Tag: restoration

The Art of Minimal Invasive Clock Preservation

Kienzle clock on display with Ingraham Huron

The term minimal invasive intervention refers to the delicate decision-making process regarding how much work should be done to repair, restore, or conserve a clock without significantly altering its original character. It encapsulates a challenge many collectors face: balancing preservation with functionality.

Some argue that any work performed on an antique clock detracts from its value, much like installing new fenders on an antique car. While it may improve appearance or functionality, it might make the piece less desirable to purists. So, at what point does intervention—however well-intentioned—compromise a clock’s value?

When original parts, particularly the movement or key aesthetic features, are replaced with non-original or modern components, the clock often loses collector value. Authenticity is a cornerstone of desirability for collectors. Replacing a worn movement with a reproduction or modern equivalent significantly reduces value, even if it restores functionality.

Excessive restoration, such as refinishing to a like-new condition, can erase the patina, wear, or other marks of age that contribute to the clock’s historical character. Collectors value the evidence of a clock’s journey through time.

Alterations that cannot be undone, such as resizing a case, changing its design, or permanently altering the movement, reduce value. Reversibility is crucial in maintaining collector interest.

Intervention may not compromise value if the repair restores function without altering original materials or craftsmanship. Rebushing and cleaning are interventions but are generally considered acceptable practices.

I always maintain that there should be Respect for Provenance, that is, preserving historical repairs, markings, documentation, and patina when they tell the clock’s story through the ages. In addition, using methods and materials appropriate to the clock’s era maintain authenticity.

Let’s look at some definitions.

Repair, Restoration, and Conservation Defined

  • Repair involves correcting faults or addressing prior poor repairs, often resulting in changes to a clock’s form or function. Repair in a museum context typically addresses specific problems to restore mechanical function or structural integrity while still respecting the clock’s historical value and authenticity.
  • Restoration seeks to return the clock to an “as new” condition, sometimes requiring reconstruction of parts of the movement or case. Restoration in a museum context involves returning an antique clock to a state that reflects its original appearance or function, often as close as possible to how it was when first made. 
  • Conservation focuses on preserving the clock in its current state while protecting it from further deterioration. This approach aims to maintain the clock as close to its original condition as possible for as long as possible. Conservation in this context prioritizes maintaining the clock’s historical authenticity and ensuring it can be studied and appreciated by future generations. This approach is guided by principles of reversibility, documentation, and respect for the original materials and craftsmanship. A reversible repair means future conservators can undo them if needed.

Some amount of intervention is often necessary and even desired by collectors, but how much is always a delicate balance.

A Case in Point: 1878 E. Ingraham Huron Clock

E Ingraham Hurons were made between 1878 and 1880

Take, for example, an 1878 E. Ingraham Huron time-and-strike balloon clock from my collection. The 16-inch high rosewood case is remarkably well-preserved for its 146 years, with no breaks, cracks, or missing pieces. The hands, pendulum bob, sash, and bezel hardware are all original, as is the movement. The case has been gently cleaned with soap and water and given a light coat of shellac for protection.

The clock face retains a layer of grime that contributes to its aged character, which I chose to leave untouched. However, the movement has suffered from less-than-professional repairs, likely due to the lack of skilled clockmakers in small-town Nova Scotia (Canada) during the clock’s early life. These repairs include soldered joints and realigned gears with pivot holes drilled directly into the plates—techniques probably applied in the 1940s, when soldering guns became more accessible.

Solder repair on an Ingraham Huron
Solder repair on the Huron movement

The clock ran for two or three days before stopping, and even nudging the pendulum provides only a temporary fix. On removing the movement from its case, the extent of these invasive repairs becomes more apparent. Even more apparent was the need for a full servicing.

Solder repair on the second wheel

Deciding on the Right Approach

After consulting a certified horologist, we discussed the options: repair, restore, or conserve? He shared an example of a customer’s kitchen clock (or “Gingerbread clock”), a common family heirloom. While these clocks are rarely of high monetary value, they often hold deep sentimental significance.

He typically repairs such clocks but occasionally replaces irreparable movements with period-correct ones—an option acceptable to many owners, but one that collectors generally frown upon and approach I did not care for.

In the case of my Huron, replacing the movement would significantly reduce its value as a collector’s item. Restoring the original movement, however, would maintain its authenticity and desirability. That is the route we took.

Guiding Questions for Intervention

When deciding how to proceed with any antique or vintage clock, I consider the following:

  • Does undoing damage from a previous poor repair qualify as overly invasive?
  • If the repair was performed soon after the clock was made and is historically documented (e.g., markings inside the case), should it remain untouched?
  • Does the poor repair add or subtract from the clock’s historical provenance, making it part of its story?
  • Would restoring the movement to its original state be considered a repair or a restoration?
  • Does removing all solder work qualify as a minimally invasive intervention?
  • Will the repair enhance or detract from the clock’s value?
  • Would leaving the clock unrestored qualify as conservation?

The poor repair needed to be addressed. I believe that correcting a subpar repair will always restore the clock’s functionality without diminishing its value. Since only minimal work was done on the case and nothing was done to the dial, I would classify this approach as a repair plus conservation.

The Collector’s Dilemma

Collectors often value clocks that remain as untouched as possible. A pristine, unaltered antique clock that runs is exceedingly rare. However, some intervention is inevitable if the goal is to preserve function, as long as it respects the clock’s historical and aesthetic integrity.

In my view, conservation and repair align most closely with minimal invasive intervention and restoration is inherently more intrusive. Deciding how far to go with a clock involves weighing its historical significance, its condition, and your goals as a collector or caretaker.

When I acquire a clock, the first question I ask is: what outcome am I aiming for based on the price I paid? For inexpensive mantel clocks, I’m willing to undertake extensive case repairs, recognizing that a clock purchased cheaply likely won’t gain significant value. However, for more desirable clocks, I adopt a more cautious approach, carefully determining the minimal work needed to restore functionality and enhance the case’s appearance.

I’d like to hear your views on this subject and how you approach this delicate balance!

In the race to perfection we forgot about patina

Life is not perfect. Why should our antique clocks be any different? As we grow older, our possessions undergo a similar transformation. Just as aging imparts a unique character to metal through oxidation and rust, the term “patina” extends beyond its common association with metallic items to antique objects generally. It encapsulates the idea that our belongings, over time, develop distinctive qualities that result from reactions to various elements and the passage of time.

Hamilton Clock Co Gothic steeple clock
Hamilton Clock Co Gothic steeple

Although the hands of a clock move forward no one has figured out how to freeze time or better yet, turn it backward.

During my initial foray into clock collecting and clock repair, my goal was to resurrect non-functional vintage or antique clocks, restoring both their cases and movements to their original state.

While I was tempted to make changes to the case to improve its presentation my priority has now shifted somewhat and lies in ensuring that the fundamental purpose of the clock—accurately telling the time—is fully realized. While addressing structural concerns like a broken backboard hindering the hanging of a wall clock is essential and demands attention, the case, imperfections and all, can be left in its original state.

Arthur Pequegnat Maple Leaf kitchen clock
Arthur Pequegnat Maple Leaf kitchen clock: has its character been lost through restoration?

The purpose of a clock was to serve the original owner in any manner they deemed suitable, primarily by functioning and accurately displaying the time. Any scratches or blemishes on the case were secondary considerations compared to the clock’s primary function of timekeeping. 100 years ago a clock for the family home served as a common reference point for coordinating daily activities. It helped family members synchronize their schedules for meals, work, and social events. Daily household routines, such as waking up, going to bed, and managing chores, were often organized around specific times. A functioning clock (and oftentimes the only clock) was fundamental for maintaining order and structure within the home.

