This blog is intended for those who have an interest in horology and more specifically, antique and vintage mechanical clocks, both collecting and repair.
For some reason the translate widget was dropped when I migrated to a new template this past year, so here it is again. It is the very first widget on the right of the page.
My blog reaches over 100 countries in the world. In many of those countries English is not the main language.
In an effort to continue to reach a wider audience I have re-installed the widget that will permit you, the reader, to read my blog articles in the language of your choice.
En un esfuerzo por llegar a un público más amplio, instalé un nuevo widget que le permitirá a usted, el lector, leer los artículos de mi blog en el idioma que elija
Afin de toucher un public plus large, j’ai installé un nouveau widget qui vous permettra, en tant que lecteur, de lire les articles de mon blog dans la langue de votre choix
Um ein breiteres Publikum zu erreichen, habe ich ein neues Widget installiert, mit dem Sie als Leser meine Blog-Artikel in der Sprache Ihrer Wahl lesen können
Click “Translate My Blog” on the upper right side of each page.
Every now and then a clock is temperamental. I am not talking about the signs of wear that will certainly stop a clock but occasionally it is serviced, everything looks good but it is downright cantankerous. Anyone who has 400-day anniversary clocks knows exactly what I mean. Are clocks moody?
I relocated my unmarked Vienna Regulator one-weight (time-only) wall clock from one room to another and it decided to stop, just like that! A push of the pendulum and 10 minutes or two hours later, it stops. Normally when a clock is moved and level is confirmed (and the movement in beat) it happily ticks along but not this time. Is my Vienna Regulator moody?
It is one of my favourite clocks and I wanted it to run.
Miniature one-weight Vienna wall clock
Some might call it a mini Vienna Regulator others might call it just small. It is 34 inches long 4.75 inches deep and 11 inches at the widest point and 8.5 inches at the waist. Time-only Vienna Regulators are my absolute favourite. They are simple andusually very reliable.
Though my collection consists of mechanical clocks exclusively, now there is an exception, a vintage Sessions electric table clock, model 3W with sweep second hand, made, of course, by the Sessions Clock Co. Forestville, Connecticut in 1936 and sold in Canada (a Canadian Standards Approval sticker is on the back).
Also on the back, it states that it consumes 2.5 watts, They couldn’t call it model 2.5! It was probably a very affordable clock in its day and available almost anywhere.
At 4 1/2 inches tall and 8 1/4 inches wide, it would fit on any countertop, bookcase etc. although because it lacks an alarm it would not be a bedside table clock. There is only one control in the rear, a push-and-twist-in knob that sets the time. Pretty simple!
Back of clock showing patent dates, CSA decal, adjustment knob and cord
It arrived with a missing plug, a detached minute hand and a finish that was almost completely worn off but the convex glass, face, brass bezel and motor are all in very good condition.
Tick-Talk Tuesday is about the letters and comments I have received from you, the reader, concerning your clock, issues you might have had, challenges you face or a clock you would like me to profile and my responses to your questions with advice on your particular clock concern. For those comments and questions that stump even me, I consult within my clock circles for the best possible answer
Converted quartz Daniel Dakota wall clock
DW writes, “Hello, my name Is DW I need to know where I can purchase some parts for my Daniel Dakota Grandfather Clock. If you know of any store or hardware place please let me know. Thanks in advance”.
My reply, “Hi DW and thanks for writing. There are a number of clock suppliers in Canada and the US but unfortunately none carry parts for Daniel Dakota clocks. The reason is that these clocks have a limited life and once they stop they are often discarded. They are also difficult to repair because no replacement parts are available and few clock repairers will accept them for servicing.
You may find someone in your area that will fix your clock but if not you have three other options. Option one is to find a replacement movement. Option two is to attempt the repair yourself and option three is to convert your clock to a quartz movement.”
This interesting Rosewood veneered round top, mirrored tablet shelf clock appears to be a Jerome in name only. It is not a fake or marriage but a curious product of early to mid-1870s marketing.
But first, a little Jerome history.
Jerome & Co. shelf clock
One might be tempted to assume that this clock is associated with Chauncey Jerome, one of America’s most noted clockmakers who died in 1868.
