number of ways to sell a clock. Facebook Marketplace is very popular. Other local online for-sale sites, eBay, flea markets, consignment shops, and auction houses are popular places to sell a clock. Setting up an account for most online sites is a pre-requisite but there is usually no cost.
Mauthe wall clock circa 1899
Example of a Poor Ad
Antique clock, comes with key, $250
Example of an Eye-catching Ad
Scaling down my collection. Antique German time and strike clock made by Friedrich Mauthe, circa 1899. Completely serviced in 2019 which includes disassembly and addressing worn parts. Original glass, mild refresh of the case, new wall stabilizers, and new arch piece. Ran for many years in a family home in Parsboro, Nova Scotia. Runs well and keeps good time, original key supplied. $250
Juba Schatz time and strike mantel clock
Final Remarks
While selling a clock can be a frustrating experience, it can also be quite satisfying. I choose to sell locally to avoid shipping costs and the risk of items arriving damaged. Meeting the buyer in person allows me to answer any questions they may have and provide a more personal experience.
Though this is not a definitive guide to selling, I hope these pointers and ideas will help when you decide to sell (or buy) your antique or vintage mechanical clock.
Tick-Talk Tuesday is about the letters and comments I have received from you, the reader, concerning your clock, issues you might have had, challenges you face, a clock you would like me to profile, my advice on your particular clock concern or a general clock question. For those comments and questions that stump even me, I consult within my clock circles for the best possible answer
CL writes:
“Hi Ron,
I was hoping you could help me identify a clock I purchased at an estate sale this weekend for $10. The back of the wall pendulum clock has a intact paper label with a full size standing Ostrich and the letters H H S N. Stamped on the workings is 45/100 and 27583 It is a 4 chime clock.
That is all of the identifying marks.
Any information you have would be helpful.
I did find one post on a site called Worth Point about a clock that had HHS N (Hermann Heinrich Straussj of Nurenberg)
STORAGE AUCTION FIND IN UNIT I WON IN AUCTION! If you search journeymagazine on eBay’s Discussion boards under Watches, Clocks & Timepieces I asked about this antique clock movement with the initials HHS N – and got 2 responses. First is a link that shows HHS N is a very rare clock movement that was part of the historical clock & watch exhibition in Nuremberg 1905 (Below)The 2nd is a link to a Mauthe that had HHS N clock movement in it.A VERY RARE CLOCK MOVEMENT FOR THE COLLECTOR OUT THERE!NOTE: I don’t have a key + I don’t know clock movements, so I don’t know if it works – Ask Any Questions or for more Photos – SOLD AS IS!FROM LINK GIVEN ME ON DISCUSSION BOARD: H.H.S.N. was a mark for the firm of Herm.[ann] Heinr.[ich] Strau [ =ss], of N rnberg. The only information in Abeler’s _Meister der Uhrmacherkunst_, the standard ref. for clockmakers in the German speaking tradions, is “erw. Hist. Uhrenauustell., N rnberg 1905.” In other words, they were mentioned in some connection with the historical clock & watch exhibition in N that year (in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the invention of the pocket watch (so they said) by Peter Henlein aka Petrus Hele. There were lots of firms represented, new and old clocks exhbited, etc. There’s a dozen or so small-print pages on this exhibition in several issues of the 1905 _
Thanks for your time.”
My reply:
“Hi CL
Thank you for coming to my blog.
This is a German “box” clock style from the late 1920s. The letters HHSN stand for Hermann-Heinrich Strauss, Nürnberg. Strauss in German means Ostrich. This company were clock dealers who are thought to have used Mauthe movements (and others) in their clocks. They went out of business in the late 1920s. Your clock could have been made by almost any of the big German firms at the time, Mauthe, Kienzle, Junghans etc. The movement looks like a Mauthe and that makes perfect sense. 45 refers to the length in centimetres of the pendulum (17.7 inches) while the number 100 refers to the beats per minute. 27583 is a production number and the first two digits are likely the year the clock was made.
4 -rods mean the movement will produce a very nice bim-bam strike if the hammers are aligned correctly on each of the strike rods.
It is a clock worth preserving and a steal for the price you paid.
Hope this helps
Ron”
CL replies:
“Ron,
Thank you for this knowledge! I appreciate the quick reply. I look forward to getting it cleaned and hung on our wall.”
