Clock auctions – Ron’s rules for bidding

The psychology of auctions, now that would be a fascinating study. How bidders behave, the frenzy of bidding wars often called “auction fever“, and the emotions wrapped into the pursuit of that one item everybody seems to want would be very enlightening.

_{Ingraham 30 hour cottage clock, under $30 at auction}

Auctions are fantastic places to find great deals. I have found many clocks at auction for exceptional prices and have few regrets.

This post will explore how to use auction rules to the best advantage based on my experience and my observations. Presented are Ron’s tips that I have found effective. The focus is on online auction houses. eBay is another world but I suppose some of my advice may apply.

The photos on this page are auction wins over the past two years.

The classic auction

Although there are other types, the classic type of auction is where a seller sets the price, plus a time limit and bidders are encouraged to bid on the item. The highest bidder wins. This type of auction remains popular because of the familiarity and intuitive nature of the process.

Auctions can be live or online but online auctions are becoming much more common.

Using the “watch list” if offered

Many auction sites have a “watch list” which is a cool method of bookmarking the items you may (or may not) bid on. I generally peruse the auction offerings and click the watch button for those that interest me and in so doing generate a “list” of ten to twenty items for potential bids.

I hold off on bidding until I can determine which ones interest me the most, how much I am prepared to pay, and the total I have budgeted for the auction. I attempt to work within my budget but may make some adjustments during the auction.

The watch list also allows for a sober second thought before or during any auction. Put another way, I thought I wanted the item before but now I don’t.

Why you should not bid early

Auction sites want people to bid early to show everyone there is interest in the item. By revealing interest in the item others might be tempted to bid and this will drive up the bids. This benefits the auction house which makes more money on any item that sells higher. Novice auction goers are easily caught in this trap. Try not to get caught up bidding too high and too early in an auction even if it is something you really want. Fight the urge!

Establishing a limit

I consider each item carefully based on the photos and descriptions provided, determine what I would pay for the item in optimal condition, and factor in wear and tear or any parts missing in order to set an upper limit for my bid.

A tactic that works surprisingly well is to determine a maximum price on an item when the auction opens, make that bid and leave the auction.

_{Scottish tall case clock, $275 plus fees and taxes}

Let’s say I bid $60, then leave the auction site. The next day or after the auction has ended, I will know if I won within my limit, or lost. If monitoring the auction a green win button will light on what you have won otherwise auction houses send out invoices after the auction has ended detailing items you have won. Winning is very satisfying, of course, but losing is not such a terrible thing, there is plenty of fish in the sea.

Others participating in the auction might also have set the same limit for themselves on a particular item. If I’m willing to spend $60, am I willing to spend $5 more (assuming a bid increment is $5). If I bid just higher than my limit assuming my limit is the same as others, I may still win the item without ignoring the budget I have set for the auction.

Without determining your limit, it’s too easy to get into a bidding war that might go something like this, “I was willing to spend $75, and I was outbid at $80. I could go $5 more and bid $85 but if I lose it at $85, $10 is only a tiny bit more”, and so on.

Stay within the upper limit and do not get caught up in a last-second feeding frenzy.

Auction “estimates”

This is just another method of forcing the bid higher. Ignore auction estimates unless there is a “reserve” on the item. A reserve price is a minimum price that a seller would be willing to accept from a buyer. In an auction, the seller is not typically required to disclose the reserve price to potential buyers. If the reserve price is not met, the seller is not required to sell the item, even to the highest bidder.

Proxy bidding

Most auction sites allow proxy bidding, meaning they will keep your bid as low as possible so you can win, but not exceed your maximum limit.

It works this way. I decide on a $60 upper limit and the auction’s bid increments are $5. At the start someone bids $5, I have set my bid at $60 but currently have the winning bid at $10. If someone else bids $25, my bid automatically goes to $30. They come back at $35, and my bid automatically goes to $40. If the auction ends at that point, I won the item for $40. If someone else came back before the auction ended with a $65 bid, then they win, but I do not exceed my limit. I then walk away from that item and focus on the next.

Rare items

Rare items that are desirable can be expensive. Humans tend to overvalue things they think are rare. However, thinking an item is rare might influence you to bid higher. The item may, in fact, be quite common. Do your research beforehand, or even during the auction.

For example, ogee-style clocks that some people would consider to be quite rare are, in fact, very common as thousands were produced by many American manufacturers over a span of 70 odd years.

_{Chauncey Jerome ogee clock, $35 at auction}

Not so hidden fees and costs

There are additional fees and taxes as you would expect. Auction fees called “buyer’s Premium” is set by the auction house. The buyer’s premium is a percentage that is an additional charge on the hammer piece of the lot which is paid by the winner. Some auction houses will call it a service fee but think of it as a commission.

Buyers’ premiums may be higher for online auctions than live auctions and the percentage varies from auction house to auction house, typically between 15% and 20%. Some auction houses may even have an additional service fee above the buyer’s premium. Add taxes to determine the final price. A winning bid of $60 with a 15% buyer’s premium (our local auction houses) and sales taxes of 15% (Nova Scotia) pushes the final price to $79.35. It is the final price assuming you can jump into your car and bring the item home, otherwise, there are shipping costs. Suddenly your $60 win costs $200.

As a general rule, I do not request antique clocks to be shipped as the risk of breakage is too high.

The psychology of ownership

Here’s how it works. While you hold the winning bid, you begin to feel a sense of ownership, and the longer one holds the bid the stronger the sense of ownership. When outbid, you may think someone is trying to steal something from you and you want it back but now you are caught up in bid frenzy. To get it back you bid higher. However, even if you win the item you still lose because you have likely overpaid for it. Buyer’s remorse is the sense of regret after having paid too much.

Related is the Endowment Effect, meaning people will assign more value to an item that they own purely because they own it. This type of behaviour is typically triggered with items that have a strong emotional or symbolic significance to the individual such as something they had as a child or other nostalgic item.

A pocketful of money

Let’s say I plan on spending $500 at an online auction including buyer’s premium, tax, and shipping, so, I am limiting my actual bidding to approximately $300. Perhaps I am looking at only two items in the auction. For one I’m willing to go to $100, and for the other, I’m willing to bid up to $200 for a total of $300. I win the first item (for which I was willing to spend $100) for $25. I can now decide whether I should spend $200 on the second item, or if I’m now willing to go up to $275.

Determining a budget limit introduces an element of self-control and allows one to refocus attention on other auction offerings. It is also helpful when you are not watching the auction when it ends.

This is always an individual choice based on how much you feel the items are worth and what your research is telling you.

_{Ansonia Canada parlour clock},_{part of a $30 lot}

Clock auction houses

An auction that consists only of antique clocks is a tough one to navigate and to win an item at a decent price. These auctions attract all manner of collectors and you might be bidding against a very determined collector who will want an item at any cost.

I find the prices in antique clock auctions to be generally quite high and unless you are looking for that special clock it is best to avoid them unless money is no object. I have much better success with estate auctions that do not generally attract dedicated clock collectors so, for the most part, you are bidding against people who have poor knowledge of antique and vintage clocks.

I suppose there are plenty of other strategies but these are the ones that have worked for me.

June 10, 2022

Servicing a Sessions Grand Assortment time and strike movement

_The Grand Assortment was sold “six in a case” to retailers who then sold them separately. The name “Assortment” seems appropriate and I am not surprised that some collectors refer to them simply as the Grand. So, was the “Assortment” a choice among a number of Grands (Grand 1, Grand 2, etc.)?

Selling clocks in lots of 6 was a fairly common practice in the early part of the 20th century. An individual might order one of the clocks either directly from Sessions or working through a retailer but would normally select one from the retailer’s shelf.

This clock was bought at auction in the spring (of 2022). The plan is to fix it up and sell it to offset a recent equipment acquisition. I am not normally in the business of selling clocks but will sell the odd one locally to keep my collection manageable.

The clock case needs quite a bit of work which I will address in a future article.

The movement looks good but it is very grimy, no surprise there. We’ll get to that later in this post.

The dial, however, may not be salvageable. One option is a new paper dial, and another is a replacement with a suitable and period-correct alternative. I have the same size Arabic dial from an Ingraham gingerbread that I might use. Manufacturers interchanged Roman Numerals and Arabic dials on some models and I have seen at least one Grand Assortment on the internet with an Arabic dial so, an Arabic dial may be a good look.

These Sessions models were around for a number of years up to 1915 or so and like everything else the gingerbread clock fell out of style. I imagine this one sat on a shelf as a decoration for a good number of years after that.

The movement

Apart from having an even coating of dirt and grime all over the movement, there is surprisingly little wear.

Most Sessions movements I have come across have had a hard life and usually require a fair bit of intervention in terms of repairs including numerous new bushings. This movement may not need any as far as I can determine during my initial assessment. As a matter of fact, this is probably the least worn Sessions movement I have ever worked on. It is not without issues, however.

Judging from pivot scratch marks, wrench marks on the plate around the pillar nuts, mangled helper wires, and a replacement spring for the click on the time side it certainly has been worked on in the past, likely cleaned more than once.

_{A coating of dirt all over the movement}

There was a film of rust on the mainsprings, not enough to write them off and they still have plenty of power left in them.