Chauncey was well out of the clock business at the time of his death which poses two possibilities; 1) the Jerome in this instance may be Samuel B. Jerome of New Haven, Connecticut or 2) it is the New Haven Clock Company that was selling clocks using the trade name Jerome & Co. It would seem that New Haven and S.B. Jerome would be in conflict with each other. It’s all a bit confusing and perhaps more research is need to find those answers. In any event the Jerome name had strong marketing power.
Without the establishment of the railroad, we would not have Standard Time
Every day, it seems, I am involved in the pursuit of learning more and more about the world of horology.
If I am not actually working on an antique or vintage clock I am researching information about a clock issue, taking photos/videos of clocks, online shopping for clocks or writing for my blog. But I also know that at certain times of the year I must put down my tools, close my books, step away from the keyboard and spend precious time with friends and family. Christmas is important to me.
Remember the simpler things in life
Christmas is a special time of the year
Gift-giving? My kids stress every year over what to get dad for Christmas. However, it is the little things I always appreciate in my Christmas stocking. Kids, if you want to stuff my stocking, a new pair of cloth gloves, a box of toothpicks, cotton swabs, or an artist paintbrush will do just fine.
Christmas is a time of joy, not of giving, unless the giving is in the form of love and appreciation for friends, family and colleagues.
So, if you are looking for that special gift for the clock lover in your family remember the simpler things in life.
Your first thought might be the Blackforest region of Germany and there is, indeed, a close relationship to that region to a small clock company that operated many years ago in Toronto, Ontario (Canada).
Blackforest is (or was) a well-known Canadian clock company. The Blackforest Clock Company of Toronto, Ontario was founded by Leopold and Sara Stossel in 1928. Both clock movements and complete clocks were imported from Germany and sold through department and jewelry stores across Canada.
Blackforest shelf clock from 1937, the year of the Royal Tour
Their son Ed Stossel started working part time with his parents’ company in the 1930s, and later became a full-time employee in the late 1940s.
My first Blackforest shelf clock
Some assembly work was carried out in their Wellington Street East factory (Toronto). Initially, imported mantel clock and grandfather clock movements were installed in cases made in Kitchener, but later the complete mantel clocks were imported from Germany.
It is a one train time-only movement with tiny wheels and a unique twisting pendulum rate adjustment
The arrangement with suppliers was interrupted by the Second World War, which also led to a name change to theForestville Clock Company in 1941. During the war years this company imported its clock movements from England, the United States, and even France. However, beginning in the 1950s German factories again became the source of movements, with Mauthe being a major supplier. Sadly, the company did not survive much past the late 1970s.
How you ever wondered what keeps antique mechanical clocks going? It’s a miracle they work at all when they are as worn as this one.
Jerome & Co. time and strike movement with front plate removed, minus the escape wheel
Most old clocks I come across have common issues, dirty, oily movements and worn pivot holes here and there. Generally, all they need is a bushing or two and a good cleaning to put right.
Last week I wrote about a Jerome & Co. time and strike mantel clock I bought in Springfield Mass. during the annual convention of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors in June 2019. However, no amount of encouragement would make it run reliably.
Jerome (left) and Seth Thomas (right) round top clocks side by side
How you ever wondered what keeps mechanical clocks going? It’s a miracle they work at all when they are so worn as this one.
Most old clocks I come across have common issues, dirty, oily movements such as worn pivot holes here and there. Generally all they need is a good cleaning to put right.
Vendors mart at the NAWCC convention, June 2019
I bought this Jerome & Co. time and strike mantel clock in Springfield Mass. during the annual convention of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors in June 2019 and I have only just got around to having a good look at it. It was purchased as part of a small package deal with other mantel clocks. All the clocks had very good cases but movement maintenance was largely ignored by the previous owner.
While the Jerome & Co mantel clock case was in exceptional condition, the movement was in pretty bad shape. No amount of encouraging would make it run.
In terms of style it is referred to as a round top, from the mid to late 1870s
Chauncey Jerome along with his brother Noble introduced the first mass-produced brass movement in 1839 two years after the depression of 1837 knocked out 90% of factories in the Northeast (New England States). The 30-hour brass movement was rugged, cheap to repair and not subject to swelling found in wood movement clocks. Despite business ups and downs Chauncey able was able to maintain a viable clock business until 1868 but later died penniless. This 8-day clock was made well after Chauncey’s death under the New Haven banner.