It can also be said that certain clocks were regarded as furniture pieces, receiving the same attention in terms of dusting, waxing, and overall care as any other furnishings of that era. Clocks such as these have survived quite well in their original state and its history has not been washed away with alterations.

The real attraction to unrestored original items is a relatively new phenomenon, perhaps stemming from a response to our modern throwaway society where nothing seems to last. We can point to an old clock and say, that object has lasted all these years despite its age-related scars.

The dilemma of restoration, yes or no to refinishing this clock case?

But does something that takes on a surface appearance that has grown old become a thing of beauty? The answer is, yes. Every bit of patina on a clock speaks to something from its past, things that have happened to a clock through the ages whether you can see the cause or not and that makes the clock more interesting.

A clock that attempts to go back in time through restoration, no matter how good the job is, for all intents and purposes is a facsimile, a replica, or a reproduction. Many might consider all restoration as fiction. However, some folks will take fictitious or like-new any day because new-looking and shiny is somehow “better” and it is their belief that condition always equates to increased desirability.

George H. Clark 30 hour Ogee
George H. Clark 30-hour Ogee, restored by the previous owner; is like-new better?

The concept of patina extends beyond its traditional association with oxidized metal, offering a broader perspective on the aging and transformation of old clocks. Patina embodies a unique character that evolves over time. It reflects a growing interest in preserving the enduring quality of items, a sentiment that contrasts with the disposable nature of our modern society.

Patina is the thing that humanizes an old clock.

Pequegnat gingerbread clock and dial inpainting

In light of current world events the antiquevintageclock.com family wish to convey our sympathy and condolences to those effected by Covid 19

In this article, I will describe the steps taken to inpaint and restore the dial of an Arthur Pequegnat time and strike gingerbread clock.

But first, what is inpainting? And what does it have to do with clock dials?

Inpainting is a dial restoration or conservation process where damaged, deteriorating, or missing parts of a dial are filled in to present a complete image.

And what does the term dial restoration mean?

Dial restoration includes adhering loose flakes, filling areas of loss, cleaning, colour matching, repairing graphics, inpainting of decorative artwork and sealing. Some dials are easier to work on than others but generally speaking American antique clocks dials are good candidates. Dial inpainting can be hit and miss, and the final results can range from fair to excellent.

Here is an earlier project. The before photo shows the significant losses on the dial of an 1850s Seth Thomas column and cornice clock.

Before inpainting

And, after inpainting. In this example, restoring the floral spandrels and the chapter ring was the most challenging part of the project.

Working on a clock dial

I was pleased with the final result though these dials are among the easiest to work on.

After: Seth Thomas dial, column and cornice clock

Now let’s turn to a circa 1918 Arthur Pequegnat Canuck time and strike gingerbread clock. There was considerable paint loss, numerals in a script that is a challenge to reproduce and a chapter ring consisting of small dashes with a 4-dot pattern every 5 minutes. To make matters worse, a previous owner had made an attempt to paint in larger sections of the dial.

Given its poor condition, I was initially tempted to buy a replacement dial; $50.00 for paper-on-tin and $4.00 for a paper dial plus tax and shipping. However, I decided to attempt inpainting.

My supplies, which I have on-hand, consisted of:

  • Level 3 – 10/0 spotter artist’s paintbrush
  • #2 artist’s paintbrush
  • A selection of satin finish water-based acrylic paints; white, yellow, red, and blue
  • Black paint for numerals
  • Pitt artist’s pen, fine tip
  • Pencil eraser
  • Toothpicks for mixing paint
  • Q-Tips to remove over painted areas and polish brass bezel
  • Woodblock

Supplies

Occasionally I use a pencil eraser to remove dirt around the centre and winding arbour hole holes. It is very effective at removing years of dirt and grime.

White is the base paint. Others colours are mixed to replicate the aged finish. There is no magic to this. It takes trial and error to match the dial colour which had yellowed considerably over the years. An exact match is more luck than skill and there are a thousand shades of off-white. I suggest painting in warm light or natural light for best results. Arriving as close as possible to the aged finish was my objective.

The numbers were in reasonably good shape and it takes a steady hand to fill in the missing sections especially the dashes on the chapter ring. For very thin lines, I use a black artist’s pen with a fine tip.

Before and after

Of course, upon close examination, you can see the infilled areas and the touched-up numbers but from average viewing distance, it is difficult to tell.

About 1/2 meter away (the case had been cleaned earlier).

While I was working in the dial I cleaned the brass bezel with Q-Tips and Brasso.

Before (inset) and after

There are some dials I leave as-is since the age and patina of the dial is an important part of the character of the clock but if it is too far gone, as in these examples, inpainting is certainly an option.

All in all a very satisfying project. Now on to servicing the movement.

Trash to Treasure – when clock restoration is the only option

Junghans Crispi dial face

I was on a Facebook clock collector page recently and I was intrigued by the work someone had done on a clock that was surely destined for the garbage bin. The transformation was given an apt phrase, “Trash to Treasure” and so I thought I would write about my own experiences resurrecting old clocks.

Preserving the original patina is always the principle goal and I do as much as I can to keep things as they are. However, when the finish has been adversely affected by environmental damage, heat, cold, humidity over the course of many years, as in a couple of examples below, the only course of action is refinishing.

There are times when the only course of action is complete restoration

My grandfather’s clock – partial restoration
 Continue reading “Trash to Treasure – when clock restoration is the only option” →

Ansonia crystal regulator clock – Part II – the movement

This is Part II of a three (3) part series. In Part I, I discuss disassembly and servicing the mainsprings. In this, Part II, the movement and in Part III we will look at restoring the brass case.

My wife found this 1910 Ansonia Crystal Regulator in the late summer 2018 while antique shopping. What a great choice! We were in a hurry and despite a price reduction we should have asked the proprietor to show us that it worked. We returned home and to our dismay, it was not running.

In Part I of this two part series I discuss disassembly and the big question; how to service the mainsprings.

Front of movement showing visible escapement

The movement

There are 4 screws that release the plates. The 3 pin gathering pallet and hour gear must be removed to facilitate servicing. It is possible to re-assemble the movement without removing those two parts but it is very frustrating. To remove them assemble the plates. Using two small blades (small screwdrivers) positioned 180 degrees apart from one another will work. As these movements are visible, any scratches will show, so, placing masking tape on the plate will prevent scratches. Wedge both screwdrivers and the parts should pop off. The gathering pallet flew across the room (not ideal) but it worked.

Twisting the top regulator pivot bracket on the front plate upwards allows the pallets and crutch to come out from between the movement plates.

Clean parts in the usual way but do not put the pallet assembly in the ultrasonic if the pallets are jeweled. The ultrasonic machine will loosen the pallets.

Rack and snail assembly on the back plate

The movement required 5 bushings and all on the front plate; S2, S3, T2, T3, and T4. Unusual but understandable given the placement of the gears.

Getting it all back together

Putting the plates together with gears in place is fairly straightforward. It takes a gentle twisting to get the pallet assembly in position however, there is no need to force anything.

Most of the strike assembly is on the outside but it is important to set up the warning correctly. There are two wheels with stop pins.

Thanks to reader Bob G. for explaining the following. The wheel with the stop pin closest to the outside of the plate is the stop wheel. That is held back by the tab coming through the plate from the back of the movement. The next wheel that has a stop pin is the warning. As the hour arbor lifts the lever to begin the strike sequence, the warning pin holds everything back until the correct moment. That second stop pin should be at about the four o’clock position when looking at the movement from the front.

If the stop pins are in the correct position, you must adjust the position of the pins on the gathering pallet. If you hold the wheel next to the fly, you can grip the pallet with a needle nose pliers and turn it until the pins clear the rack. Otherwise, the pins on the gathering pallet will lock the rack and the clock will only strike once on the hour and half hour.