Clicks are a documented weakness in Sessions’ movements. Both sides were in good condition although I had to re-attach the click spring on the time side. A past repairer had attempted a fix and replaced the original wire with a steel replacement wire that looks homemade, but it works. It just needed tightening.

The helper springs were evidently broken at some point and shortened. One was wrapped around the top pillar post and the lifting lever was wrapped around the count lever. Both should be attached to a pillar. I was able to reuse one but the other had to be replaced.

Most, but not all, American time and strike clocks have helper springs to maintain tension on lifting and locking levers. Springs are occasionally removed from a movement either because they are broken and/or repairers do not understand their function.

The mainsprings are in good condition. They were cleaned and oiled.

_{Mainspring retention clip to restrain the power of the springs}

No bushing work is required for this movement which is a rarity for old American clocks I have come across. All pivots were polished, pivot holes pegged out and now for reassembly.

This is a fairly easy movement to reassemble but the strike side count and drop levers must be in the correct position in order for the strike side to function correctly. That means the drop lever is in the slot of the cam and the count lever is in the deep slot of the count wheel. The lock pin on the wheel just below the fan must also be next to the locking lever.

Sometimes I get it right the first time but often I must separate the plates on the top corner and re-adjust the locking wheel.

_{Everything in place but the escape wheel}

Once re-assembled it is placed on the test stand for several cycles.

The next step is addressing the clock case finish.

The clock case needs quite a bit of work and may require stripping, not something I do as a matter of routine but in its present condition, it will never attract a buyer.

June 7, 2022

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

Jerome & Co., a marketing arm of the New Haven Clock Co. made this clock in the mid-1850s. It is a 1-day or 30-hour clock called the “Rose Cottage”. In the 1850s and later, cottage clocks could be purchased with a time and strike movement, time and strike with alarm but this one is a very simple clock that was made to do one thing, tell the time.

It is a very small movement. In fact the smallest American clock movement I have ever worked on.

The most interesting features of this movement, besides the size, are the solid third wheel and the high mount escape wheel with the entry pallet just above the wheel itself.

The photo below shows a very interesting “fix” for a worn pivot hole, certainly an add-on by a not-so-professional clock repairer. It consists of a piece of copper wire soldered to the plate. The copper wire then loops around the pivot and keeps it from moving in the worn hole. Many repairers at the time punched around a pivot hole to close it but this is an odd repair.

Other issues included finishing nails instead of taper pins to secure the plates and the mainspring loop end attached to the bottom right post instead of the left. While on the right post (as found) the mainspring uncoils and pushes against the center cannon lantern pinion and stops the clock. I doubt that the movement could run a full day.

The movement

As a time-only movement, it is pretty simple in design. It takes all but a minute to disassemble and reassemble the movement.

My first task was to remove the ugly solder and copper wire. I pulled the wire away and using a soldering gun the solder dissolved easily, both front, and back since both ends had the same “fix”.

Once the copper wire was removed I could see that the front bushing hole was elongated as I suspected.

_{New bushing, upper black dot, mainspring attached to the bottom left post}

The only other bushing required was the escape wheel and back-plate. The bushing hole on the escape wheel bridge is a little worn but it should do for now as this clock will not be a daily runner.

The movement is on the test stand and running well. Now to see what I can do with a very worn and very tired case.

June 4, 2022

Jerome & Co Rose cottage clock – the case is a mess but the movement is interesting

I have a number of cottage clocks and they all seem to have one thing in common, they have lived hard lives and this one is no exception. They had the cheapest of movements, the cheapest of cases, and could be purchased for almost nothing but many have not survived and that’s too bad.

This is a one-day or 30-hour time-only cottage clock made by Jerome & Co. Most cottage clocks come with a time and strike movement, some had alarms but this has just the movement.

Chauncey Jerome was a prolific clockmaker and a true pioneer of the early American clock. Despite his success in clock manufacturing from the late 1830s to the early 1850s a number of poor business decisions led to bankruptcy in 1856, and the assets of the bankrupt Jerome Manufacturing Co. were purchased by the New Haven Clock Co.

While Jerome was involved in numerous clock-making activities after his bankruptcy and marketed clocks under his name and label, Jerome & Co. is not one of those. “Jerome & Co.” was a tradename used by the New Haven clock company.

The Jerome name obviously had some cache and it was a good marketing strategy on the part of New Haven.

The plan

The movement is very simple in design. However, it has had an odd repair. On the left side of the movement is a copper wire soldered to the brass plate. The copper wire wraps around the 3rd wheel pivot and acts as a bushing. There is a similar repair on the backplate. This will be removed and replaced by a brass bushing. There are one or two other bushings required as well.

As for the rosewood veneer case, I am not sure what I will do. There are veneer losses on the right side of the case, the bottom corners, and the top left. Most of the gilt around the front access door has worn off, there are significant losses on the dial, there is a large age split on the top-right and the reverse painted lower tablet has signifciant losses. I don’t want to go too far and ruin the clock but as it is, it looks quite bad.

May 31, 2022

An obituary for an E. Ingraham gingerbread clock – the case that is!

_Can this gingerbread clock made by E. Ingraham be saved? Possibly, but this clock is destined to become a parts clock and I will explain why in this post. In the spring of this year (2022) 4 clocks were bought at auction. I can save three of them but not this one.

Gingerbread clocks often called “kitchen clocks”, were introduced after the American Civil War and remained popular until the end of World War I.

The term is derived from the tradition of making decorated gingerbread houses which began in Germany in the early 1800s. The broad application of the gingerbread style applied to almost anything including clocks.

The gingerbread design is polarizing. Collectors either love them or hate them. I am not particularly fond of the design generally, with certain exceptions, but I can see how some collectors are attracted to the style.

The cases were steam-pressed oak and occasionally other hardwoods were used. Various designs were pressed by a heat-bond process which was quite advanced for the time. It was a time-saver, spectacular designs were pressed within seconds and it saved on labour costs. Hundreds of thousands of these steam-pressed oak-cased clocks were made and all are now well over 100+ years old.

So, what is off putting about this clock?

It came with no glass and to me that is the deciding factor. I do not have the time or inclination to look for an appropriate tablet for this clock and obtaining one will not increase its value appreciably will not make it more desirable.

The case may look good but the auction photo does not tell the entire story. There are newer screws and nails in various places in the rear of the case that were used to keep the case from falling apart and not a very professional job at that. It would have to be taken apart and re-glued.

On top of everything I don’t like this clock enough to spend any time on it.

I can use the dial for a Sessions clock I am working on and will keep the case, harvesting what wood I need for future projects.

I will inspect the movement and if things look good, service it and sell it separately.

Call this an obituary. The reality is this clock has been around for over 100 years, has served its purpose and has now come to the end of its life.

May 28, 2022

Here’s what a $12 auction clock looks like

I am a bit of a sucker for cottage clocks, have several of them, most are 1 day but I find them interesting just the same. There are not many survivors for a good reason. They were the cheapest clocks one could buy and when they stopped working they were either thrown away or repaired by some local clock fellow to get a few more years out of them. I am not on a quest to obtain the most inexpensive clock possible but this little cottage clock was tacked onto several items bought on an online auction.

“You won the clock”, my wife said. “What clock?”. “You know, the cottage clock”. “Oh, that one!”

Well, here it is.

Pretty rough! An initial inspection reveals losses on the dial, missing veneer here and there, losses on the reverse painted tablet on the lower section of the access door, gold trim that has long worn off, and a movement that has had strange things done to it.

It is a time-only clock that runs for 30 hours, otherwise called a 1-day clock. It was made by Jerome & Co., a subsidiary of the New Haven Clock Co., and has no connection to Chauncey Jerome himself. Chauncey Jerome’s interests were sold off to New Haven by the mid-1850s.

The copper wire soldered to the brass plate next to the escape wheel (photo above) is an improvised bushing. I have seen a lot of interesting repairs over the years but this is different. A few other issues. The plate pins are finishing nails and one pin in the back of the movement is a toothpick! Plus, it has been sprayed with what looks like WD-40.

Like most mechanical clocks, they can be correctly repaired and brought back to life. As to the case? I will have to give it some thought.

When this Jerome & Co 1-day clock was made is a mystery but the solid wheel in the upper right rear of the movement tells me that this clock may be from the 1850s or 1860s.

It’s a $12 clock. What would you do with it?

I have some ideas. Stay tuned.

May 21, 2022

Ansonia Canada 30-hour kitchen clock – almost as good as new

This attractive little clock was bought at auction earlier this spring.

The walnut case is actually in good shape and the tablet looks not only original but is in decent condition as well. I expected a well-cared-for movement but to my surprise, it was in deplorable condition, a prime example of a clock that saw little servicing and was destined to fail.

Thanks to reader JC who identified the clock as the “Canada” found in Ansonia’s 1886 catalogue.

After installing 7 bushings and two pivots it now running as it should.

The case

It is missing a few top pieces but surprisingly the pieces came with the clock. They are in front of the Sessions gingerbread clock in the photo below. The glue let go and of course, it is a matter of gluing them back in place.

I blame it on rough handling on the part of the auction house otherwise why would the parts come with it.

_{Sessions and Ansonia clocks were bought as a lot.}

Once the parts were re-glued it was an opportunity to clean the case and apply one coat of traditional shellac.

The dial looks too new, though it looks great and was no doubt replaced at some point in the clock’s life. The spade hands look correct for the clock.