This is a 3-train Westminster chime mantel clock with Girod movement from France in a Canadian made Art Deco case.
Girod was a clockmaker based in the Morbier-Jura region of France and produced clocks from the 1930’s into the 1960’s. The firm of Girod was founded by brothers Leon and Auguste Girod.
The clock was manufactured after the war years, presumably the late 1940s. It has a pendulum movement which predates mantel clocks with balance wheel escapements that arrived in the 1950s.
The frustrating part was not making directional marks on some of the parts prior to disassembly
I have very little experience with 3-train movements and this movement was part adventure and part learning.
The movement has five hammers, four of the five carry the Westminster chime and three of the five for the top-of-the-hour strike. There are two levers on the left side of the movement looking through the access door. The uppermost is a repeater and the one below it is a chime/strike silencer.
The movement is a conventional design and once assembled all adjustments are made externally. Girod used the split back plate design for their 3-train movements which makes servicing simpler than the classical one plate design.
It is a conventional 3-train movement with a dedicated gear train for each function. Looking at the back, the centre train is the time, the left train is the strike while the right is the chime.
Tick-Talk Tuesday is about the letters and comments I have received from you, the reader, concerning your clock, issues you might have had, challenges you face or a clock you would like me to profile. I offer my responses to your questions with advice on your particular clock concern. For those comments and questions that stump even me, I consult within my clock circles for the best possible answer
Not the most attractive clock in the world but a curiosity nonetheless. It is a mechanical clock but it is not wound in the conventional manner.
This is Part II of a 2 part series on a clock collectors predicament: preserve or restore and consume
In Part 1, I put forward the argument that if we acquire a clock that has been changed from its original state are we adding or subtracting from its value if we make further changes?
The solution to preserve or restore might not be the only factor to consider when addressing your newly acquired antique clock. Technical limitations of the collector (owner) must also be considered. Cost and time are other factors. A decision now might not be the same decision someone else might make or I would make at a different time.
Let’s now consider the movement and the case.
The movement
Beginning with the movement; should it be in running condition? Should the movement be untouched as a historic object? If it has not been altered and if there have been no changes during its life, doing nothing is an option. If changes have been made to the movement over the years which may include gear teeth repair, bushing work or new pivots or pinions, should these changes be considered in preservation or restoration? Should bad repairs be reversed?
Little changes adding up over time as the ship moved from what it had been to what it would be next
James S. A. Corey, Babylon’s Ashes
This is Part I of a 2 part series on a clock collectors predicament: preserve or restore and consume
This quote from Babylon’s Ashes (The Expanse) sums up the theme of this 2-part blog post. If we acquire a clock that has been changed from its original state are we adding or subtracting from its value if we make further changes?
Part I explores whether we should make any changes to our newly acquired clock if its condition is less than desirable and in Part II, later this week, I explore the movement and the case.
If your newly acquired antique or vintage clock is in excellent shape count yourself lucky but often it may either need major remediation or at least minor adjustments. The impulse is to do something to make it better but not enough to change it in a significant way.
Let’s consider what you have. Is it a clock or a historical object? Should it be changed in any way? And if changed how different would it be from what it had been? Should it be preserved or restored? It may represent an important part of horological history but if value is important will restoration or preservation have a positive or negative effect on its worth?
Fully restored Mauthe wall clock CA. 1895
To preserve or restore is one of the fundamental questions concerning collectors. Preservation means halting further deterioration. Restoration, on the other hand, involves returning the object to its former state or period-correct condition.
Every blogger knows that it takes time to build a popular blog and unless you have a surefire winning formula right off the mark it takes months if not years to build a loyal following.
Many blogs fail within the first few months out of frustration yet patience, determination and some hard work is all it takes to find a rhythm that works.
Daniel Dakota wall clock
With over 130,500 page views since 2015, upwards of 4000 average monthly views and over 900 views per week I recently checked my stats to find the 10 most popular blogs of all time.
The experts are going elsewhere and that is fine with me because this blog was never intended to appeal to those running a repair business or involved in the commerce of antique clocks
Here they are. Click on the links to see what all the fuss is about.