All adjustments have been made and the movement has been fully assembled and now onto the movement test stand.

George H Clark Ogee clock – movement and dial work

George H. Clark 30 hour movement

One cannot deny the classic style of an American Ogee clock. This one is in great shape and required almost nothing to get it to top form. 30-hour shelf clocks are abundant but not many cases survive years of wear and tear.

Dial removed to show the 30 hour movement

This George H. Clark 30-hour shelf clock is a very good example of Connecticut form. The case form is called an “og” or “ogee”, a mathematical term that describes the “S” curve shape in the primary molding that surrounds the door.

The clock has a brass time and strike, weight driven movement with an excellent original printed paper label on the interior reading in part “Made and Sold at/46 Courtlandt St/New York…. George H. Clark”. It measures 28 x 17 x 4.5”. This rectangular shaped case is decorated with nicely grained mahogany veneers. The veneer has very little if any losses.

The dial face

The upper section of the door is fitted with clear glass. Through this one can view the painted wood dial. The wood dial tells me that it is an early pre-1850 clock. This dial is formatted with a Roman numeral time track.

It is always a challenge matching 100+-year-old paint but by combining white. brown and yellow acrylic paint I was able to approximate the original colour. Some Roman Numerals were touched up with black acrylic paint.

The wood dial before touch-ups

And after numerals and face given a matching paint; you can see the difference in the number 4

I also glued two small blocks under the left and right “L” pins to centre the dial correctly.

The door is open showing the gong coil and the pasted label in very good condition

The lower section features a beehive painted tablet. The tablet is a replacement but fairly close to what would have been there at the time.

Beehive design; not original but in keeping with the style

Observations regarding the movement

The movement looks like an early (unmarked) Waterbury, ca. 1860 type 2.411. Waterbury movements have “quarter-round” corners, while most other ogee movements tend to have the “tombstones” or plain rectangles. The movement could have been swapped but It is difficult to tell.

A clean Jerome style movement

Everything except the movement points to a period between 1840-50. If the movement is a replacement it was likely an early replacement.

30-hour movements will run surprisingly well with horrible pivot wear. However, regarding repair, my view is this: I do not normally install new bushings in every single pivot hole on the movement. If a bushing hole is passable I will leave it as-is but if the hole is quite oblong I will install a new bushing to mitigate potential gear meshing issues in the future.

Addressing the movement

I will also ignore some past repairs. For example, in this particular movement I noticed 4 punch marks around the escape wheel bridge pivot hole. As most clock repairers know using a punch to close a pivot hole was an acceptable practice many years ago though it is not considered a good practice today. In this particular case, the pivot hole was in good shape and I decided to leave it as-is. After assessing the movement further, I installed one bushing on the second wheel front plate strike side (S2) and the second on the second wheel strike side rear plate (T2). Just two bushings. As to the three lantern pinions, they were in very good condition.

Reassembly was routine. The time side ran fine.

Adjusting the strike side was not easy and should have been a simple procedure. The problem was not only correctly positioning the warning pin on the fly but ensuring that the warning hook lever could actually meet the warning hook. The levers in this clock had been bent every which way making it a real challenge to find the correct angles. It did not strike correctly before servicing. Trial and error combined with colourful language certainly helped correct the strike.

The finished clock

The gong block and coil were also cleaned up. Tip; it helps to put the same screws back in the same holes. Seems trivial but it is a good practice. Not all screws are the same.

Gong block removed and cleaned

Little time was spent on this clock and I was fortunate to have an almost perfect case. The previous owner knew how to take care of the case but the movement neede work. When many of these clocks stopped they simply became decorations but I am sure that this one will run reliably for many more years to come.

Junghans wall clock – Sometimes a small thing can be a pain in the, well, you know

Junghans Crispi wall clock

The problem; a run-on strike. The solution; remove the movement, poke around looking for the cause, find it almost immediately and apply a quick fix.

The story

My winter (2017) project was an antique German Junghans Crispi time and strike spring driven wall clock made in the style of a Vienna Regulator. It was manufactured in Schwenningen, Germany in 1899. It came to me as a box of parts. I put hours of work into this project so a malfunctioning movement was a bit of a disappointment.

When I originally  disassembled the movement for servicing I made two errors. In my attempt to correct a bent star wheel paddle, I managed to snap it off.

Strike paddle

However, I also managed to snap off the paddle wheel arbor spring which is essentially a thin steel wire which maintains paddle tension during the strike. At the time I did not have the right tools to repair the break. Hmm! After a professional servicing, all is right.

Return spring that had become loose after two years (first photos taken of the movement)

Fast forward to 2019

Now, two years later the strike side decided to malfunction. It was striking incessantly. I decided to check out the problem. I took the movement out of the case, removed the clock face and immediately noticed that the strike tension wire had wiggled out of the arbor so that nothing prevented the paddle from stopping, hence the run-on strike. As I mentioned this was one of the repairs made on the clock when it was professionally serviced.

The solution is Loctite. Some purists will scoff but I believe there is place for modern materials in clock repair so long as the repair is functional and discreet. I positioned the spring correctly and applied Loctite where the wire runs into the paddle arbour and allowed it to dry for 24 hours.

After the repair the clock is striking as it should. However, it took me a couple of days to find the correct beat. For some reason this clock must be absolutely level to function correctly. If it is off by just a smidgen it will not run. Anyway, everything is fine now.

A new & exciting direction in clock collecting & repair

Front room collection

I have been collecting clocks for over 8 years. In that time I have enjoyed my hobby immensely and I am constantly on the lookout for new and interesting acquisitions. It is more like a daily passion.

However, I now realize that as my collection steadily grows I have more than I need or want. I cherish some of my clocks and intend to keep them for years; my Arthur Pequegnats, selected Seth Thomas clocks, clocks made by the Hamilton Clock Co. and the Canada Clock Co., my Vienna regulators and some of my German wall clocks. I don’t mind parting with other clocks now or in the foreseeable future. Some I will miss and others I will not.

A house can only hold so many clocks

My daughter correctly pointed out that I should adopt a one clock comes in another goes out approach. “One-in, one-out”, she says and it makes perfect sense.

A house can only hold so many clocks. In my small office which is 10X12 I have a total of 15 clocks, 10 of which are running daily and the remainder in various states of repair. Outside my office, at any given time, there are 26 clocks in a number of rooms around the house. I am not one of those persons on YouTube who feel the need to cover their walls with clocks. I prefer to display them in a natural way, as an integral part of the decor of my home. The number is not all that important but I am trying to keep it manageable.

Kienzle clock on display with Ingraham Huron
Kienzle World Time clock and Ingraham Huron balloon style shelf clock

I have decided that now is the time to sell some of my clocks. My objective is not to make money but to recover the cost of the original purchase plus my labour on each clock that I sell. These are the clocks that have left my collection recently.

I am making more critical choices when adding pieces to my collection
Mauthe Westminster chime mantel clock, circa 1950
Juba Schatz Bim-Bam mantel clock, circa 1948
Four spandrels surrounding the chapter ring
Hermle Westminster chime with moon phase circa 1985

I have also gifted eight clocks over the last 3 years and most have been mantel clocks. Antique and vintage clocks make wonderful gifts to friends and family. It is cool to see them displayed and running in their homes when I visit though I know darn well that they are wound just hours before my arrival.

On a clock forum site recently someone said’ “How many clocks do you need”. The answer, “Just one more”

As my knowledge of the clock world grows and my experience repairing and restoring them expands I am making more critical choices when adding pieces to my collection. However, those critical choices often translate into spending more money. For example, recent acquisitions have been a Seth Thomas Regulator #2 and an Arthur Pequegnat Moncton, both wall clocks.