The case was surprisingly well preserved but it is unfortunate that the movement was in such poor condition but now has a new lease on life.

Here is the final result. The movement and alarm mechanism have been reinstalled back into its case. After several days it is running well and keeping good time.

A handsome clock that is even better after a refresh and minor repairs.

May 17, 2022

Refreshing an Ingraham “octagon top” 30-hour shelf clock – keep or sell?

This 30-hour shelf clock (hour strike) was manufactured by American clock-maker E. Ingraham and Co. in the 1870s. There are various iterations of the name over the maker’s history but this was the one the company used from 1861 to 1880.

The clock was bought at auction in mid-March 2022 along with 3 other clocks. In this post, I will take the reader through the process of refreshing the case.

This is an excellent example of a tired case that needs attention. When I look at a clock case such as this I assume the movement is well worn but a pleasant surprise awaited.

The movement is in surprisingly good condition as a result of regular (somewhat) servicing over the years. It has been in the shop at least three times, 1879, 1916, and 1994 according to dates found on the back of the case and perhaps more occasions that are not recorded.

Analysis of the case and plan of action

The gold banding on the front face of the “octagon top” and the inside frame of the access door has some losses and the goal is to hide the nicks with gold artist’s paint matched to the trim. First of all, it is not a true octagon but half of one, but that is how these clocks are described.

The overall finish is in fair condition. Numerous cosmetic issues such as scratches and nicks here and there over the rosewood case are evident, but a good cleaning with soap and water followed by a fresh coat of shellac should fill in the scratches and improve things dramatically.

_{Auction photo showing nicks and scratches}

The dial shows considerable wear after years of daily use and this is a situation where a replacement paper dial might be considered but I am always hesitant because replacement dials take a certain something away from and antique clock.

However, I am going to see what I can do by attempting to bring the numbers back with black acrylic paint while retaining some of the patina.

The moon hands look correct for the period of the clock.

As a collector who has seen a good number of these styles of clocks, I first thought the access door glass was a replacement since many clocks from the early to late 19th century had reverse painted tablets.

Because of the decorative pendulum and the bright brass bell both meant to be seen, the stylized panel that serves as the base for the dial, the total absence of any paint remnants, the glass panel with its waviness and various imperfections plus the putty-like material that is used to mount the glass to the door, the glass appears to be original to the case. A pleasant surprise!

It is always a bit of a disappointment when something is lost or changed on an antique clock especially one that is close to 150 years old and when replacement parts are difficult to source.

No doubt some of the scratches on the case, dents, etc. (not all, of course) are the result of rough handling either when transporting the item to the auction house or during its stay.

Addressing issues with the case

The very first step is a good cleaning. Cleaning a clock will generally result in the removal of some of its protective finish but it is inevitable given that it has been on the clock a long time.

For old American clocks I generally use traditional shellac made by combining shellac lacquer with shellac flakes. Amber Shellac adds a certain hue to the case and the cut is light enough that it dries to the touch in less than a minute which is my preference.

When there are large flat surfaces I will use a “french polish” but for this project, a broad artist’s brush is best. I apply the shellac in long strokes completing each section at a time.

The decorative black wood panel that serves as the dial mount is also shellacked allowing for small scratches to fill in very nicely.

The original paper dial is well worn and presents significant challenges as all the numbers on the dial are either partially worn off or completely erased. This was a well-used clock!

_{Top and bottom lines of the numerals are filled in}

Using an artist’s fine-tipped brush, black multi-surface acrylic paint, and a steady hand I filled in as much as I could. The numbers around the winding arbours were the worst because I had little to work with and they were the most difficult to reproduce.

Once all the Roman numerals were completed and thoroughly dry, I used a Sharpie fine-tip “artist’s permanent marker” and a straight edge to clean up the lines. I decided not to touch up the chapter ring other than the 5-minute markers. I am not entirely happy with the number 4 on the dial but that’s as far I am going.

As for the gold trim on the face, I did not want to mess with the patina, nor did I wish to cover the gold which would have completely taken away from the antique look. I mixed acrylic multi-surface gold paint and a very small dab of black paint for an “aged” effect and used a fine-tipped artist’s brush to carefully dab the bare areas.

Finally, the brass bezel and inner ring were given a polishing.

The clock has been transformed. The dial has been rejuvenated, the movement serviced and reinstalled, the bell gong attached, the case given its many touch-ups, and the decorative pendulum is attached. Now to regulate the clock.

In the final analysis, I believe that I have struck the balance every collector and restorer seeks and that is maintaining the original patina of the clock while not taking away its antique look. It is 145 year old antique that has seen good use over the years but applying modern techniques that are minimally invasive have brought it back to life.

I have one more decision to make. I acquired this and three other clocks to sell in order to offset the cost of new equipment but now that I have seen the final result I wonder!

May 14, 2022

The case may be a lost cause but I can save the movement

The case might be a lost cause but I can certainly save the movement of this Ingraham Ocean series gingerbread clock. The clock came to me in fair condition but it was missing a key element, the glass tablet and for that reason, I am not inclined to source a replacement, the clock is just not worth it.

There were several shards of glass at the bottom of the case and I suspect the glass was broken during its journey to the auction house or at the auction house itself which is unfortunate. I could substitute with clear glass but that would diminish the value of a clock that is not worth much, to begin with.

_{Ingraham Ocean} _Line, _{pieces of another clock in foreground of auction photo}

However, I can save the movement and the dial as well as a door catch, perhaps use it for future projects or for spare parts.

It was dirty as one would expect and it has not seen the inside of a professional repair shop judging from a rather sloppy click repair. The repair appears to have held and I will tidy it up and leave it.

The movement is interesting and clearly late manufacture. The number 11 is stamped on the movement which might indicate that it was made or about in 1911. Regardless, it is from the pre-war period. I also see steel pieces such as the intermediate wheel, the centre cannon, the fly and the count-wheel hub.

All the parts were placed in the ultrasonic and cleaned following which I replaced the wheels between the plates to recheck for wear. It looks like 5 new bushings on the front plate, 2 on the strike side and on the time side, and all the upper wheels in the trains. On the back, the third wheel requires a new bushing as does the second wheel and the escape wheel.

_{Black dots mark where new bushings will go.}

Eight bushings in all, which is fairly standard for a movement with this degree of wear.

I have not worked on an Ingraham movement in some time but recall that the strike side is set up quite differently.

The count wheel is mounted on the second arbour (unlike most which mount on the main wheel arbour) and advances by means of two pins that extend from the third wheel lantern pinion. The third wheel is a combined locking wheel and pin wheel. There is no cam on the arbour, instead, there is a space between two pins that allows the lever to drop at the same time the paddle drops into the deep slot on the count wheel. The fourth wheel is just used for warning and not for locking.

Reassembly and testing

All went well. A couple of adjustments had to be made but otherwise, it is running well. I will leave it on the test stand for a week or two.

The movement will go into a bag and be stored for a future project. I already have plans for the harvested clock parts but if I find another Ingraham gingerbread in the Ocean series, I might consider resurrecting this one if the tablet is intact.

May 12, 2022

Do I really need a clock timer?

I have had my eye a clock timing machine for a while but I was recently encouraged to accelerate my plan to buy one. My Timetrax model 50 beat amplifier stopped running for some reason. Okay, I dropped it and it made a strange rattling noise when I picked it up. Now it doesn’t work!

_{Model 50 beat amplifier}, _{now broken}

Do I need a timer? Up to now, I got along fine without it and generally speaking anyone repairing clocks can certainly get by without one. But I can now see that this little device can be quite practical and can save a lot of time and frustration.

What does it do?

It is a Timetrax model 185 made by Adams Brown. It works by analyzing the mechanical vibration of a clock and converting the vibration or tick and tock to an electrical signal that is amplified within the timer producing a readout that is compared to an included clock train table.

It also has a beat amplifier and a balance control that will help determine the beat of a clock. It will certainly ease the process of regulating a clock, detect potential problem areas and perhaps eliminate or certainly reduce the lengthy time it takes to adjust a clock beyond a trial and error approach. I will learn more as I explore its many features.

It runs on batteries and unfortunately there is no way of hooking it up to an external power source. Don’t we have enough things that run on batteries in our homes!

I connected it to my Seth Thomas regulator #2, which is weight driven.

I checked the beat. It is roughly set by ear at first and fine-tuned by the machine. A clock is in beat when the time between ticks is even.

Switch the controller to BAL or “balance” to put the clock in beat.

The screen then displays a magnitude of numbers. I am over simplifying things a bit but a new number positive or negative is displayed as the movement ticks and a clock is in beat when the magnitude of numbers is minimized. The ideal reading is a succession of zeros which is almost impossible but the closer one gets to the zeros the better and the clock is now in beat or as close as possible to being in beat. Values under 20 are the goal.

Now for the beat timing. A Seth Thomas #2 runs at 80 beats per minute. So, 80bpm X 60 is 4800 beats per hour. The escape wheel has 40 teeth, so in this case the best numbers for a preset average is 80 (a doubling) and by clicking the beat cycle plus-minus button one arrives at the required number. The result for the ST2 was 4798 beats per hour. I am losing 2 beat per hour and compounded over one week it means a loss of mere seconds per week which in my view is very acceptable for a mechanical clock. It is not surprising that these clocks were originally designed for train stations.