This is the model 2038 with a bim-bam strike or what Gilbert called a Normandy Chime in its sales catalog. The model number along with the words “Normandy Chime” are stamped on the bottom of the case. The “Normandy Chime” was reminiscent of the old bells of Normandy (Corneville) in France.
Gilbert tambour clock
In terms of nomenclature within clock circles, calling it a “Chime” certainly adds to the confusion as this would be considered a striking clock rather than a chiming one.
The movement has been serviced
Clocks such as this that have not seen servicing in many years fail because of a combination of bushing wear and old oil buildup.
The movement was cleaned, the mainsprings serviced, pivots polished, 5 bushings installed to address wear issues and tested prior to returning it to its case.
Gilbert movement with a date stamp of 1925
The door catch
Although serviced well over a year ago I never got around to repairing the door catch. I could not figure out a way to make an effective catch and I don’t think the solution I came up with is the best possible one.
Now, you might think, why is this such a big deal? It’s not, but without the catch the door pops open a little and will not stay closed, enough to annoy the heck out of me.
Brass tab fashioned into a catch
The solution, for now, is a brass tab with a hole drilled through it to accommodate one of the bezel screws. It is not perfect but allows the door to close securely.
Front glass and bezel of Gilbert clock
I have no idea what the original catch looked like but evidently it was a poor enough design that it broke at some point in the clock’s history.
The clock is promised as a gift and now I am now assured that everything works properly.
Tick-Talk Tuesday is about the letters and comments I have received from you, the reader, concerning your clock, issues you might have had, challenges you face, a clock you would like me to profile, my advice on your particular clock concern or a general clock question. For those comments and questions that stump even me, I consult within my clock circles for the best possible answer
Clock for sale
MB wrote
“Hi Ron,
I came across this clock and your blog and have fell in love with it. I want to put a bid on it but have no idea what it is worth. Could you give me your opinion please?”
I am not sure whether they fell in love with the clock or my blog!
I replied,
Attached photo
Hi and thanks for writing.
The clock you wish to bid on appears to be American-made and from the 1990s. Let me point out some factors to consider.
If the clock is from the 1990s, the movement (the mechanical works) have reached the end of its service life. Typically movements from this era have a life span of about 25 years. If it is a non-working clock, it is worn out. If it is a working clock there is not much time left on the movement. Regardless, to service or replace the movement would be in the order of $450 to $500. If it has been recently serviced (disassembled, wear issues addressed, repairs made, reassembled, tested and oiled) or the movement has been replaced with a new one, that is a big plus.
From the photo I would question why the weights are at different levels. In a working clock the three weights descend together (with slight variations) through the clock’s 8-day cycle. See attached photo (right).
Many years ago it was not unusual to spend $2000 to $3000 for one of these clocks when new. Today they are worth almost nothing. The fact that this clock appears to be in a basement or garage does not bode well for its condition. The photo is not very clear but I can see wear around the base of the clock and it may even be missing the bottommost pedestal (which might be concealed by something in front of it) which also begs the question: what else is missing?
A similar clock in excellent condition with a recently serviced movement would be in the $500 price range.
A clock, such as this, that has never been serviced whether working or not would be in the $100 – $125 price range but be prepared to spend more money on it unless you can do the repairs yourself.
MB writes back,
“Thank you so much! They did indicate that the pendulum isn’t working so I guess I will stay away.
I appreciate your detailed answer and for saving me from what sounds like it could have been a waste.
I was attracted to the style of this clock but disappointed when I learned that it was a marriage of a Waterbury case with a Seth Thomas movement. Briefly, a marriage is when parts from two different makers come together.
Buying a clock from a flea market, antique mall, a shop or what have you is always a gamble. On this particular clock there is no trademark or name on the dial or a label in the back of the case that told me who the maker was. I made an assumption and it was an impulse buy.
Glass and bezel are from a later clock
While at the antique store I opened the back of the case to confirm that the clock had a movement and it was complete with pendulum bob and coiled gong and to me everything appeared correct until I brought it home. My first thought was an Ansonia movement when I looked at it under the dim light of the store.
Seth Thomas and other makers made similar cabinet style cases but this is the Wren by the Waterbury Clock Company. Being a marriage, the clock is worth much less to those particular about such matters. No matter, it looks attractive.
I can imagine a past owner’s conversation with the repair guy, I don’t care what you do, just make it work! And the repair guy responds by removing the very worn Waterbury movement and replacing it with a Seth Thomas. Easy peasy!