Seth Thomas Regulator #2, time-only, weight driven clock Circa 1922
Arthur Pequegnat Moncton, double spring time only clock, Circa 1930

I believe my new approach is a natural progression and perhaps I have been subconsciously heading down that path for a year or more. Unless a clock has an interesting provenance, is rare, uncommon, unique and/or is a challenge to restore I will now shy away from most of the garden variety clocks one sees on online for-sale sites and yes, I still have a few of those.

On a clock forum site recently someone said’ “How many clocks do you need”. The answer, “Just one more”.

I knew during the course of collecting antique and vintage clocks combined with increased knowledge/experience that my hobby would evolve and continuing my horological journey in a slightly different way is about time,

Tick Talk Tuesday #20 Pequegnat Classic mantel clock $6 online purchase

Tick-Talk Tuesday

The Classic, made by the Arthur Pequegnat Clock Co.

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

DS from New Brunswick, Canada writes, “Good day Mr. Joiner, I have purchased my first Pequegnat clock by accident. It was just a parts buy but I was quite surprised to see it was an Arthur Pequegnat Bedford Classic.  Now I’m looking at resurrecting this old girl. My concern is the dial. I’ve found a few few Bedford clock online but they have porcelain dials with a proper side hinged bezel but mine is a metal dial soldered into bezel so it opens upwards? I removed the bezel to try to rotate it but the only screw holes will only mount it as you see it. Would the brushed(?) metal dial have been an option or is this clearly a poor replacement. Any thoughts or opinions would be appreciated. I live just outside of Buctouch and could make the trip if you would like to see it for a closer inspection.
Thanks”

A reused label

My reply,”

Hi and thanks for your email.

Nice find. First of all it is called the Classic. The Bedford label was used and crossed out. Though not common I have seen this before.

I have attached a link to the Classic which is part of Skip Kerr’s extensive Pequegnat collection. You will see that his clock has a smaller (original) dial which is in keeping with the size and style of the case.

http://www.skipkerr.com/image.aspx?id=832

It is a Pequegnat dial though not normally for that particular clock and yes, Pequegnat made brushed metal/painted metal dials. I have never seen a Pequegnat clock with the hinge in that location but you never know, it might be a variant.

It might also be a replacement. If so, I would think that the “newer” dial’s hinge would not fit if hinged on either side. Are there any screw holes at all on the left or the right? The dial is soldered to the bezel? That is unusual. I don’t see any glass?

The next is a link to an article I wrote concerning a Bedford clock. You will notice that the case is quite different and yes, the dial on mine is a replacement and larger than the original, just like yours.

Restored Athur Pequegnat Bedford mantel clock
Arthur Pequegnat Bedford model, mantel clock

Rather than change it out I would keep it the way it is, after all, it is part of the clock’s provenance.

Here is a post on the Bedford clock

Buctouch is a very pretty area.

Hope that answers your questions.”

DS replies,”Thank you sir, it was a $6 online auction purchase. I was fond of the case style and thought I could strip it and update it for our guest room, maybe even paint it (I know I used the “P” word). Once I received and inspected it couldn’t believe it was a Pequegnat. Thinking it was another mass produced import I expected missing parts and poor veneer but other than the missing glass and hands it is complete and in working order. I’m honored to have the opportunity to save this piece and will enjoy it for many years to come. The body has only one set of screw holes for the bezel, I tried to reposition the bezel then I would re-solder the face in the proper position but nothing lines up except the current position so I welcome your idea to leave it as found.

Thanks again for your advice and link I will definitely take a look. I enjoy researching and learning with each new piece I collect.

Happy hunting, DS”

Later DS wrote, “Well sir I’ve cleaned up the original case, installed new hands and replaced the glass. I believe the bezel and face may be original. There are only one set of screw holes in the case and the bezel and when I correct the bezel the wood trim on the case interferes with opening the bezel. So there it is my first Pequegnat. Thanks for the information on my clock. Now on to the next.”

Another happy Pequegnat clock collector.

Mauthe (FMS) wall clock restoration – Part III – the case

This is Part III, the last of a three-part series on restoring this beautiful German FMS Mauthe wall clock. Part I can be found here. Part two can be found here.

This antique Victorian style German time and strike FMS Mauthe wall clock was purchased from a family living in Truro Nova Scotia that once resided in the town of Parrsboro over 100 years ago.

I have covered movement servicing in a previous article and now for case restoration. The case is part walnut veneer with softwood turns, frame and backboard, likely pine or poplar. All original wood surfaces were stained or lacquered to resemble walnut.

Time and a harsh environment have not been kind to this once majestic clock as the finish was in very poor condition. Stripping the case was my only option.

Mauthe crown, missing right finial

Base of clock

Stripping and staining were quite straightforward but time-consuming. After rubbing with steel wool I applied stain called Special Walnut, a light stain by Minwax which had the effect of enriching the grains even further. After the case was sanded I then applied 5 coats of shellac making the shellac in the traditional way with flakes and alcohol. I found a 1 lb cut ideal for this project.

The finish was probably the worst aligorating I have seen

Turned door column

Refinished corner section

As mentioned in a previous post, the movement was cleaned and two bushings were installed on the time side and one on the strike side. It was mounted in its case and has completed a successful testing period.

Although I was pleased with my work on the top door crosspiece, I could not find one clock online with a crosspiece similar to it from that period. Back to the drawing board!

Ogee style crosspiece on top of the front access door, stained to match case (later removed)

An Internet search for clocks of that style and period revealed that every clock had an arched top trim piece much like this Junghans Crispi wall clock from 1899.

Junghans Crispi wall clock
Junghans Crispi wall clock, restored in 2017

Making the arched top

Walnut veneer is preferred but I had to make do with oak plywood. Oak has a more pronounced grain but the end result looks good. Using a router I cut 3/16 inch oak veneered plywood into 2 curved pieces. Making a turn on a router is not as easy as it looks and it took me several attempts to get it right. After the 2 sections were cut (left, right and joining in the middle) I applied a darker walnut stain to match the case. I then covered the pieces with several coats of shellac then glued the two sections onto the top door frame.

The arched trim piece is an improvement and more in keeping with the design of the clock at that time.

Arched trim

The top finial was purchased from a supplier and stained to match the two lower finials.

The top final is new and stained to match the other two

Unfortunately, there is not much I can do about the darkened celluloid dial. Celluloid dials are almost impossible to clean. Replacement is an option but it would look out of place.

Celluloid dial with brass centre piece

The clock is now finished. The last step is regulating the movement.

The following is a breakdown of the costs & work completed:

Costs:

  • Purchase price $100
  • Amber shellac flakes, alcohol, brushes, containers – $75 (this cost will be spread over future projects)
  • Razor scraper for glass cleaning, $5
  • Finial $3
  • Furniture stripper $10
  • Suspension spring $4
  • 3/16 inch plywood $12.95
  • Corner doweling for the crown (left side) $6

TOTAL: $212.95

Traditional shellac is the only way to go

Work done:

  • Case stripped down to bare wood with furniture stripper, all surfaces except side frames
  • Sanded case
  • 1 coat of Minwax “Special” walnut stain which is lighter than dark walnut
  • 5 coats of shellac, 1 lb cut, rubbed with fine steel wool between coats.
  • Crosspiece for top of door fashioned from kitchen cabinet moulding, stained to match case, shellacked (later removed)
  • Arched top door insert made from 3/16″ oak veneered plywood, stained and shellacked
  • Adler gong and rails, cleaned & repainted
  • Beat plate cleaned and made flat, as flat as possible without damaging it!
  • Centre pan of dial face cleaned
  • Hands painted with flat black acrylic metal paint (2 coats)
  • New top centre “curtain rod” finial from Lee Valley, stained and shellacked, hole drilled for support post
  • Crown support rail constructed of softwood
  • Movement disassembled & cleaned in ultrasonic. Unable to remove the spring barrels. 3 bushings installed
  • Glass removed, scraped of shellac residue, cleaned and reinstalled. The residue told me that the case had been shellacked at least once in the past

The finished product

A satisfying project that resulted in the transformation of a clock that had been ignored for too long. its underlying beauty can finally be appreciated. Would I do things differently in the future? For the most part, no but there are some minor things I would approach in a different way. Case restoration is a learning process and each new project presents an interesting and unique challenge.