I am sure I will discover other uses for this machine but for the moment I am pleased with its capabilities.

May 10, 2022

Ansonia 30-hour parlour clock with a very worn movement

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

One of the four from the auction is an attractive clock with nice clean lines and from the look of the case, which is in decent shape, I would have expected a well-cared-for movement which turned out not to be the case when I removed it.

Those with a keen eye will notice something missing on the case – the topper or crown, but no worries, I have all the pieces, it is just a matter of gluing them back on.

I located a clock exactly like it online with a description that was no help at all other than the fact that it was made by the Ansonia Clock Co. However, the design of the base is identical to the “Alaska” found in the 1886 Ansonia catalog so, I would estimate the clock was made around that time, give or take a year or two.

Beyond a well-worn movement is that it has a 30-hour run time. A clock with a 30-hour movement is a tough sell based on my experiences these past 10 years. The alarm feature might attract some buyers or others might be simply looking for a decorative piece.

The movement

The one-day or 30-hour movement with alarm is made by the Ansonia Clock Co. The date June 13, 1882, is stamped on the front plate and refers to a patent date. Digging a little deeper I found Letters Patent No. 259,505 by W.D. Davies for a striking mechanism for clocks, registered in Brooklyn, New York January 31, 1882. Naturally, the clock could not have been made before that date.

The patent has a unique lifting lever, called a “turn back” (fig 4) that allows the hands to be turned back past the hours eliminating a second spindle that would otherwise be used by other manufacturers to allow the hands to be turned back.

The movement

It is a run-of-the-mill 30-hour movement. It is as small as one would expect for the run time. It has been worked on in the past as there are plenty of punch marks around the pivot holes, more so on the time side than the strike side which I will explain later.

I have spring retention clamps for all sizes of mainsprings but none that would fit this movement exactly. My smallest would not fit because there is a steel post in the way on the strike side but wire works just as well though I was able to get a clamp around the mainspring on the time side.

_{Strike side wheels, a wire holds the mainspring}

As it is a 30-hour movement the mainsprings are not as powerful as one would find in an 8-day clock although I always use care when working with mainsprings and wear thick work gloves.

Every pivot on the strike side looked like the one below. Dirty yes, but very little wear.

The time side was an entirely different matter.

Every pivot was in very poor condition, the worst is shown below.

_{The escape wheel pivot is too thin to be salvageable}

The worst pivots were both ends of the escape wheel and the third wheel. I was able to grind down most of the pivots, including the 3rd wheel since there was enough usable steel to carry the load through the train. Not so for the escape wheel.

_{New escape wheel pivot,} _{front plate}

It required re-pivoting.

_{The third wheel pivot on the time side,} _{this one is salvageable}

A sizable portion of the brass was chewed away on the escape wheel bushing, backplate. As wear accelerates over time, the clock would eventually “grind” to a halt.

As for the difference in wear on both sides, there are two possible reasons. Some folks do not like the sound of a striking clock in a home. The clock will still run with only the time side wound but the result is disproportionate wear. The second is that the patented design does not allow room for error during setup and perhaps it was too frustrating getting the strike side to run reliably.

Using a mini lathe I began with a centering bit and then with high-speed bits drilled holes in both ends of the escape wheel to a sufficient depth to anchor the pivot wire. I have a good supply of pivot wire and it was a matter of selecting the correct size, which in this case is 1.35mm wire.

The shot above shows the new escape wheel pivot supported in place and it will remain on the lathe in this position until the Permatex Threadlocker Red has cured (24 hours).

With that kind of wear, I am surprised the clock ran as well as it did although American clocks will typically continue to run despite being well worn, wear that would certainly stop a German or French clock.

Assembly and testing

_{The strike side wheels are left out for testing (beat timer is attached)}

Normally I would assemble the entire movement after completing the bushing work but since I installed two brand new pivots I realized that I would have to make minor escape wheel/pallet adjustments and having fewer wheels to deal with makes it less frustrating taking it apart again. A new suspension spring and leader also replaced the original one.

After 30 hours the movement continues to run strongly. I tested the movement a day or two more before installing the remaining wheels and levers.

Now to refresh the case.

May 7, 2022

Tick Talk Tuesday #41 – who made this clock?

_{Tick-Talk Tuesday is about the letters and comments I have received from readers concerning clock issues, challenges faced, a clock you would profiled or advice on your particular clock concern. For those comments and questions that stump even me, I consult within my clock circles for the best possible answer}

PN writes:

We bought this wall clock about 30 years ago at an auction. We would like to sell it. Can you tell me anything about it and/or it’s value? I appreciate your time.

My reply:

How is the movement mounted in the clock? Is it mounted to rails (so that it can be removed easily by loosening 2 thumb screws) or by screws on the backboard. If it is mounted by screws to the backboard it is not German, French or British. It could be American but I doubt it.

I do not believe your clock is an antique. The ornate carved design is very much a feature of Oriental clocks and possibly Korean from about the 1960s or 1970s. There were some nicely carved antique American clocks but nothing this extensive. I have not seen one exactly like it but ones that are very similar.

These clocks show well and are sought after by some people looking for a unique decorative item but as to value, perhaps two or three hundred dollars or so.

PN writes back:

It is mounted to the backboard with screws. We paid $250 30 years ago and it kept great time. Thank you so much for your time and knowledge.

Note; I have not seen one like it, do not know the maker and if anyone reading this knows more about it, kindly leave a message.

May 3, 2022

E Ingraham and Co. 30 hour movement cleaning

The movement was pulled out of a 30-hour shelf clock made by American clock-maker E. Ingraham and Co. in the 1870s (the name the company used from 1861 to 1880). The clock was bought at auction in mid-March 2022 along with 3 other clocks.

This is one of those situations where the case looks distressed whereas the movement looks like it has been well cared for over the years. It has seen service at least three times.

The three dates, two on the back panel and one on the rear of the dial, are all presumably service dates. The inscription, Bridges Bros, Woodstock, New Brunswick, 1879 is the earliest and on the back panel are the dates January 31, 1916 (barely readable) and October 1994.

The case

The gold band on the front face of the “octagon top” has some losses. I intend to hide the nicks with gold artist paint matched to the case. There are a few scratches over the rosewood case which will be hidden by a fresh coat of shellac following cleaning with soap and water.

5% of a label remains on the back. The inside label is interesting since most of the back panel is covered in black paper with E Ingraham Co. inscribed in gilt on the bottom section.

_{Dull dark blue paper label} _{with gilt lettering}

The dial shows considerable wear following years of daily use and the plan is to enhance the numbers with multi-surface black acrylic paint.

As a collector who has seen many of these styles of clocks, I initially assumed the access door glass was a replacement since many from this period had reverse painted tablets. Due to the decorative pendulum, the bright brass bell, the stylized wood panel that is the base for the dial, the glass panel with its waviness and various imperfections plus the putty-like material that is used to mount the glass, the total absence of any sign that it was painted, the clear glass appears to be original to the case.

It is always a bit of a disappointment when something is lost or changed in a clock’s history but the case looks reasonably good despite the minor wear.

Some of the scratches, dents, etc. found on a case (not all of course) are no doubt the result of rough handling either when transporting the item to the auction house or during its stay.

This is certainly not an example of a case that requires refinishing. The minor touch-ups and enhancements will dramatically improve the appearance of this clock while not changing its character or value in any way (but may even increase it marginally).

The movement

Now to the movement. The movement looks surprisingly good for its age and from my first inspection, it does not need much to put it right.

_{The front plate and escape wheel removed}

Every time-side pivot and bushing is in very good condition and there is an old replacement bushing, 3rd wheel back-plate.

The strike side requires a new bushing second wheel back-plate. There are two old replacement bushings on the front plate and two on the backplate, all on 3rd wheels. The bushings are nice to see but it is not encouraging when one pops out while pegging the movement. It will be replaced. Not the best of workmanship.

There are punch marks around four bushing holes, front, and back. All pivots on the strike side are in very good condition.

It also appears the time side mainspring has been shortened a bit, not a concern since these clocks when properly serviced will run well past 30 hours.

All in all, it should be a quick project. Now that I have a clear idea of what needs to be done I will get to work on the case. Expect a post on the case itself in the next few weeks.

April 30, 2022

Dating an Antique or Vintage Clock – Part II

Honestly, an entire book could be devoted to the topic of dating clocks. Some time ago, I published an article titled “How to Date an Antique or Vintage Clock – Part I,” in which I used specific examples from my own collection.

I’d like to explore this topic further, and this post will discuss additional methods for dating an antique or vintage mechanical clock. While there is no one definitive method for dating an antique or vintage clock, there are often clear clues in some cases and more subtle hints in others that can help pinpoint when a clock was made.

Occasionally, the exact month and year are displayed somewhere on the case, and in other instances, the clock by way of serial numbers, date stamps on the movement, style of hands, spandrels, dial design, case design, and so on, establishes the date to within a certain period.

After 1896 foreign clocks (Europe, England) were mandated to have the country of origin on the case, usually on the dial. Any clock made after that date will have the country of origin.