One of the current seller’s stickers on the case said it was a non-working clock but with minor adjustments, such as moving the pallets closer to the escape wheel and releasing the time-side mainspring, I had it running in no time. There is not much wrong with the movement and a good cleaning plus a bushing or two should put things right.
So, what did I buy?
As I said, I like the case and it has a decent movement but when a clock is a marriage one can expect some questionable repairs and interesting changes as one takes things apart.
I am not absolutely certain the dial pan came with the case or was added later but the glass and bezel are certainly from a mid-century mantel clock. It is so ugly it will be tossed into the spare parts drawer. I will keep the dial pan but a piecrust bezel with flat glass is more appropriate for the period.
Piecrust dial on a 6-column mantel clock
Seth Thomas time and strike 8-day movement
I removed the dial and discovered a number of extra screw holes here and there, varying lengths of screws, some screw holes filled with pieces of wood, even a couple of Robertson screws (not invented until after the First War) and so on. Obviously the replacement movement required new holes and why not drill a few extra holes for good measure!
The hole on the dial just above the 12 is larger than it should be. It was either enlarged to accommodate the regulating arbour or it’s a new hole altogether.
On a positive note both the case and the movement are from a similar period.
Disassembling the movement
But this post is about servicing the movement.
I am impressed with the engineering of this Seth Thomas movement. It is robust and well-designed though it has an interesting, overly complicated, speed regulating feature.
From my research I found that the hip style movement is the type 44 which was used for a 12 year period beginning in 1890. In 1903 it was presumably replaced with the type 89 movement, simpler to manufacture, fewer parts and more reliable, and appeared in many thousands of ST mantel clocks afterwards. It has a sickle shaped brass piece between the plates so that the clock can be turned backwards repeatedly at the hour to sync the strike with the hands. It is technically called a set-back counter weight.
Brass piece indicated by arrow
Regulating arbour with worm gear on one end
There were variations of this movement, front winding movements as opposed to rear winding, with and without the worm gear speed regulator and some with stop works. This movement does not have Geneva stops.
It took me more time than usual to pry open the plates because I was slowed down by the intricacy of regulating mechanism. Part of the mechanism consists of a long arbour that passes from the front plate to the back plate. At one end is a worm gear and on the other is the regulating end. It is secured to the outside of the front plate by means of a spring with a pin through the arbour. To release the arbour, the pin must be pulled and the spring releases.
Well, actually the spring flew across the room. No problem, I’m used to crawling on the floor looking for clock parts.
I have worked on a lot of American time and strike movements but this type of regulating mechanism is a first for me. In fact, the set-back counter weight is also a first for me.
Analysis of the movement
The movement has had 12 bushings installed, 5 on the front plate and 7 on the back. The work is well done but I don’t like the arrows scratched into the plate indicating where each bushing would be installed. I use a Sharpie pen and after I have completed the bushing work I wipe the marks off with alcohol. There is no need to mar the plates.
Arrow indicating scratch mark below bushing
After looking over the movement carefully I can see there is enough wear in some bushings that they must be replaced, both second wheels, front plate, the governor, both front and back and the escape wheel bridge bushing which for some reason has punch marks around it, the only unsightly repair.
Escape wheel and bridge
The mainsprings look to be in good shape and still bears the original ST trademarks. No worn gear teeth and the pivots, plus the lantern pinions are all in great shape.
All in all, not bad for a movement that was last serviced quite a number of years ago.
Strike side of ST movement
The pivots were polished and next is the bushing work. Two were interesting to say the least.
The count count wheel and the strike pin wheel are side by side. A bushing was required for the pin wheel but I could not access it from inside the plate. This is one of those few times when drilling from the outside is the only way however, I was able to push the bushing home from the inside plate. It is one of those situation where you have to stand back, analysis the problem and consider a strategy. It worked.
The second was the escape wheel bridge. To stabilize the bridge a 5-step block jig comes in handy. Otherwise, it is very difficult to keep the bridge steady and drill a straight hole.
% level job block used for an escape wheel bridge
The drilling went fine until the last 3.47 mm cutter. When I began to drill out the hole the old bushing came out. I knew right away that the new bushing would not have a tight fit. Evidently a past repairer had the same problem.
staking set
The block from a staking set is a useful tool. With it I was able to lay the plate down on it and punch the bushing from the inside to stabilize it.