The clock has now been returned to its former glory and will now occupy a prominent location in my home.

Grandfathers clock – the drop door, the movement and other things – Part IV

This is the fourth and final article on this curious and somewhat homely Waterbury time and strike schoolhouse clock. I have a vivid memory of this Waterbury octagon short drop schoolhouse clock that hung in my grandparent’s kitchen when I was a young boy. Now that I have it what do I do with it.

It is a clock that had been passed down within the family and as you can see it went through a significant change. I thought about next steps and considered advice from friends and family. It came down to three options:

1) Do absolutely nothing, preserve it as-is and store it in a closet,

2) Discard the case out, buy a donor case and install the parts I have in the new case or,

3) Preserve it, that is, not change it in a significant way but make some cosmetic changes and have it run reliably.

The drop door, movement and other things

The next photo shows the clock after the glass bezel was installed, the dial face was refreshed and the case was given a coat of dark walnut stain (the number “IIII” has a reflection from an overhead light). You can still see the plywood and the nail heads but my objective was to clean it up, refresh and preserve the character of the homemade case.

Dark walnut stain, dial re-freshened and glass installed

The access drop door:

The clock requires an access door on the short drop, the opening is unsightly. As you can see in the photo above the cut-out is rough and a door will effectively hide it. Making a n access door is a simple project and will enhance the appearance of the case.

I have an old Ogee clock case that I use for any wooden parts required for clock projects. I cut a 1/4 inch piece and fashioned the door panel using a paper template for the dimensions. There are two panels which make up an inner and outer door sections.

First, I used paper as a template to draw the new door.

The template is a sheet of paper

I cut the inner and outer door panels using a table saw and sanded all sides.

Inner and outer door, cut and sanded

Next, using masking tape I taped one piece to the other. I positioned my hand in the drop area so the inner piece would be aligned correctly with the door panel.

Glue applied to both panels

Once the panels were aligned I removed the masking tape, gave the panels a final sanding, then applied yellow carpenters glue to both panels. Hide glue would have been used originally but the goal for this little project is to hide the crude cutout, not to replicate woodworking methods at the time it was constructed. Yellow glue is appropriate for this project; it is stronger and has a high bonding strength.

The two panels are clamped together.

Next, a dark walnut stain was applied to the door panel to match the case. Installing the door to the case required two small brass hinges mounted on the right side. For the pull handle, I decided to go with a wood knob stained in dark walnut.

Drop installed and stained to match case

Final steps:

A small piece of wood was affixed to the inside of the dial cutout to ensure that the hinge screws had something to bite into. Following this, the glass bezel door was attached.

Block on left is glued in place to screw the door hinge to the case

Next are dummy slotted wood screws for the bezel holes, basically to conceal the holes.

The drilled holes in the bezel are unsightly

The door project is almost complete, door pull missing in photo

Having sorted out the striking issue the movement is now installed in the case.

My thoughts on this project:

Prior to the first pictures I saw, I had visions of a clock that needed a little work to restore it. When I discovered that the case was homemade it was a disappointment. After giving it much thought it seemed that the most appropriate course of action was to preserve what I had.

Overall the cost of bringing this clock back to running condition and refreshing the case was minimal. Was it worth it? Yes! It is now complete, it shows better and it will tell an interesting story for years to come.

It may not be the prettiest clock on the wall but it will be a great conversation piece and after 60 years it is functional and it will finally tell the time. I can only imagine my grandfather standing under the clock, comparing the time with his pocket watch and deciding if he should make just one small adjustment.

Grandfathers old clock – Preserve a memory or restore it – Part III

This is Part III of a 4-part series. I have a vivid memory of this Waterbury octagon short drop schoolhouse clock that hung in my grandparent’s kitchen when I was a young boy. Now that I have it what do I do with it.

I have devoted two previous articles to this curious and somewhat homely Waterbury time and strike schoolhouse clock. It is a clock that had been passed down within the family and it has had a hard life. Along the way it has undergone some changes, not all of them pretty. I thought about the next steps for this clock and considered advice from friends and family. It came down to three options:

1) Do absolutely nothing, preserve it as-is and store it in a closet,

2) Discard the case out, buy a donor case and install the parts I have in the new case or,

3) Preserve it, that is, not change it in a significant way but make some cosmetic changes and have it run reliably.

Option three it is.

At one time the original case was painted yellow with red trim. which is probably why it was discarded

Restoration or preservation? The restoration process consists of performing clock repair procedures on the movement as well as cosmetically restoring the dial, the case and its wooden and metal components using period procedures. Proper restorations do not change the clock’s functionality, appearance or value. Restoration of a valued clock is a serious business as many owners are emotionally attached to a clock for various reasons.

In this situation the movement can be restored and the other hardware cleaned up, however, the case is not original and was likely made 40, or 50 years ago which is why this project is part restoration and part preservation. Servicing the movement, putting the clock in running condition and making some cosmetic changes is my objective for this project.

This is what the clock looked like when I first received it.

First photo of the clock sent by my cousin

It has a homemade plywood case though it has all the essential mechanical parts. There is no dial glass. The brass bezel would have been hinged and perhaps the hinge broke and was discarded. The bezel was then screwed into the plywood.

The first step is the movement. The parts arrived from Perrin and I went to work on the movement. The movement is a Waterbury time and strike with a patent date of Sept 22, 1874. It was dirty as expected and there was some rust but it cleaned up nicely.

Before

And after servicing

The movement required 5 bushings at T2F, T2R, S2F, S2R, and S3F. As always it takes me more than one try to get the strike side functioning correctly. During testing I noticed that the strike side was sluggish. A tight bushing, bent pivot, insufficient end shake? I will know when I take it apart and take a second look.

Walnut stain and clear coat, hiding the plywood and nail heads, for the most part

I gave the case a thorough cleaning, then a sanding and applied one coat of dark walnut stain followed by three coats of shellac. A dark Walnut stain is the optimal way to hide the plywood and the nail heads. It does not hide the plywood completely but the intent for this project is to refresh the case rather than conceal imperfections.

At one time the original case was painted yellow with red trim, my grandfather’s idea of matching the clock to the paint and trim in his kitchen. The original case was likely in such poor condition that it was thrown away.

Next, the brass. It was painted red at one time so it took a little Brasso muscle to remove a combination of red paint and tarnish.

The brass was quite black

The result looks good

The dial was a challenge. Cleaning up the pit marks and faded numbers was my key objective. The nicks are chicken pecks while stored in a barn. Again, I was not interested in replacing it but touching up the nicks and rust spots while preserving the character of the dial. I have a supply of acrylic metal paint and it is a matter of mixing the right colours to determine the closet match.

The numbers were painted with flat black acrylic metal paint. The dial touch-ups would fool most people at a distance. I removed the rust from the hands and gave them two coats of flat black paint. The coil gong base was cleaned and also painted black.