Duration of manufacture

A bit of research into the history of a clockmaker can help you narrow down the timeframe for dating your clock. For instance, the E.N. Welch Clock Company, an American manufacturer, produced clocks until 1903, when it was acquired by the Sessions Clock Company, which continued making clocks until 1970. The E.N. Welch Clock Company made clocks for a 50-year period until its acquisition by Sessions in 1903.

By 1903 German-based clock manufacturer Junghans was the largest clock maker in the world and continued in its quest to bring more companies into the fold. Gustav Becker, founded in the 1860s, and Hamburg American Clock Company, founded in 1883 were absorbed by Junghans in the late 1920s. Although those companies were folded into Junghans in 1926 the Gustav Becker name lived on for another 9 years.

_{Gustav Becker regulator C.1907}, _{Braunau factory}

Clocks with Steel vs Brass plates vs Woodworks movements

Smaller shelf clocks with 1-day (30-hour) wooden movements were produced in fairly large quantities from around 1810 to 1845, after which most clockmakers changed over to brass movements. Wood dials were also popular during this period.

_{Daniel Pratt woodworks movement with dial removed} _C.1832-38

By 1860 iron weights were being replaced by springs as the power source, and smaller clocks, many of them 8-day, were becoming increasingly popular. Early American spring-driven clocks used brass springs (late 1830s) until steel became cost-effective.

This information is important for dating a clock because it highlights key transitions in clockmaking technology and design, which can help pinpoint the era in which a clock was made. For example, the use of wooden movements and wood dials can indicate a clock was produced between 1810 and 1845. The shift from iron weights to springs by 1860 helps us understand why spring-driven clocks became popular, which is crucial for narrowing the period of manufacture. Additionally, the switch from brass springs to steel in the early 1840s can provide a more precise date range for early spring-driven clocks.

Understanding these technological changes allows you to make more informed judgments about a clock’s age based on its features.

Brass mainsprings for Manross clock — _{Brass mainsprings from a Manross steeple clock C.1837}

During periods when brass was in short supply such as the World Wars (WWI and WWII), makers often made steel plate movements with brass bushing inserts. However, some companies such as Arthur Pequegnat used either steel plates or brass-plated steel plates throughout their operating years (1902 to 1941).

_{Steel plates on a Pequegnat time and strike clock}

Other clock companies switched to steel as a cost-cutting measure when brass prices were high, not necessarily during wartime.

Screws and nails, chime rods, coiled gongs

In older clocks, nails, and screws were made of iron and hand-forged, with screw heads being slotted. Hand-forged nails can be found in clock cases dating from the earliest examples up to the mid-19th century, after which machined screws and nails started to replace them.

An ogee clock, like this example made by George H. Clark in 1865, was constructed with hand-forged nails.

_{George H Clark 30-hour Ogee shelf clock}

Robertson and Phillips head screws were introduced in the first part of the twentieth century. Since the Robertson head was invented in 1906 and Phillips screw heads only began to be widely used in the 1930s screws of these types found in older antique clocks are later additions.

Since these screw types were introduced in the early 20th century, their use in a clock that dates from an earlier period suggests that the screws were likely replaced or added during a later restoration or repair. Recognizing these screws helps refine the clock’s dating and can provide insight into its history and any modifications it may have undergone.

The first rod gong, a single striking rod, dates back to patent designation DRGM 108469, granted to Johann Obergfell on December 23rd, 1899. The introduction of the rod gong, as opposed to earlier bell or strike systems, represents a key development in the evolution of mechanical clocks, especially in terms of sound quality and the technology used.

Understanding when this innovation occurred can help date a clock more accurately, particularly those with rod gongs, as it indicates they were likely made after 1899. Rod gongs are typically made from a copper or nickel alloy and are press-fitted into a block.

Coiled gong - a replacement? — _{Thick coiled gong}

There are two types of coils: the thick coils, which spiral only a few times and produce a deep, rich tone, and the thinner coils, which spiral many times and often have a higher-pitched, tin-like sound. Thick coils were used well before the mid-1800s. These coils are typically mounted onto a fitting, which is then attached to an iron block. Smaller, thicker coils became more common towards the end of the 19th century.

On the American front, thin wire coils were very common. Some examples had the coil mounted to a dome-shaped base which was said to improve the tone considerately.

Commemorative plaques

Commemorative plaques which display dates are often a good indicator of the age of a clock. However, the clock may have been on a seller’s shelf for years before the date on the plaque. This nevertheless places the clock within a certain range of dates. This photo shows a plaque on a HAC (Hamburg American Clock Co.) time and strike shelf clock.

_{HAC shelf clock with the date 1926 on a plaque}

Type of escapement

Recoil (anchor), half deadbeat, Graham deadbeat, pinwheel, Brocot types are found in older antique clocks while, hairspring, floating balance, lever type escapements are found in newer vintage (less than 100 years old) clocks.

For example, floating balance movements began appearing in mechanical clocks in the early 1950s. The floating balance will tolerate being out of level, unlike pendulum clocks which must be on a level surface, an attractive marketing feature.

This is important because the type of escapement mechanism used in a clock can provide key insights into its age and technological development. Older clocks with recoil (anchor), half deadbeat, Graham deadbeat, pinwheel, or Brocot escapements reflect the horological practices of earlier periods, while newer clocks featuring hairspring, floating balance, or lever type escapements indicate a more modern design, typically found in clocks less than 70 years old.

For example, the introduction of the floating balance in the 1950s was a signifcant advance because it allows for clocks that are less sensitive to being off-level, a feature that made them more convenient for consumers. Recognizing these mechanisms helps in accurately dating a clock and understanding the technological shifts over time.

Sspriral spring for floating balance escapement — _{floating balance escapement} _{C. 1950}

Style of case

The style of the case, such as ogee, box clock, steeple, cottage, or gingerbread, can help date the clock to a specific period.

The style of a clock case can offer valuable clues about its age, as different case styles were popular during specific periods in history. Here’s a breakdown of some common clock case styles and their associated timeframes:

Ogee Clocks: These clocks, named for the distinctive curved, “S”-shaped design of their cases, were popular from the early 19th century, especially between 1825 and 1850 but continued to be made into the 1880s. They typically have a simple, symmetrical shape, often with a painted or paper dial, and were mostly made with wooden movements in the early years.
Box Clocks: This style features a simple, rectangular or square case, often with a hinged door or glass front. Box clocks were common in the early to mid-19th century (1920s to 1940s), with their plain, functional design making them relatively inexpensive to produce.
Steeple Clocks: Steeple clocks are characterized by their pointed, “steeple” shape at the top of the case. This design became particularly popular from the 1840s through the 1870s. Steeple clocks were typically more decorative and were often used in homes and churches, with some having more ornate carvings or decorative elements.
Cottage Clocks: Cottage clocks, with their simple and rustic designs, emerged in the mid-19th century, around the 1840s and 1850s. Often smaller in size, these inexpensive clocks were popular in rural homes. They are sometimes characterized by a more casual, handcrafted appearance, with wooden cases and floral or geometric motifs.
Gingerbread Clocks: This style, which features intricate carvings and decorative elements like scalloped edges, ornate moldings, and small, detailed pieces, gained popularity in the mid- to late-19th century (around 1860 to 1880). Gingerbread clocks are often associated with the Victorian era and were typically mass-produced.

The case style is a strong indicator of the clock’s approximate age because clockmakers and manufacturers often adapted their designs to reflect contemporary tastes. By identifying the specific features of a clock’s case—such as the materials used, shape, and any distinctive decorative elements—you can narrow down the period in which it was made, which can then aid in dating the clock more precisely.

Rare Ingraham Huron found on a local online for-sale site — _{E Ingraham Huron C.1878}

Knowing the period when a case was made provides a reliable indicator of the clock’s age. Although there are earlier patent dates stamped on the movement of this E. Ingraham Huron time and strike 8-day shelf clock, this style of case was made for only 2 years, 1878 to 1880.

Date stamps on movements or cases & searchable databases

Some makers stamp date their movements or display the date elsewhere on the clock case. The Gilbert Clock Company often date-stamped their movements. Sessions put dates on the door labels.

Some makers such as Junghans stamp a date code on their movements. For example, B19 stamped on the back plate of a Junghans movement refers to a movement made in the latter half of 1919.

Serial numbers stamped on movements can be compared to a database to determine the exact year the clock was made. The Ridgeway clock company used 4-digit codes. For example, serial number 4981 refers to a Ridgeway clock made in 1981.

Gustav Becker clocks were made in both Silesia and Braunau factories, both of which produced clocks but each had a unique serial number convention. The serial number on a Gustav Becker clock will give the exact year of production assuming you know where it was made, Silesia or Braunau.

An online databases such as ClockHistory.com provides invaluable information on companies and models made by them, the years the clock company was in business, and how long the company was in operation.

Searchable databases like Mikrolisk, the horological trademark index help date a clock by comparing a trademark. Some companies revise or restyle their trademarks over the years allowing one to date a clock within a certain period.

At Antique-horology.org keywords or text can be used to search trademarks and identify years they were used.

The date 1848 is attributed to the clock above. I arrived at this date because it was made by William McLachlan of Newton Stewart, Scotland. According to an English clock database, Mr. McLachlan was a clock assembler and ran a clock-making business in Newton Stewart until his death in 1848. While the clock could have been assembled as early as 10 years prior, 1848 serves as a conservative estimate.