A distinctive feature of this Seth Thomas round top is the lyre shaped 8-day Plymouth time and strike spring-driven movement with a hour strike on an iron bell. Not all of these models have the alarm but this one does. The movement is die-stamped “S. Thomas, Plymouth Conn.” and fitted with Geneva stops (stop-works) to improve timekeeping. It is a large movement squeezed into a relatively compact space.
I wrote two previous articles, one on first impressions and the other on sprucing up the case and a future article (December 24, 2019) addressing a small veneer issue on the front access door but this post concerns the alarm mechanism.
A simple job, less than half an hour in total and the only difficulty was waiting for the part
The alarm mechanism is located just below the movement and to the left and connected by wire to the alarm adjustment wheel mounted on the centre cannon. Both the alarm and the movement strike on the iron bell.
Daylight savings Time; let’s follow the province of British Columbia’s (BC) lead and get rid of DST.
In the meantime set your clocks back one hour if still you live in an area where the convention is still followed.
Waterbury drop octagon dial
Typically, regions that use daylight saving time adjust clocks forward one hour close to the start of spring and adjust them backward in the autumn to standard time. In Canada we have a little expression, “Spring ahead, Fall behind” to make it easy to remember what to do twice a year. In Canada, it is the second Sunday in March and the first Sunday in November.
Vienna Regulator dial
As mentioned there has been a push to scrap the time-switch in Canada. British Columbia (western-most province of Canada) petitioned to end daylight saving time in the province back in 2015. Tens of thousands supported the move to end daylight-savings time.
My wife’s aunt lives in a quaint home near a small town in the south of Ireland. During our recent visit to Ireland we were invited to her home, had tea and cake and had a long talk about family history.
While there I was asked to take a look at the family clock which had not been running for a number of years. Aunt Theresa and her husband (now deceased) received the clock from his brother, an amateur antique collector, many years ago.
HAC’s are good quality movements with well-made cases
The clock is an attractive and somewhat large 6-column Victorian-style 14-day time and strike mantel clock with Roman Numeral dial made by the Hamburg American Clock Company. It is model #1902 probably made on or about that date. Hamburg American clocks are known for good quality movements with well-made cases.
I will take a look at it, I said, but without my tools, there is not much I could do. I wound both arbours and determined that the mainsprings had plenty of power. I gave the pendulum a push and immediately observed that there was power going to the escapement but there was an uneven tick-tock, so, the clock was out of beat. I propped up one side of the clock sufficiently to find the correct beat and it not only ran but dutifully struck on the half-hour. It works!
In the clock case was a note.
A note found inside the case
The note said,
Tried getting the clock to go on 22nd Sept ’92- worked at pendulum for a long time. I think the clock was too tightly wound. On morning of 23rd Sept, started pendulum again and it’s going since. The clock has not chimed yet. 6th Oct 92 gave the clock a small wind up as it had stopped
I admire aunt Theresa’s tenacity but the clock refused to run after the second winding way back in 1992, 27 years ago.
Time and strike movement with coiled gong
Here is what I discovered about the Hamburg American Clock Company.
In 1875, Paul Landenberger together with his partner, Philipp Lang, founded the Landenberger & Lang clock factory and although he had taken some know-how with him from Junghans (a noted German clockmaker), the company was bankrupt by 1882/1883. It was converted to a stockholding firm and with new investors, the company was re-named Hamburg-Amerikanische Uhrenfabrik (Hamburg-American clock factory).
The name might suggest that they had American made movements but that is far from the case. Hamburg is in the name because that is where the investors came from and “Amerikanische” referred to the movements which were made according to the “new” American mass-production methods.
Among clocks circles, the company is simply known as HAC.
Nice label with model number above
The familiar crossed arrows trademark mark found on the coiled gong was registered in 1891. The “Lux” trademark, which this clock does not have, was added in 1905 so, it places this clock between those years. Model #1902 might even suggest the year it was made. Junghans eventually gained influence over the company and by 1930 was able to take over HAC completely.
The good news is that the clock runs and that there is nothing fundamentally wrong with it but after all these years it needs a good servicing and that means disassembly and cleaning by a qualified clock repair person.