Once together everything fell into place or so I thought. Unfortunately, I will have to take it apart again because I forgot the regulating worm gear which can only be installed with the plates separated. The movement will run perfectly fine without it, but it is part of the clock.
How far do you go repairing, restoring or conserving a vintage or antique clock without changing it in a significant way?
My daughter. a civil engineer raised the philosophical argument that questions whether an object like a clock that has had all of its components replaced remains fundamentally the same object. This paradoxical thought exercise is called the Ship of Theseus. Plutarch, a Greek philosopher, asked whether a ship that had been restored by replacing every single wooden part remained the same ship.
The ship wherein Theseus and the youth of Athens returned from Crete had thirty oars, and was preserved by the Athenians down even to the time of Demetrius Phalereus, for they took away the old planks as they decayed, putting in new and stronger timber in their places, in so much that this ship became a standing example among the philosophers, for the logical question of things that grow; one side holding that the ship remained the same, and the other contending that it was not the same. Plutarch, Theseus[2]
Think about it! If something is fundamentally changed is it the same object?
One of our proud provincial symbols in Nova Scotia is a sailing ship called the Bluenose II, our provincial ambassador. The original Bluenose was a fishing and racing schooner that ran aground and sank 90 years ago. To honour the original Bluenose, the Bluenose II was built in the 1960s and sailed for over 50 years until it was determined that she was not seaworthy.
Bluenose II, Peggy’s Cove (photo, NS government, used for educational purposes)
In 2018 the hull of the Bluenose II was rebuilt with new materials. Some items such as rigging, masts, sails, ironwork, deck structures, safety equipment, and electronics were reused. Part of the timeline for future repair involves replacing the masts, sails, rigging, and deck structures. Will the ship retain its identity? To purists, no! To Nova Scotians, yes!
Let’s go beyond the nautical example and apply our example to the lantern clock.
The lantern clock is a clock with a lantern-shaped brass case made for about a century after 1630 or so. Most had one hand, all were weight-driven with a bell on top and sat on a wall bracket. They were the first type of clock widely used in English private homes in the 17th century. Eventually, the lantern clock became obsolete when tall case clocks came into fashion.
Converted lantern clock
Lantern clocks are highly collectible today and those that are in “original” condition are the most desirable. But, almost all of them have been altered, even those considered “genuine”. Check out this quote from a sellerof lantern clocks, D. and J. Benson, who are specialists in early English clocks.
We are strong believers that if a clock was converted to a different escapement many years ago, this should be retained, being part of the history of the clock, rather than reconverting clocks back to former guises. Only under compelling circumstances would a clock be returned to a former state. Only absolutely necessary restoration work is carried out in order that the original clock survives for future generations. We conserve rather than replace. D& J Benson
“Compelling circumstances”. Important provenance, perhaps?
Early conversions were from verge to anchor escapement. Later ones had the original movements removed and a fusee movement (single or double) installed. When converted, original movements including alarm mechanisms were taken out, a single-hand was replaced with two hands (or the minute hand added), broken finals and door handles might have replaced, chapter rings re-silvered, doors lost due to their nature of lifting out easily. Therefore, what is the nature of the clock after it has been changed, and how original is it? Does it retain its identity? To purists, no! To the casual collector, yes!
Let’s see how this philosophical argument plays out:
If too much is done to restore a clock is it fundamentally the same and is it considered original even though new parts were made from the same materials using the same methods when the clock was first made?
Do changes or alterations to the clock that bring it back to its original look and function including the making of new parts make it more “original”?
If one replaces one part at a time on a clock so that at some point all parts are replaced, at what point does a clock no longer become the same clock?
If you take all of those parts and make a “new” clock which of the two clocks is original? What is the nature of the clock’s identity since no two objects can occupy the same identity?
This is the dilemma of identity. One more example!
In 2016 I acquired my first weight-driven Vienna Regulator clock. As I worked on the clock I began to realize that many parts were replaced over the years such as the brass bezel, hands, glass panels, weights, and even the movement. Although the changes were part of the history of the clock I began to accept the notion that it is what it is and to a casual observer, it looks authentic.
Gustav Becker Vienna Regulator
Minimal Invasive Intervention
The term minimal invasive intervention means how far do you go to repair, restore or conserve a clock without changing it in a significant way? Some say that any work performed on an antique clock would diminish its value. Going too far to repair a clock and it begins to lose its attraction and value as a collectable object.