Other miscellaneous indicators

Plywood began to be used in clock cases starting in 1905. One of the clocks in my collection, a Junghans bracket clock, made around 1913, features a plywood back access door.

Seth Thomas made clocks in marble cases for a short time, from 1887 to about 1895. They also made clocks in iron cases finished in black enamel, from 1892 to about 1895.

Adamantine clocks were most popular through to 1915. Seth Thomas is best known for their “Adamantine” black mantel clocks, which were made starting in 1882. Adamantine is a celluloid veneer, glued to the wood case. Adamantine veneer was made in black and white, and in coloured patterns such as wood grain, onyx, and marble.

_{Seth Thomas} _{Adamantine clock circa 1911}

Final thoughts

My goal for this two-part article was to provide a broad, generalized overview. Each of the sub-topics mentioned above could be explored in much greater detail, and I hope this serves as a useful reference for some of you. I welcome any corrections to the dates, and if there’s anything I’ve missed or other information that should have been included, please feel free to leave a comment.

As I’ve outlined, there are many ways to date a clock—some methods are quite obvious, while others are more subtle and require a bit of research to pinpoint.

For some collectors and clock fans, dating a clock is crucial, as it adds historical context and value to the piece. For others, however, it may not be as important, especially if the clock serves primarily as a decorative item rather than a functional or collectible piece. In such cases, the aesthetic appeal might take precedence over its exact age.

April 26, 2022

Schatz and Sohne carriage clock – a second look

Schatz and Sohne, the maker of this pretty little 8-day carriage clock may not have considered that one day their carriage clocks would require servicing. Did they make a throw-away clock? We’ll see.

Many were sold and typically gifted to family, friends, and business associates. Over the years they have either been tossed out, found their way to antique shops/flea markets, sold to people like me or sat on a shelf never to run again. Yet, they are nice looking clocks.

Does the beginning of this blog sound familiar? If you are a regular reader you will note that I wrote about this clock a few weeks ago. Not happy the first time, I decided to tackle the movement a second time hoping for a better result. My approach is to give every movement my best effort and up to this point I have lost very few patients so, I was not going to allow this one to get the best of me.

My initial efforts to fix the clock produced a result that was no better than when I got it. It ran about 4 days and after servicing I was unable to improve on the running time.

Was it worn? Everything looked very good except for the second wheel (middle plate) bushing hole which was very badly worn, not surprising since the second wheel accepts the full force of the main wheel.

_{The worst bushing wear I have seen in a while}

The thin brass plates don’t help since they exacerbate wear. A new bushing was installed and it was a good fit, worked perfectly but was very close to the edge of the plate.

_{As good as it gets but very close to the edge of the plate}

During the first run-through, I thought I had nailed it. It should have run for 8 days. It did not.

_{Escape wheel at the bottom of the movement}

However, in that first servicing, I did not clean the mainspring.

This time the mainspring came out of the barrel. It was not an easy task to extract it as the barrel is very small, 35mm in diameter, and too tiny for my Olie Baker spring winder (why I did not tackle it in the first place). Compare the barrel size to the winding key in the next photo.

Once the barrel cap was off, and the winding arbour removed I snagged the mainspring in the centre with a pair of needle-nosed pliers and pulled it from the barrel. Gloves are necessary as you never know how much force a mainspring will have once released from any barrel.

It was dirty but was that enough to affect the running of the clock? Will servicing the mainspring improve things? Hmm!

While the mainspring was out of its barrel I gave it a good cleaning followed by a wipe-down with Keystone mainspring oil. Back in it goes. Easy enough to take out but very frustrating to put back into the barrel. A few curse words and some encouragement and the spring found its way into the barrel.

It will be tested without the case and dial attached. So far it looks good but it has run for only a few hours.

Will it run for 8 days?

2 weeks days later

Servicing the mainsprings might have given me the 8 days I was seeking but that might not have been possible without fine-tuning the hairspring escapement which I believe contributed equally to a better run time. An adjusting screw on the escape wheel allows for fine-tuning but I had to rely on trial and error to find the sweet spot. Success in the end.

My intention was never to make this clock a daily runner but it is nice to have something that runs according to its original design. My cost was one bushing and, of course, my time.

It will be displayed, and run occasionally. Oh, and about that mainspring; I cannot imagine anyone with arthritic hands trying to wind it once per week, that mainspring is so powerful.

These are very cute little carriage clocks and they can be successfully repaired but I would certainly not put a great deal of money into servicing one unless, of course, it has deep sentimental value.

April 23, 2022

Lessons learned from 10 years of clock collecting, repair, and restoration

Ten years have flown by very quickly. Just the other day I was cleaning a clock I serviced over 5 1/2 years ago and it struck me that I have been at this for over 10 years and loving it.

Three years into the hobby I decided to begin blogging and have been at it for close to 7 years. I love blogging and it helps me gauge my progress as I explore new avenues of clock collecting, repair, and restoration and it allows me to marry my photography hobby with writing.

It has been quite the journey, I have learned a lot in that time and have some thoughts I would like to share.

Managing my collection makes me a better collector

In the early days, I would collect just about anything I could get my hands on, the cheapest clocks imaginable, some for as little as $5, generally for practice working on cases and movements but the number of clocks began to build up at a fast rate.

80 clocks is a comfortable number for me. I have adopted a “one comes in, one goes out” rule to control the size of my collection.

I learned to become more discriminatory and concentrate on particular types of clocks rather than any clock at all, selling off or gifting those that did not fit my new criteria. Spring and weight driven wall clocks and American and Canadian shelf clocks from the 1860s and 1870s are my principle focus at this time.

Take your time, there is no rush

Rewards come in small increments. My last major project was an antique 1840s circa banjo clock. Acquired in the spring of 2021 it took me almost a year to complete the project, working on it in stages.

Whether it is restoration or repair, I take my time investigating new (to me) techniques or wait for a tool that I feel would make the job simpler. For example, the bezel repair on the banjo clock above was made much easier by the purchase of a band clamp.

Buy only the tools you require and more if and when you need them

Tools can be expensive. As in any hobby requiring the assembly and disassembly of mechanical devices, I relied on the tools I had on hand to get started. Once committed to the hobby my next decision was to determine how I wanted to grow it.

Equipment such as a pivot cutter. lathe, a decent ultrasonic cleaner can amount to hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

It took me four years to justify purchasing a pivot cutter, another year or two to buy a lathe and ultrasonic cleaner and over time I have managed to acquire most of the hand tools that I require. Spreading out the costs over time has also made it financially feasible.

There is always the option of buying used but I live in a distant part of Canada with a low population and there are just not as many people engaged in clock collecting and repair as would be elsewhere.

Antique and vintage clocks are cheap and there are plenty of them

Some clocks are well over 100 years old but are worth almost nothing. A glut of antique clocks offered on the internet have lowered their value. Ogee clocks that were once two and three hundred dollars years are worth a quarter of that today.

I have bought $40 clocks that are now worth, well…$40. There are a rarefied few in the world that are worth a fortune but I don’t have any of those in my collection.

Ansonia Drop Extra wall clock — _{A $5 barn find}

Some clocks have crept up in price over the years but I do not have anything that I would call very valuable. Others, such as my collection of eight Arthur Pequegnats mantel and wall clocks are highly collectible in Canada.

At any given time there are literally hundreds of “antique” clocks offered on online for-sale sites. A majority of these clocks are trash and many are not antique though they are offered as such. Sellers often advertise clocks that are beyond repair and unfortunately clocks made in Asia are cheap, dangerous to work on, and were never meant to be repaired.

Choose repair advice wisely – not all advice is good advice

There are experts on clock repair out there, you just have to find them. It is too easy to get swept up by people who do not know what they are talking about and there are a number of well-meaning folk on YouTube that offer questionable clock repair advice. I follow a couple of well-respected YouTube repairers and have seen enough of their videos to convince me that they know what they are doing.

As I am a member of the NAWCC (National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors) and a member of the Ottawa Valley Watch and Clock Collectors Club, chapter 111 of the NAWCC. As such I have access to a wealth of information including online library resources and articles. NAWCC has an online forum presence that anyone can join for free. There are a number of well-respected people on the forum who contribute regularly. They have years of experience and offer excellent advice.

There are few clock Facebook groups but the advice is all over the map. Tinkerers and experts can be found but the expert soon loses patience and many are chased away by the know-it-all.

Collect clocks for profit? The margins are too small. However, I do sell the odd clock to offset equipment purchases. For me, I love the nostalgia, the design, and the fascination of a machine that may be over 150 years old that works perfectly today. Value is not important to me. Hobbies for profit? For some but not for me.

Be prepared to walk away

I have walked away from more than a few clocks over the past 10 years. Sometimes you have to let it go. Whether it is the price of a clock on an auction site that has risen beyond what I am prepared to pay or a clock offered as rare when it is, in fact, quite common.

Some would have been perfect to have in my collection but they were priced just a little too high for my tastes. Others had too many things wrong and had suspicious repairs or parts missing that would have been impossible to source.

Just when I say, darn I missed that one, a better clock comes along.

Meeting like-minded people opens up a new world

As clock collectors and repairers we are a strange lot. Some of my clock colleagues are quite eccentric. Most are introverts and although they keep to themselves have no trouble sharing with like-minded people. One of the most fascinating things about this hobby is the people and their passion for mechanical clocks.