Colour matching to hide paint loss

I ordered 10 1/4inch convex glass for the bezel plus a door hinge. The hinge was soldered into place as were brass tabs to hold the glass. Although the hinge is not affixed in this photo, this is what the door complete with dial glass looks like. There is not much I can do about the screw holes on the bezel; it remains part of its provenance. I may cut the heads of some brass slotted screws and solder them to the holes or simply leave the holes as-is.

Glass installed in bezel. Hinge installed but not fit to case in this shot

The clock requires an access door on the short drop, the opening is unsightly. As you can see in the photo above the cut-out is rough and a door will effectively hide it. I plan to make a solid door much like the one on this New Haven schoolhouse clock.

Drop door on a New Haven schoolhouse clock

It may not not be the prettiest clock in my home but it will be a great conversation piece and after 60 years it will finally tell the time. I can only imagine my grandfather standing under the clock, comparing the time with his pocket watch and deciding if he should make just one small adjustment.

Next is new drop access door and final assembly which I will detail in the next and last post for this project, Part IV in 4 days.

What to do with this old clock was a difficult decision. What would you have done?

Mauthe (FMS) wall clock restoration – Part I – assessment and first steps

This is Part I of a three part series on restoring this beautiful 1900s Mauthe wall clock.

This Victorian style German wall clock was purchased locally from a family that once lived in the town of Parrsboro over 100 years ago. I found the clock on a local online for-sale site. It looked interesting but there was no price listed. I contacted the seller but they were asking considerably more than I was willing to pay. I explained the work that had to be done to the case, servicing of the movement and the fact that had it been in better condition they would easily receive more for the clock. I concluded the phone conversation with my top offer for the clock. They contacted me 4 days later and met my price.

Celluloid dial with brass centre pan

Open containers of Kerosene usually indicate that the owner thought the vapor would lubricate his clock. Closed containers indicate that he believed that a more controlled method of applying it would be needed

It is a (FMS) Mauthe time and strike wall clock with an Adler gong. I have been assured by the seller that the clock is original in every way and using the serial number and trademark I have determined that it was made between 1890 and 1910, consistent with information I was provided. The eagle emblem on the Adler gong suggests that it was made after 1898.

The seller said the movement was maintained regularly. For years a small thimble of liquid was placed inside the clock to keep it lubricated though she could not recall what the liquid was. I said that this was a wide practice in the old days of keeping a clock movement lubricated, a folk remedy that might work but was not ideal. In fact, from about 1850 to 1920 roads were dirt, dust was everywhere, and people depended on their clocks. They routinely took the dial off and swabbed the movement out with kerosene. They often used a little brush, made with a few chicken feathers. Kerosene (paraffin) was available everywhere and, if used often, was probably an excellent way to rinse away the dust and at the same time oil the movement for a while. A little cup, a thimble or a  greasy medicine bottle of kerosene was placed inside the clock case to maintain lubrication. Open containers of Kerosene indicate that the owner thought the vapor would slowly evaporate and lubricate his clock. Closed containers indicate that he believed that a more controlled method of applying it would be needed.

What to do about the case

The finish is alligorated. Alligorated finishes are those that have encountered heat damage and are characterized by a finish (shellac or lacquer) that softens and pools into globules collecting dirt as it re-hardens.

For this project I essentially have three options,

  • Leave the case as-is,
  • Attempt to dissolve the alligorating using a solution (see ingredients below) or
  • Strip the case down to the bare wood.

I eliminated the first option. The case is very unsightly.

On to option number 2. I first attempted to dissolve the alligorated finish using a mixture of turpentine, kerosene and white vinegar combined with #0000 steel wool and while I was able to soften the globules the surrounding area lightened considerably. The net effect was a blotchy finish.

While taking the glass panels out I noticed a residue of shellac on the edges of the glass panels, so, I was dealing not only with the original finish but whatever had been applied over the original finish.

On to the last option, stripping the case

To remove the finish I used EZ Strip, a non-caustic and Eco-friendly product. Though it was non-caustic I wore gloves and ensured that my workspace had good air flow. EZ Strip is jelly-like and relatively easy to work with. After allowing it to sit on the finish for 20-30 minutes it is ready to strip. Despite the ease of application it required rubbing and scrubbing to take off the original finish to the bare wood.

This is the finish when I received the clock

This is the crown before stripping,

The crown

And after.

The finish is removed from the crown

As the case is missing a trim piece on the upper part of the door I fashioned a piece from some cabinet trim. A new slotted wooden stabilizer that secures the crown to the case was constructed of softwood. This you cannot see but it ensures that the crown stays securely on the top of the case. Also missing is a corner piece on the left side of the upper crown. Cove moulding works well. I purchased a finial from Lee Valley and it worked well for this project.

Removing the old finish had an immediate effect. The grain of the walnut veneer that had been hidden all these years was finally exposed.

Case is stripped, awaiting sanding, stain and final finish

For the final finish I will use shellac prepared in the traditional way. This is my first experience with shellac flakes and it is best to begin with a light consistency called a 1 lb cut. This is approximately a 1:8 ratio of shellac to alcohol. Therefore, 1 oz (28g) of shellac is dissolved in 8 fl oz (236ml) of denatured alcohol. I plan to use a French polish technique and apply the shellac and a broad artists brush to coat the turned sections.

Why is it frustrating asking for advice on social media?

I posted my case restoration project on a popular online clock site. I was seeking advice on working with shellac and while I received good advice the discussion quickly morphed into a debate about whether or not it is ethical to strip a case. There was significant division. Those on one side said they would do very little but clean it up or take the objectionable dirt off the finish while the other side posited that if presented with a situation where the finish was so poor that you could not appreciate the beauty of the veneers, a stripping is an acceptable alternative. Although both arguments have merit some of the posters were somewhat indignant and considered it a heresy to do anything at all to a clock case. There will always be both sides of the argument and I respect that.

See servicing of the movement and the final finishing of the case in Parts II and III, in the weeks to come.

Grandfathers old clock – I asked for it, now what do I do? Part I

 

Photo of my grandfather’s clock sent to me by my cousin

I’ve thought about this clock, dreamt about it, wondering where it was all these years…….and now I have it. Now, what do I do?

I have a vivid memory of this Waterbury octagon short drop schoolhouse clock that hung in my grandparent’s kitchen when I was a young boy. After church on Sundays, my father would take us kids by for a visit; it was a weekly ritual. The house was stone quiet except for the sound of a clock ticking loudly in the kitchen. My grandfather was a veteran of WWI and was bothered by certain noises but did not mind the sound of a mechanical clock.

When I was a kid in the 1950s it looked gigantic and for some curious reason, it was painted yellow with red trim. What did I know, I thought old clocks came in all sorts of colours.

My grandfather, William George Joiner, taken during WWI

But he loved that clock. There is a story that my grandfather was fanatical about keeping the clock on time; he would constantly compare the time to his pocket watch and make adjustments, sometimes several times a day. They left the house on Olmstead Street in Eastview (now Vanier, Ontario, Canada) several years before his death and the clock was passed to a son (my uncle) and eventually handed down within his family. My grandfather passed away in 1962.

Movement is essentially intact except for the suspension spring, rod and pendulum.

A year ago I decided to track down the clock and learned that it had stayed within the family. My cousin sent a photo of the clock but upon examining it I could see that something was not quite right. It was missing parts, it looked pretty rough and that case looked homemade. At that time I replied,

Yes, it is indeed a Waterbury time and strike clock. Your description of it as a school clock is correct though it would not have been called a schoolhouse clock at the time. It would have been sold as an office clock. The patent date tells us that the clock was made after 1874 but likely manufactured in the 1890s to 1900.