Is a “true collector” more interested in a movement that has never been worked on or one that has been repaired or restored? While it is always desirable to have a running clock most concede that to make a movement actually work, intervention must be accepted (bushing and pivot reconstruction, for example). The question remains; if I want the clock to function, what is the least I can do without changing it in a significant way?
Repair, Restoration, Conservation
Repair; to rectify the faults of a clock in a way that might alter it from its original form (gear replacement, pivot work, bushing work, replacement of some parts)
Restoration; the reconstruction of the movement and clock case to original condition.
Conservation; the protection of a clock using any methods that prove effective in keeping that article in as close to its original condition as possible for as long as possible.
Any amount of intervention is frowned upon by some collectors while some amount of intervention is not only necessary but desired by others and while collectors are always searching for a completely untouched clock, an antique clock in pristine condition that has never been meddled with is a rare find.
Questions, questions, questions…
Is undoing the “damage” caused by a previous poor repair an overly invasive procedure?
If the repair was done shortly after the clock was made and it was a proper repair, was clearly documented as markings inside the clock case, should it be left untouched? (example, a wheel that has a rough tooth repair but functions well). Is the poor repair part of the clock’s historical provenance and should it be left as-is?
Would bringing the movement back to its original state be considered a restoration or a repair?
Will a repair enhance or decrease the value of the clock?
Is a repair or restoration a form of conservation?
My position regarding changes to a clock
My goal is a functional clock that presents well. A non-working clock must become a working clock because that is the nature of its existence. If a clock has important provenance and extensive repairs to the movement and/or case alter it in a negative way and I will leave it alone. But I will always clean a clock case (unless otherwise directed) because as one clockmaker I know put it, “isn’t patina just another word for dirt!”.
When working on a customer’s clock I recommend presenting several options regarding the repair of the movement and addressing case issues. This past year I worked on a customer clock and asked what they wanted to be done. It had a beautifully designed case but a non-functioning movement. Make the clock run they said and replace the broken hands but don’t touch the case even though in my view the case could have used a good cleaning and a fresh coat of shellac. I did what was requested. Is the customer right? Yes!
I will leave you with two examples.
Ingraham Grecian
Ingraham Grecian
The bob wire that came with a clock appears to be a section of coat hanger wire. Replace it with a proper adjustable bob wire?
On a movement with pinned plates one of the pins is a finishing nail. Replace it with a brass taper pin?
Hell, yes on both counts!
In some circles, this trivial examples like these will provoke a heated argument. Is there a correct answer? Put twelve clockmakers in a room and you will have a thirteen opinions.
7 reasons why a hobby such as clockmaking gives respite during a pandemic.
Builds self-esteem. Developing and maintaining a hobby is important because the small successes from day to day are enough to sustain oneself amid other pressures in life and it is the one solid thing to feel good about. It gives renewed energy to tackle other challenges in life.
Dial face, Scottish tall case clock C.1848
Avoid boredom. There is zero scientific evidence of this but boredom is responsible for a lot of society’s ills and destructive behaviours. Do you come home after a challenging workday to watch hours of TV when you could be doing something constructive and rewarding? If so, it is time to re-evaluate your life.
Junghans Sydney shelf clock C.1911
Enrich your perspective. There is 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. Clockmaking or any hobby helps one differentiate from others and provides key examples of overcoming adversity or tackling a difficult situation and emerging on the other side.
American Watch and Clock Collectors Museum, USA
Keeps you youthful. Establishing and maintaining a hobby is a healthy habit to form not just now but for your later years. Hobbies are excellent for brain health and help stave off cognitive decline. The older you become the more difficulty you will have struggling to fill your time with meaningful activities. Beginning a hobby early in life pays dividends in the long run much like an interest-bearing investment.
Schatz W3 bracket clock C. 1950s
Combine your hobby with other interests. Photography and traveling are two other of my interests. Blogging is another, of course. Clockmaking combines all of those interests and as a side benefit my wife, who is also my travel partner and clock locator, provides encouragement every day.
Westclox LaSalle alarm clock C. 1934
It makes one interesting. Talk about your occupation or your grandchild and before long people’s eyes begin to glaze, but mention a clock that fell off a wall during the Halifax Explosion, a clock that hung in a railway station nearby, a rare clock bought for next to nothing and ears perk up.