Gilbert Admiral calendar clock ready for servicing
When I bought this clock I was not sure what I had. There is no label, no makers name on the dial and an unsigned movement. I thought, Gilbert or perhaps a Sessions? It did not take me long to find out that the clock is a No. 3027 Gilbert, otherwise known as the Admiral.
When I bought this clock I was not sure what I had. There is no label, no makers name on the dial and an unsigned movement. I thought, Gilbert, Sessions?
This clock was hanging on the wall of a local antique shop with no price. When I inquired the shop owner said that he just picked it up and had not decided on a price but he knew the clock had issues. The hands did not turn otherwise he said the clock ran fine. Something wrong in the motion works, I thought. It could be a simple fix or something more challenging. The brass dial bezel was secured with Robertson screws which told me that the clock had been messed with.
My wife said go for it, it’s about time for another clock project. I offered a price and he agreed but I walked away wondering what surprises awaited me.
Junghans Crispi time and strike wall clock; my oldest daughter has her name on this one
“I have a sterling silver collection”, she said, “that my son will melt down and sell for cash” once I am gone
My sister, who is a couple of years younger and “was” an avid antique collector, remarked the other day that she has stopped collecting antiques. Why, I asked. There is no one to leave them to and no one to appreciate them, she replied. “I have a sterling silver collection”, she said, “that my son will melt down and sell for cash once I am gone”.
Once the Sessions Clock Co acquired E. N. Welch assets in 1902 (for the history of E. N. Welch go here) the company was well on its way to becoming one of the biggest clock producers in America. Production began in 1903 and between that time and 1933 Sessions produced 52 models of mechanical clocks, ranging from Advertisers, large and small clocks with logos of various businesses, to wall, or regulator clocks, and shelf or mantel clocks, designed for the home. Some Session clocks from this period are prized by collectors but most others are of the generic kind that have limited value today.
During our stay in Springfield Ma. to attend a NAWCC annual clock convention in June 2019 we stopped in Bristol, Connecticut about 45 minutes drive south of Springfield. In Bristol, Connecticut is the American Clock and Watch Museum. The non-descript white clapboard New England styled salt-box is what first greets the visitor.
Although the museum is dedicated to American clock and watch makers it is a must see for any clock enthusiast
I admit I was a little disappointed after visiting the stately edifice of the NAWCC museum in Columbia, Pennsylvania but once I entered the side entrance door my disappointment evaporated. I was immediately impressed with the friendly and knowledgeable staff, the quality of the displays and the vast, well-organized collection of American clocks and watches. The following photos tell the story.
French clockmakers such as Vedette, like so many makers of 1930s Europe, made box clocks in several styles. Although I have always wanted a Vedette clock buying one so plain was not what I had in mind but there it was at a silent auction in a clock mart at the NAWCC National Convention in Springfield, Ma. in June 2019 at atake-me please price.
It could easily be mistaken for a typical German box clock of the period save for the attractive oval beveled lower window and lack of side windows. Vedette clocks are typically quite ornate – not this one! However, the sound of the chimes more than make up for its plain jane appearance.
There is nothing quite like the reverberating chime of a Vedette clock
When I attended the NAWCC Convention In June 2019 I bought this clock at the clock mart which is a unique opportunity to find that special clock among thousands offered for sale.
I have always equated E.N Welch with quality and this clock is no exception. I have one other Welch, the Whittier, a parlour clock, which is part of the “author” series, made in 1893. The seller knew nothing about this clock but it was attractive so I bought it.
8-day Welch movement with alarm
In 1902 the E. N. Welch Clock Co. was absorbed by the Sessions Clock Company. E N Welch had a long and glorious history and are best known for their “Patti” series of fine clocks since Patti clocks are named after famous opera stars of the time. This clock was made well before reorganization in the mid-1890s when it began producing clocks that were less expensive to manufacture, like the Whittier that had wider appeal. This clock is from about 1875.
Among the most respected American clockmakers is the Seth Thomas Clock Co. In my collection are 6 Seth Thomas clocks representing several styles all of which are unique representing the period between 1865 and 1930.
I acquired this clock at the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors conference in Springfield Ma. in June of 2019.
Antique and Vintage Mechanical Clocks 
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