In clock circles it would be described as a time and strike 8-day octagonal short drop wall clock, Roman Numeral dial face with spade hands. From the photo I can see that it is missing the pendulum (as you said) the hinged wooden drop access door which would have had a glass tablet and the brass/glass bezel which would have covered the dial. I assume these items are long gone.

It also appears to have been in a damp environment judging from the tarnished brass and the fact that the rust from the iron nails has bled through the wood. However, it is not unusual for a clock of this age to be in such a condition. I have seen far worse.

At a recent family get-together, my cousin said that if I wanted the clock I could have it. Yes, I said and I brought it home thinking about my next steps with my new clock project.

There are 4 posts in this series. Part II is in 4 days. In Part II I consider those next steps. Parts III and IV will be in November.

Let me know what you would do with this project.

Ansonia Extra Drop wall clock – moving ahead with repairs

Freshly lacqurered case

Ansonia Extra short drop wall clock
Ansonia Extra short drop wall clock in as-found condition

The photos tell the story

Some time ago I wrote an article on an Ansonia barn find. It is an Ansonia Extra Drop time-only Rosewood veneered wall clock, circa 1880. I thought I would update readers on how this little project is progressing. I was able to find most of the parts but there are still some missing. I will let the photos tell the story.

It did not look like it would ever run again
It did not look like it would ever run again

Siezed time-only movement
Before shot of the seized time-only movement

Cleaned up time only movement
Cleaned and serviced one-train time-only movement

Ansonia movement in case
Ansonia movement in the case and running an 8-day full cycle

The movement was cleaned up with 4 bushings installed and is now able to run a full 8-day cycle. The case received attention with glue repairs, a new backboard, new right finial and a re-lacquering of the veneer surface. The veneer was in good condition and required very minor repairs.

Dial with minor losses, At this point is test fit with the wood bezel
Dial with minor losses

Touched up dial, mounted in case
The dial has been touched up and mounted in the case

Addressing the paint loss on the dial was a challenge. I played with various shades and mixed colours that were a close match to the original. The result is better than it was. The glass fits into a slot on the wood bezel and the fit was surprisingly tight. Had I known I would have glued the bezel pieces with the glass in place. Lesson learned!

I am still missing the drop access door plus its reverse painted glass and the brass bezel that surrounds the dial face. I will make the door but will leave that project for another day. My search for the brass bezel continues.

As I progress with this restoration project I will keep the reader up to date with changes.

Addressing an upper tablet replacement on a Seth Thomas column and cornice clock

Seth Thomas column and cornice

This is a fine example of a Seth Thomas column and cornice clock with sleigh front made prior to 1867 and sold by the R.W. Paterson Company of Canada West. Both the lower and upper tablets appear to be original and are in very good condition. Unfortunately this antique American column and cornice time and strike Seth Thomas clock is not mine and if it were I would proudly display it.

My clock, though similar is missing its upper tablet and a few other items that I wish to address in stages.

Missing upper tablet
Missing upper tablet on an American Seth Thomas clock

This blog article concerns one aspect of the clock, it upper and lower tablets. The lower tablet appears to be original and shows a cluster of fruit. Not as stately or ornate as the one in the first photo but quite appropriate for this style of clock. A quick online search shows that there were an endless number of reverse tablet painting designs ranging from birds, flowers, pastoral scenes, stately structures, eagles, parrots, berries, flags, drapery, crests and the list goes on.

Because there is a missing top tablet, the clock does not look complete. The clear glass is certainly not correct. As is typical for most clocks this age, things go missing over the years.

To address the missing upper tablet there are a number of options to consider;

  • Do nothing,
  • Attempt to find a decent quality reverse painted set from the same period,
  • Try my hand at painting a new tablet,
  • Buy a photo reproduction set online
  • Find a complimentary design and reproduce it on my home photo printer.

Finding a decent quality reverse painted set from that era is quite difficult and a search would take a long time. I am no artist, so, painting a tablet is out of the question. Buying a reproduction set online is a possibility but how much am I prepared to spend on something I could potentially do myself. After analyzing the options my first thought was to explore the possibility of buying a reproduction set online.

A search on EBay revealed sellers who make reproductions of the original tablets. They are essentially a “replacement picture set” of the clock tablets. They are as one ad put, “Exact copies of a set of Seth Thomas 8 day “Column” model sleigh front clock ca. 1880. They are printed on photo stock and mounted on mat-board that when put behind antique glass they are very hard to tell from the original and make a Seth Thomas column clock with plain or damaged pictures into a super looking clock.” I have seen them offered from 15USD to 45USD + shipping.

Hmm, I can do this myself!

Following a search of my photo collection I found a cluster of hanging fruit that complimented the lower tablet. Using PaintShopPro X6 by Corel I chose a water-colour effect, removed some fruit, changed the orientation of the image, adjusted the back lighting to match the tone of the lower tablet, cloned the deleted areas and darkened the stem and black-berries.

The first photo shows the source photo converted to a water-colour. The next shows the adjustments made to the “water-colour”. The third shows my first attempt without back-light darkening.

Using my wide carriage Epson Stylus 1400, here is my first attempt.

First attempt, a little lighter than what I was looking for
First attempt, a little brighter than what I was looking for but close

Colour-matching the lower tablet is a real challenge. More adjustments are required to get the right effect but I think I am on the right track.

If you have any suggestions on how I can improve my workflow I would love to hear from you.

 

Elisha Manross Steeple Clock – the early days of the American clock

Elisha Manross 30 hour movement

I acquired four old clocks in a barn find. Two, a 30 hour ogee and a mantel clock were salvageable only that I was able to take veneer, case parts, one movement and a few pieces.

The two other clocks are worth preserving. Though it is missing some case parts one of them is an Ansonia Drop Extra wall clock. It is the subject of a future article.

Steeple clocks of the 1840s signaled the design of later steeple clocks

Ansonia Extra short drop wall clock
Ansonia Drop Extra wall clock

The fourth clock is an American Elisha Manross 30 hour steeple clock which is the subject of this article.

Elisha Manross 30 hour steeple clock
Elisha Manross 30 hour steeple clock on right

This is an interesting variant of the sharp Gothic steeple clock. These early Steeple clocks though simple in style, influenced the design of later steeple clocks.

Veneer could use some cleaning
Veneer could use some cleaning, right steeple is missing, door is off

The clock has accumulated years of dust and grime. The movement though dirty runs remarkably well. The case is scuffed, has a myriad of marks and scratches and one or two deeper gouges. This clock has seen its share of abuse and neglect over the years.

I took the access door off and found the bottom door pin to be original but the top pin has been replaced with a finishing nail. A piece of pinion wire was fashioned and glued in place. It is missing the right side steeple base and the spire. It is also missing the minute hand which appears to have been snapped off at some point and lost. Also missing is the bottom tablet with plain glass fixed in its place. The pendulum bob appears to be original as is the coil gong. The dial face has a nice patina and is in good condition with some losses. It has readable Roman numerals but covered with shellac or varnish at one point. The numerals have also been touched up.

Exotic woods were used to cover the pine case. Elisha Manross clocks were either clad in Rosewood veneer or Mahogany. The Mahogany veneer on this clock is much thicker than the veneers typically used today. Manross clocks are produced with the Mahogany veneer in a vertical orientation and Rosewood veneer in a horizontal orientation. Manross made two steeple clocks. One is 20″ high and 10″ wide, the other is 19 1/2 inches high by 9 1/2 inches wide. The larger case would have made for other labels but the smaller size (this is the smaller mahogany clock) was produced in the Manross factory.