Junghans Crispi wall clock, C.1898
A great way to relieve stress. Hobbies provide stress relief simply because it is an oasis, a way of disconnecting temporarily and we all need a place of refuge in trying times.
Mauthe wall clock circa 1895
We are nearing the end of the pandemic and folks are returning to their former routines. If you have found a new hobby in the past year there is no doubt you have certainly acquired new skills, renewed confidence and furthered your knowledge. Don’t stop now!
Servicing the movement is complete. Next is the case.
For those unfamiliar with the HAC acronym, it stands for Hamburg American Clock Company, a well-known German company that was acquired by Junghans in the late 1920s. I have a number of German clocks including Junghans, Mauthe, Hermle, Jauch, Gufa, and Gustav Becker but this is the first HAC clock in my collection. This clock dates to somewhere between 1900 and 1908.
Here is the auction photo of the clock.
HAC mantel clock (reproduced with permission)
As you can see there is some wear as expected from a 100+-year-old clock. The dial is especially grimy.
I focused on the dial first, managing to remove most of the grime while retaining its patina. Plus I touched up the numbers and chapter ring. There were numerous scratch marks on the dial surround and I did my best to clean it up and make it more presentable but it is what it is. Check out this article for more information on cleaning the dial.
HAC clock is attractive but the dial required a lot of work
Stripping a case is always the last resort in my view. There is visible wear on the bottom corners, the lower part of the columns, and column capitals but not enough to justify removing the finish.
I cleaned the case with Murphy’s soap, applied 2 coats of shellac using 4X0 steel wool between coats followed by a coat of Minwax finishing wax.
HAC mantel clock
Better but not perfect but perfect was never my goal. Now, where to put it?
The movement has been serviced and the next step to bringing this clock back to life is cleaning a very grimy, tarnished and worn dial.
For those unfamiliar with HAC or, The Hamburg American Clock Company (Hamburg Amerikanische Uhrenfabrik), it is a well-known German company that was incorporated in 1876 as Landenburger and Lang, later with a name change to HAC in 1883 and was eventually acquired by Junghans in 1926.
Its best-known trademark is the “crossed arrows” symbol found on the movement plate and the coil gong. Unlike most HAC clocks there is no cross arrows trademark on the gong though there is one on the movement behind the pendulum rod. The name “Hamburg” was chosen at the insistence of one of its investors and “American” refers to similar American-style production methods.
I have a number of German clocks including Junghans, Mauthe, Hermle, Jauch, Gufa, and Gustav Becker but this is the first HAC clock in my collection.
HAC clock auction photo
I bought this clock online at an estate auction in February of 2021 and because of the pandemic I had it shipped to me. The only thing I had to go on were the auction photos but it is no different than taking a chance on an eBay or similar site. Once I opened the package it is what I excepted, no surprises.
While it is an attractive design it is dirty and likely has never been cleaned. There are no parts missing, a bonus, but the case and dial require attention.
The most distracting element is the dial. In short, it is a mess.
HAC dial closeup
Two options
One is to replace the dial from a donor clock but given the small amount of money put into it, the fix would have been pricey. Those I have found in my internet search are going for more than I paid for it. The second option is to clean it up and make it as presentable as possible.
Cleaning the dial
Normally I use a good water-based cleaner to remove grime from a dial but in this case, the blackish-grey tinge you see in the above photo is actually 100 years of built-up oil, grease and grime. I am sure an auto mechanic owned the clock and adjusted it before he washed his hands.
Drastic measures are called for. I knew that I would be stripping the remainder of the cream-coloured paint from the dial but as I discovered, there is so little paint left that it would not have made a difference. The numbers were also rubbed away after years of use.
HAC clock is attractive but the dial needs a lot of work
I took the dial out of the case and using Q-tips and a cleaning solution took away as much grime as possible. Some 50 Q-tips later I managed to remove most of the dirt. After rinsing with water and wiping the dial, I filled in the numbers using water-based acrylic black paint, a fine-tipped artist’s brush, and a fine-tipped .6mm permanent marker for the chapter ring.
HAC dial after cleaning and numbers touched up
The dial came out marginally better and the original patina has been somewhat retained. I am pleased with the result but that is as far as I will go.
From a distance, it is presentable and less distracting.