Final thoughts

These are some of my reflections over the past 10 years. I have learned a lot, met many fascinating people, acquired some very interesting clocks and look forward to more adventurers in the world of clock collecting and repair.

April 19, 2022

The count wheel is on backward – oops

Those of you who work on mechanical clocks regularly must have run into this situation at least once. Everything went perfectly until the very end.

Sessions time and strike movements are very common and I have worked on quite a few over the years. They are reasonably well constructed with the exception of a well-documented poorly designed click.

The other day I was working on a movement that I had originally serviced 5 1/2 years ago. Back in 2016, I installed 10 bushings, quite a number for any clock but it was very worn. It has run exceptionally well since then but now it was time for an inspection, cleaning, oiling, and correcting any possible issues.

I took the movement apart, cleaned the plates, wheels, and levers in my ultrasonic cleaner (which I did not have back in 2016), and reassembled the movement. As expected the movement is much shinier than before and looks like it came off the factory floor.

During my inspection, I found minor wear but the only location where a bushing was required was the second wheel backplate. I could have left it but it was worn enough to need a new bushing.

It’s back together and being tested. Okay, I had to open up the strike side to reposition the stop wheel to correct warning but that’s about it.

It now runs perfectly and a nice pat on the back for me but oh! oh! wait…..it is not quite perfect, because I don’t think three o’clock follows four.

Dang, the count wheel is on backward. Why didn’t I see that?

You probably expected me to express a few choice words but I looked at it and said, ha, that’s too funny!

5 minutes was all it required to put it right and now it sounds great. Four o’clock now follows three o’clock. Yes!

April 16, 2022

Seasonal changes in DST may be a thing of the past

On March 15, 2022 British Columbia (Canada) announced that the province is ready to spring forward with permanent daylight savings time (DST) as soon as the United States signs off on national legislation.

Now approved by the senate the U.S. House of Representatives must take the time to review the bill. If it passes, the expectation is Washington, Oregon and California will move to permanent daylight time. The change would not take effect until 2023.

The argument to keep daylight time permanently is that it would increase light at the end of the day and is already observed eight months of the year.

On Tuesday, in a statement, B.C.’s Premier said British Columbians told them loud and clear in a public consultation last year they want to stop falling back and springing forward each year.

Should BC abandon DST it will not take long for the other 9 provinces and 3 territories (Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon) to fall in line.

This is great news. I have advocated scrapping this silly DST thing for years. First used in 1908, in Thunder Bay, Ontario it spread throughout the world to 70 countries and affects 1 billion people every year, so, time’s up!

And to all the disappointed farmers out there who supposedly support DST and will miss it, it’s time to choose another field!!

April 12, 2022

Sawin banjo clock – wood dial bezel fix

This banjo clock project has been an ongoing challenge for nearly a year, a very enjoyable one that has taught me so much.

The movement has been serviced, 4 new bushings installed, the case has been cleaned, veneer issues addressed on the two bottom corners, a new post was made for the final, dial glass has been replaced, the hands rubbed down with steel wool to remove rust, the bottom section of the rails on both sides re-glued, some flat-head screws replaced (with smaller flat-head screws taken from old cases) and the old brass cable was removed and replaced. The dial was left untouched.

There is a simplicity about the case design that I really like.

The old and tired suspension spring should be replaced. I cannot source the spring alone but I am reluctant to pay for an entire pendulum assembly. It has been straightened and it works well for now.

The last step is addressing the crack in the wood dial bezel.

The age crack is just above the number eleven on the dial. It was likely cracked long before I bought it.

Hot hide glue was used to close the gap but the repair did not work. The hot hide glue has a low bonding strength and it separated after just a few weeks (a dry house in the winter does not help).

I had difficulty closing the gap with string and ecstatic bands so, I purchased a band clamp designed for furniture repair, so let’s see how that goes.

A band clamp might just be the ticket but there is always the risk of the bezel splitting again, perhaps not in the same place. Option two, which I prefer not to exercise at this time, is to fill in the crack and simply live with a slightly larger bezel that may not fit the dial door catch exactly.

There were many choices on Amazon and I selected one of slightly better quality.

When the clamp arrived, rather than apply the glue immediately I clamped it unglued for about a week theorizing that memory in the wood would be retained when glued. Yep, just a theory! In addition, if it were to crack in a different place that would have been the time it would happen.

Since hot hide glue was simply not strong enough I used glue with a much higher bonding strength, Gorilla glue, because it will hold. Perhaps hide glue with a higher bonding strength might have worked but I just don’t have that on hand. I am usually a stickler for authentic methods but sometimes a more modern glue is the only option.

Wax paper is used to prevent any residual glue from sticking to the band and the surface the bezel rests on. The curing time is 24 to 36 hours, the reason for the sticky note. It cured for almost 48 hours. Enough time I would think.

Two large flat-head slotted screws for the hinge hold the wood bezel in place and on went the bezel.

And the result after 10 months of working in stages, is a complete and functional banjo clock that, in my view, looks absolutely stunning.

April 9, 2022

Tick Talk Tuesday #40 – identify Junghans bracket clock

_{Tick-Talk Tuesday is about the letters and comments I have received from readers concerning clock issues, challenges faced, a clock you would profiled or advice on your particular clock concern. For those comments and questions that stump even me, I consult within my clock circles for the best possible answer}

S. writes;

This clock was in My grandparent’s home since the 30’s (I think). My dad (he’s 96) seems to recall my grandfather winding the clock every day, but I just want to make sure. Can you tell me anything about the clock? Thanks for any info you can provide.

My reply:

It looks like a Junghans 8-day Westminster chime bracket style clock, made in Germany. If you open up the back door do you see a trademark on the back of the movement. Take a photo if you can and send it to me. You do not have to take anything apart to see the trademark. Does the gong have a name on it?

Perhaps he wound it every day because it was part of his ritual but it only requires winding once per week.

S. writes back:

Wow! I didn’t see it before!

S. writes back:

How do I see when it was made?

My reply:

The number below the trademark is A20 which means that it was made in the first 6 months of 1920.

April 5, 2022

Several clocks bought at auction this spring

I am an avid collector of antique and vintage clocks which means I cruise the online auction sites regularly, about once or twice a week. This spring I checked out offerings from a local online auction site that deals with estate items, placed bids on 4 clocks (actually 5 since one lot had two clocks). The one I did not win was a 6 column Sessions mantel clock but no real loss there.

I won the bids on four clocks. CDN110 was the total though with buyers’ premium and taxes the price jumped to CDN147, still not bad for a small collection of antique clocks.

I do not have these clocks as of this writing since they are sitting at the auction house but I think can make a preliminary judgment based on what I see in the auction photos.

Although I am normally not in the business of selling clocks I will sell the odd one to keep my collection manageable. The plan is to fix these clocks and sell them to offset clock equipment purchases most notably an Adams Brown Timetrax 185, an electric clock timer, an amplifier that measures the rate of mechanical clocks by sensing escapement action and mechanical sounds of the escapement which I recently purchased. Here they are.

Unknown cottage clock

In no particular order of importance let’s start with an octagon cottage clock from the 1870s or 80s. It is a 30-hour clock judging from the placement of the winding points.

From the style of the pendulum bob and the case itself, I would say an E. Ingraham & Co. time and strike cottage clock. Some would have come with an alarm. This one does not.

It is in fair shape. The dial appears to have serious losses and there are nicks and scratches over a good portion of the case from what I see in the photos. I wonder if the tablet is a replacement and the original reverse painted?

It is difficult to tell with the harsh auction light but the case might be made of rosewood.

It will be a good candidate for a mild refresh and should look very nice when completed.

Sessions Grand Assortment #3

Next is a Sessions Grand Assortment #3. I have worked on one in the past. There are three models in the Grand Assortment series and despite the fact that it is a lowly gingerbread clock and thousands of similarly styled clocks were sold by every major American clock manufacturer, this model is surprisingly collectible.

It is an 8-day clock with a steam-pressed oak case. The case looks very “aligorated” a term applied to a shellac finish that has coagulated as a result of being stored in a hot, humid environment such as an attic or a garage.

The tablet looks good but the dial is very degraded. This is a paper-on-metal dial and when the metal below the paper rusts the stain bleeds through to the front. This is called “foxing”. These stains are very difficult to remove and cost-prohibitive for most clocks. This is a cheap clock and a dial replacement is the only option and as such, I am not sure what to do about it.

A note is attached to the key and it says 1903. It is doubtful it was actually made in that year and I am sure the previous owner went by the year Sessions Clock Co. acquired clock-maker E.N. Welch Co. though the clock is certainly from around that period.

Reconditioning the case might be a challenge. Is it a candidate for stripping down to the bare wood? I suspect it is but we’ll see. I also see a small crack just above the top of the dial, so it might have been broken off at one point and re-glued.

I am not sure about the pendulum bob which does not look quite right for this clock. More research should provide me with the answer.

E Ingraham Ocean and Ansonia kitchen/parlour clock

Next is a two-for-one deal.

The one on the left is an E. Ingraham steam-pressed 8-day gingerbread possibly from the Ocean series. Unfortunately, it is missing its decorative tablet and that will certainly affect its resale value.