Eight years ago I acquired my first Arthur Pequegnat clock. In the years following, I have added to my collection and now have a total of 8. Although my collection of Pequegnat clocks is very modest by comparison to a dedicated Pequegant collector it is a good start and I would certainly like to add to that number in the future.
The Arthur Pequegnat Clock Company (1904–1941) is notable as the longest-lasting Canadian-based clock manufacturer. They made a wide variety of different styled clocks from 1904 through to 1941 from shelf and mantel clocks to wall clocks and floor models.
Nickle-plated steel or brass plates
Unfortunately, it is very difficult to date a Pequegnat clock, except for what is termed pre and post-Berlin, the location of the company’s manufacturing plant. Clocks made before 1917 were inscribed “Berlin, Canada” on the dial face. Kitchener, Ontario was known as Berlin prior to and during the first World War. It was the town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 then the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916.
Because the name Berlin was associated with the war against Germany the town fathers decided the name Kitchener was less offensive and the change was made midway through the First World War. Kitchener is the present seat of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Most Arthur Pequegant clock movements are stamped with the company name but there are no date marks on movements indicating when it was made. Clocks made after the First War wore the company name plus Canada under the number 6 on the dial face. For example, clocks such at the Canadian Time were made from 1904 to 1941 and are separated in age by the Berlin label consequently, my Canadian Time wall clock with the Canada label could be as old as 104 or as “new” as 80 years old.
One distinctive feature on many movements is the use of nickel plating for both brass and steel plates.
Arthur Pequegnat Company name
Many models continued in production right up to 1941. By 1941, the demands of World War II armament makers for brass, the essential ingredient in clock movements as well as the growing popularity of the electric clock, forced the Arthur Pequegnat company to cease production.
And now, beginning with the first clock acquired in 2013.
The Canadian Time
My first Pequegant, purchased in September 2013 hung in the Intercolonial Rail Station waiting room in Pictou, Nova Scotia.
Canadian Time
The seller arranged the purchase of the clock just prior to the station’s decommissioning in 1993. It is in very good condition, missing its door clasp but otherwise intact. There are a few scratches and nicks consistent with its age but nothing objectionable.
The Brandon (2nd edititon)
I found this clock in an antique shop just outside Truro, Nova Scotia in 2014.
Arthur Pequegant Brandon II
The case is in excellent condition but the movement was quite worn. Had I known more about servicing clocks at the time of purchase I would not have sent it to a clock repair specialist. It is one of two in my Pequegant collection serviced by someone other than myself. This is the Brandon II. The Brandon 1, the first edition, was made prior to 1918, and had an ornate pressed wood bezel. This one is simpler in design.
The Maple Leaf “Fan-top”
Next came my first Maple Leaf kitchen clock, known for its unique lower tablet of scattered maple leaves and a distinctive maple leaf pendulum.
Arthur Pequegnat Maple Leaf kitchen clock
This clock, bought in 2015, was also serviced by a clock professional. The case was in very poor condition. Stripping a case is an absolute last resort as far as I’m concerned but the finish on this clock was pretty bad. I could not leave it as it was.
The finish on a Pequegnat fan-top clock
To Pequegnat collectors, it is known as the fan-top.
The Simcoe
Three years later, the Simcoe followed me home. It was bought at an antique shop in Victoria, British Columbia in 2018.
Arthur Pequegnat Simcoe mantel clock
It is not particularly attractive. It is the only mantel clock in my Pequegnat collection and it is from the “Berlin” period.
The Bedford
2018 was a good year because I acquired 4 Pequegnat clocks. This was number two of that year.
Bedford shelf clock
This clock was gifted to me by a reader. He asked if I wanted the clock but I had to pick it up in Quebec which was on our way to a summer cottage in central Canada. The movement was in very good condition but the case was damaged having taken a plunge off a high shelf.
The movement was serviced without issue but the case required extensive intervention.
The third purchase that year and the fifth in my collection is the Maple Leaf Pointed Top
The Maple Leaf “Pointed Top”
There are 4 Maple Leaf clocks made by Pequegnat. Any version of the Maple Leaf is sought after by Canadian collectors but this one has distinctive pointed side columns, hence the nickname.
Arthur Pequegnat Maple Leaf Pointed Top
Although termed a kitchen clock it could easily have been placed in a living room or parlour.
The Moncton
The last 2018 acquisition was a clock that I had in the back of my mind for quite some time and I was waiting for the right price. This is an excellent copy that is very presentable and looks great on our kitchen wall.
Arthur Pequegnat Moncton
It is a post-Berlin double spring time-only 15-day clock. Many were used in rail stations despite the fact that they were spring-driven. Weight-driven clocks were preferred for their accuracy but the Moncton was up to the task as a timekeeper.
And the last.
The Canuck
This is the only true Pequegant “gingerbread” clock in my view.
Canuck kitchen clock
The case was refreshed and the dial was redone. The movement was also serviced without issue.
Cleaned up more presentable
These are all keepers. Most Pequegants have kept their value over the years and in Canada, they are regarded as quality clocks for the masses. They were well built, well-designed movements with a distinctive Canadian charm as many were named after cities in Canada.
I want to share my experiences dealing with clock suppliers and let me begin by saying that my experiences have been largely positive.
I have been repairing and restoring clocks for the past 10 years and since I live in Canada I generally deal with one mechanical clock parts supplier out of Toronto, Ontario, Perrin. They are excellent for most of my needs, but they do not have everything and from time to time I must locate special or unique parts through other suppliers such as Merritts, Timesavers, and Ronell from the USA and Meadows and Passmorein England.
For example, I recently completed the restoration of an Ingraham Grecian shelf clock, circa 1871, and it required a new set of hands. The hour hand that came with the clock was too short and the minute hand was the incorrect style. My goal in this case is a clock that is as authentic looking as possible and incorrect hands always takes away from a clocks appearance.
My Canadian supplier did not have the correct hands and eventually my search brought me to an out-of-country supplier, Timesavers.
Ingraham Grecian Harris and Sons auction photo
Ingraham Grecian with correct sized moon hands
Had I ordered just a set of hands the shipping cost would have been substantial.
In order to justify the purchase I added additional parts; 2 smoothing broaches, a Seth Thomas #2maintaining spring, brass weight cable, a riffler set, and a bob wire set. The total came to $36US. The shipping and processing fee is $24US. Factoring in the rate of exchange the order cost me $82CDN.
If my Canadian supplier had everything I needed the cost would have been $20 less. It was not a significant difference in this case but it was worth it to find the correct hands.
What are the costs?
The sourcing of parts from various suppliers especially outside Canada can be expensive when administrative costs, shipping fees, exchange rates and import duty are included.
Some suppliers, however, require a minimum order. Others apply a credit card fee for international transactions, still others apply a processing fee and occasionally there is import duty. In almost every case the cost is higher and in some cases, it may not be worth it.
There are a number of choices for shipping but the cheapest method is not always “cheap”. Ground shipping in Canada is fairly inexpensive. Many out-of-country suppliers ship by air and the cost can be significantly higher.
That little $2.99 part can easily cost $20 or more after all costs.
Parts Availability
Seth Thomas Regulator #2
Not every supplier is going to have what you want. There are similarities from one supplier to another but there are also differences. For example, one is likely to find brass carriage clock feet from an English supplier because bracket and carriage clocks are much more common in that part of the world. English suppliers will also carry more tall case, and carriage clock parts and obviously, American suppliers will have many parts for clocks made in the USA.
The upside is that by knowing the various suppliers and their inventories I am able to satisfy most of my clock parts needs. If I only need one part I will always add additional items to justify the shipping and other costs.
My strategy for sourcing parts
If I were in the clock business and required one part, I would pass all costs on to the customer. I do not run a repair service and can afford to put a project aside if it needs parts and wait till I can justify an order.
I build a list of parts using an Excel spreadsheet, and when I feel there is enough to justify an order I pull the trigger. I can afford to wait.
As far as prices are concerned, companies such as Timesavers in the US have locked in their prices till 2022 while prices for some items at Perrin, a Canadian supplier, have increased marginally in the past year. Still, I buy Canadian when I can.
When ordering, if there is an offer of a free parts catalogue I always ask for one.
I also take advantage of every opportunity when I find pendulums, clock keys and other sundry items in flea markets and antique shops and snap them up, IF the price is less than I would buy from a supplier.
Clock parts are not cheap. If you are looking at clockmaking as a hobby factor in the cost of basic and more advanced tools but know that consumables can cost much more in the long run.
From my experience, most suppliers are excellent to deal with are and the service is speedy and professional. Just be mindful of all those other fees. It can really add up!
Antique and Vintage Mechanical Clocks 
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