The pendulum looks right for the clock and the case itself looks to be in decent shape but as I said, it is very unfortunate that the tablet is missing.

The pieces at the foot of the gingerbread clock belong to the clock on the right. Usually, when I see pieces like this it tells me that it was handled roughly by the auction house.

What I like about this clock is its timeless design, almost Art Deco but made long before the Art Deco period.

So who is the maker of the clock on the right?

The auction description simply says, “unknown clock”. I believe it is an Ansonia 30-hour (position of the winding arbours) kitchen clock in Walnut from about the early 1880s. The tablet is bright and vivid, not a design I have seen before but likely original. Attaching the top pieces should be a fairly simple process and thorough cleaning of the clock case clock and movement should make it an ideal candidate for resale.

Of the four, two are 30-hour clocks. I have found that 30-hour clocks are a tough sell. Most casual collectors are looking for an 8-day clock since 1-day clocks are a hassle to wind but I think I can make both presentable enough to attract some buyers.

The auction notes do not say whether any of these are in working order. They are all “untested” which is typical auction-speak for “they may or may not work – the risk is yours!”.

American clocks are very tough and often work well despite being very worn. I suspect with a little encouragement I can get all of these clocks working again.

Now, to pick them up from the auction house.

Check for upcoming articles on each of these clocks.

April 2, 2022

Tempus Fugit Time Company announces expanded capacity

I am very excited and I hope you are as well to learn that the Tempus Fugit Time Company is pleased to announce the opening of its latest factory in Gackle, North Dakota.

The factory in Shanghai China was unable to meet the increased demand for clocks which inevitably meant expansion into North America.

The decision to switch from quartz clocks back to mechanical clocks was a difficult one for the Tempus Fugit Time Company but necessary in view of the pent-up demand for clocks with gears, springs, levers, and other noises.

Tempus Fugit Clock Co. — _{Timeville, Ontario factory} _{and company headquarters}

The new and yet-to-be-released Tempest line of clocks will represent the highest quality of clocks made by Tempus Fugit and they will be crafted by noted case designers Woody Bezel and Ben Doolum.

Unfortunately, the Fugit Battery Factory, a major supplier of quartz batteries is a victim of the expansion and will be shut down permanently, however, there will be no reduction in staffing as a result.

Daniel Dakota wall clock, one of Tempus Fugits more popular models — _{Tempus Fugit Clock Company} _{grandmother wall clock}

The factory and company headquarters in Timeville, Ontario will continue in operation producing the Grandnephew Clock (shown above) so popular among young people. Although the Timeville factory is managed by founders Seth Wheeler and Thomas Dealer they will shift their efforts to the expansion into North Dakota.

“It is time for a change and not a minute too soon”, said Mr. Wheeler. “Although it is April Fools Day we believe expansion into North America is the right decision for our company as we move into the 22nd century”, added Mr. Dealer.

April 1, 2022

Tick Talk Tuesday #39 – Mauthe box clock

_{Tick-Talk Tuesday is about the letters and comments I have received from readers concerning clock issues, challenges faced, a clock you would profiled or advice on your particular clock concern. For those comments and questions that stump even me, I consult within my clock circles for the best possible answer}

NT writes:

I was wondering if you could take a look a this clock for me. It belonged to my great grandmothers mothers. My great grandma recently passed at 108. I can only imagine the age and value of this clock. I know it’s called Mauthe.

My reply:

Hi and thanks for your email.

The clock looks to be in fair condition although I would remove the cement/putty(??) on the door frame. These clocks do not have a lot of value, probably the $100-150 range. It looks to be from the 1920s, or 1930s. Some were quite large and ornate with intricate wood carvings but your appears to be at the lower end of a model range.

They are known as box clocks because of their style. Mauthe and other makers made literally thousands of them and they sold very well but the company eventually went out of business in 1976.

The movements are quite robust and they will last for years and are easily repairable unless there are serious problems as parts for them cannot be sourced.

If it has sentimental value I would keep it, have it cleaned and serviced and displayed in a prominent location. Most Mauthe clocks have wonderful sounding strike gongs but are not loud tickers.

Hope this helps.

March 29, 2022

Are inexpensive carriage clocks worth fixing? Schatz and Sohne

Schatz and Sohne, the maker of this attractive 8-day carriage clock may not have considered the fact one day their carriage clocks would require servicing. Did they make a throw-away clock? We’ll see.

Many were sold and gifted to family, friends, and business associates. Over the years they have either been tossed out, found their way to antique shops/flea markets, or sat on a shelf never to run again. They are pretty, however!

Were they meant to be repaired and are they fixable? Perhaps.

Just about any clock can be fixed. However, the cost of a professional service would be far more than it is worth but may be justified for sentimental reasons. In the case of this clock a professional service would be out of the question.

I paid $40 for this clock. The seller said that it runs for 4 days and stops. He was quite correct. I wound it fully each time and over the course of a few weeks, it promptly stopped at about the 4-day point. I appreciate the seller’s honesty.

The loss of power that is consistent in this clock’s cycle tells me that there is serious wear at some point in the train. Some might immediately assume that the mainspring is weak but in my experience mainsprings are generally much more powerful than required.

So, let’s see what we have.

Disassembly

A rubber band or two comes in quite handy when employed to hold the four glass sections in place while taking the clock apart. Next, unscrew the key and pull out the small knob used to change the time. Four screws hold the base to the glass sides and top of the clock.

Carriage clocks such as this example are more decorative than functional but are they worth fixing?

The first step in removal is to pull out the works from the base, then, pull off the hour and minute hands which are both friction fit. Next, the dial face and front section are removed by means of two screws that hold it in place. The base is removed from the movement, again, two screws hold it in place.

_{The movement showing the escape wheel}

Once the movement is removed it becomes apparent that three plates are required for the gear train. The design is not far removed from a conventional time-only clock except for the upside-down configuration with an inverted escapement. The third plate is effectively used as mounting points for the dial, the mainspring barrel, and the escape wheel arbour.

S_{ide view of the movement showing the three plates}

Six screws hold the plates together. Once the rear plate is removed, the wheels are revealed.

The wheels are very small and the pivots are tiny and easily bent. Though I was careful, I can imagine anyone using brute force to bring the plates together upon re-assembly could easily risk bending or breaking a pivot. Therefore, extra caution is highly recommended.

As for wear, everything looked very good except for the second wheel bushing hole which was badly worn, not surprising since the second wheel accepts the full force of the main wheel. Thin brass plates also exacerbate wear.

I believe I “might” have found the cause of the power issue. The bushing hole shown below is elongated enough to cause problems transmitting power up the train.

That one was the worst by a large margin. All the other pivot holes had acceptable wear and did not require new bushings.

All parts were cleaned in the ultrasonic, the pivots were polished and pivot holes pegged out.

Now for bushing work

I have installed hundreds of bushings on clocks and this one was a real challenge. The pivot on the second wheel is 1.27 mm. The Bergeon bushing I chose has a 2mm diameter. Anything larger would have required removing too much brass making the new bushing potentially loose and unstable. As it stands there is a slight bulging of the brass plate where the bushing is installed.

Because the inside diameter of the bushing was .95mm a considerable amount of broaching out was required to enable it to fit the 1.27mm pivot. The result is a thin sidewall but sufficient to do the job. Using a pivot cutter I reduced the height of the bushing for a nice clean fit.

Just one bushing but a tough one.

Reassembly

Reassembly went without issue though I had to refer to the photos I took during disassembly to determine when all those darned washers had to go. Photographing each step in the process always pays dividends in the long run.

A pivot locator comes in very handy when putting it all together. Using the locator, the pivots are gently convinced to find their respective holes.

Once the escape wheel hairspring peg is pushed back into its post it is time to give the escape wheel a little spin and test the movement prior to returning it to its case.

And the final results

After disassembly, cleaning, addressing a serious wear issue, and testing, the final result is…….yep, it runs 4 days and stops.

I may remove the mainspring from its barrel (not something I did this time) and give it a good cleaning but I think that is it.

Will I go further and perhaps replace a weak mainspring? No! I am not going to put more money into a clock which, at the end of the day, is nothing more than a decoration. It is just not worth it.

Pretty to look at though!

March 26, 2022

Tick Talk Tuesday #38 – Swigart replacement dial

_{Tick-Talk Tuesday is about the letters and comments I have received from readers concerning clock issues, challenges faced, a clock you would profiled or advice on your particular clock concern. For those comments and questions that stump even me, I consult within my clock circles for the best possible answer}

GB writes:

Yesterday I pick up another strange clock and the dial has a monogram/mark: EJS, after searching it turns out to stand for E. J. Swigart but that company, from what I read, didn’t make clocks, just replacement parts so am I to assume the clock, images below, has a replacement dial/face? Does it diminish its esthetic value? I was told it is 1840 ogee. Miraculously enough it works!

My reply:

You are correct. E. J. Swigart made parts for jewelers and watchmakers but they are best known for their replacement dials. Their logo is often confused with the Sessions Clock Co. or Seth Thomas. Swigart are respected for their dials and their commitment to making them as original as possible. They operated into the 1970s (the trademark was registered in 1896). I don’t believe it would diminish the value of your clock, after all, the replacement dial might be over 100 years old!

GB writes back;

Splendid! Thank you again. Your help and advice are priceless.

March 15, 2022

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