Nice aged patine, numbers have been touched up
Nice aged patine, numbers have been touched up

On the back of the door, left side of the upper tablet is the inscription 8/43, not once but twice. My first thought was an inventory or part number but if this is the month and date the clock was made it would be consistent with the brass mainsprings on the movement which makers used between 1836 and 1850. The label on the clock is in remarkable condition for a 175+ year old clock. However, the date (8/43) is inconsistent with the label which was printed by Elihu Geer at his shop on 10 State Street, Hartford Conn. According to one source Elihu Geer operated the print shop at this location after 1850. Perhaps but it seems reasonable that the clock was made in 1843.

8/43 inscribed on the back door
8/43 inscribed on the back door

Although Elisha Manross had been active in Bristol clock-making since 1812 or earlier he shows in the Bristol tax records as making clocks from 1842-1851. His business was dissolved in 1854 and the factory was purchased in 1855 by E.N. Welch.

Well preserved label
Well preserved label

Brass springs were invented and first used in 1836 by Joseph Shaylor Ives. Brass for mainsprings was evidently cheaper and more accessible than steel in the mid 1830s and 1840s. Silas B. Terry developed steel springs for clock use in the Bristol area circa 1847, and as steel improved and became cheaper brass springs quickly disappeared. In the history of the American clock brass springs had a very short life. The brass springs on the movement have survived a very long time which is unusual since most clocks of this age have had replacement steel springs.

The movement will be cleaned up and the case will be reconditioned including the replacement of the right steeple and base. I do not foresee the clock as being a daily runner.

Have you brought an old antique back to life be it a clock or a piece of furniture? Leave a comment about your own experiences.

The art of veneering – Part III – staining and finishing

This is Part III and the final part of a three part series on my first venture into veneer repair on an antique clock. Prior to beginning this project I spent many hours researching veneer repair, watching YouTube videos and seeking advice from my knowledgeable colleagues at NAWCC.

A recent acquisition, this is an 8-day Seth Thomas column and cornice time and strike shelf clock with sleigh front. It has a Plymouth (Hollow) lyre movement with a Thomaston Conn. label which means that the clock was made shortly before the incorporation of Thomaston in the early 1870s.

ST column and cornice , as found
ST column and cornice, as found

An example of veneer loss

I assessed this clock in Part I and described the steps in preparation for the veneer repair. In Part II I described the process of  applying veneer. Part III concerns the final finishing. Once the case work is complete I will focus my attention on servicing the movement, addressing the dial issues and replacing the clear glass with a floral pattern in the upper tablet.

The lighter coloured sections in the next photo are new veneer pieces. New veneer is found on the top of the cornice, the left cornice base, the right column support and sections of the bottom base.

Veneer repairs are complete
Veneer repairs (light areas) are complete

Finishing is the final phase of this project. In many respects this can be the most challenging phase of the project because once the hard work of applying veneer is complete the job means nothing if the new veneer does not match the old veneer. Although it can never be a perfect match the goal is to come as close as possible.

One finish seemed to stand out above the others

I conducted an experiment on leftover Brazilian Rosewood.

I selected three stains/finishes, Minwax Rosewood gel stain, Wipe-On Polyurethane satin clear coat and yellow shellac. I utilized various light sources to see the effect colour temperature had on the results and came to the conclusion that there was one finish that seemed to stand out above the others.

In the photo below there are three swatches on a piece of leftover veneer; Rosewood gel stain on the left, Wipe-On Polyurethane in the middle and on the right is yellow Shellac. Wipe-On Poly initially struck me as the best of the three; it is subtle while bringing out the character of the Brazilian Rosewood veneer while keeping that “aged” look but it is too muted. Rosewood gel is reddish and quite dark and looked very striking compared to the original Rosewood.

I concluded that yellow shellac was the best choice. Shellac darkens the veneer and accentuates the red tones nicely. Shellac would have been been the original finish when the clock was made and it is still the finish of choice today.

Comparing three stains
Comparing the three stains

Although veneering is a challenge, it is very rewarding work and I eagerly await my next project

New veneer above cornice, base of cornice is original though it looks like it was replaced
New veneer above cornice. The base of right cornice is original though it looks newer

Most of the base was replaced with new veneer
After two coats of shellac

After three coats of shellac, the case is complete

With dial and doors re-attached
With dial and doors re-attached, movement is out of the case at this stage

Although veneering is a challenge, it is very rewarding work and I eagerly awaiting my next veneering project.

Movement serviced and oiled
Lyre movement serviced and oiled

With the veneer repairs completed and the movement serviced there is still work to be done on this clock. I have decided that the gesso columns will stay as-is. Next is perfecting a tablet design for the access door to replace the clear glass, and finally, making a decision regarding the dial face; whether to leave as-is, find a suitable replacement or buy a new one from a clock supplier.

Seth Thomas column and cornice "Empire" style time and strike shelf clock
Seth Thomas column and cornice “Empire” style time and strike shelf clock

Lessons learned:

  • Allot a significant portion of time for the project, it is time-consuming and meticulous.
  • For an authentic repair hide glue must be used; avoid white or yellow carpenters glue though I would think there are rare times when it would be considered.
  • Hide glue:
    • must be a certain consistency to work properly. It should drip off the brush like honey. My hide glue was too thin at the start of the project.
    • will last a while in the fridge. Don’t cap the glue while it cools; condensation will hasten mold growth
  • Stay away from plastic based modern stains and finishes and go with shellac or any finish that would have been used at the time.
  • Some use filler to smooth the gaps between pieces of veneer, I did not use filler for this project; it is something I might consider next time.
  • A light sanding of the veneer is all you need, aggressive sanding will destroy the veneer (lesson learned).
  • Apply painters tape on the veneer before cutting; doing so eliminates ripping and tearing.
  • Use a sharp hobby knife
  • In future I would consider replacing larger sections rather than a patchwork of small pieces though that largely depends on how much veneer you have to work with.
  • Clamps are essential. Get various sizes of clamps and use wax paper between the clamp and the veneer, you will thank me!
  • Leave the area clamped for 24 hours. Although hide glue bonds quickly clamping for a day will ensure maximum adhesion.

This was a great project and I am confident that my next veneer project will be even better. Time, patience and perseverance are keys to a successful veneering project.

The art of veneering – Part II – veneer work

This is Part II of a three part series on my first venture into veneer repair on an antique clock. Prior to beginning this project I spent many hours researching veneer repair, watching YouTube videos and seeking advice from my knowledgeable colleagues at NAWCC.

This is an 8-day Seth Thomas column and cornice time and strike shelf clock with sleigh front. It has a Plymouth Lyre movement with a Thomaston Conn. label. The clock was made in the early 1870s.

Part I explores the steps in preparation for veneer repair.

The focus of this, Part II, is the selection of the correct veneer, working with hide glue, as well as cutting, applying and trimming the veneer.

Although one is tempted to use readily available yellow or white carpenters glue the only authentic product to use is hide glue

The veneer

I am not an expert in wood finishes and determining the type of veneer was my first major task. To do this I had to rely on expertise to tell me that I had Rosewood veneer. Once I discovered the type of veneer, I had to determine the quantity and the specific repairs that are required for this clock. My research revealed that the veneer used at the time was Brazilian Rosewood. An exotic wood, Rosewood would have been used extensively by clock-makers of that era and it is the correct veneer for this project. A clock friend (thanks JC) sent me two 7 X 8 inch pieces of Rosewood veneer, more than enough for the job.

The very worst sections were the top and bottom of the case and the column bases as one would expect given wear and tear over the years. Most of the cornice veneer is in good shape as are the door sections, door surrounds and the sleighs just above the feet.

Hide glue

One is tempted to use readily available yellow or white carpenters glue but the only authentic adhesive for clock case applications is hide glue. Hide glue is the glue of choice and it would have been utilized at the time the clock was manufactured. I chose pearl hide glue which is a type of hide glue rated at 150g Bloom strength. It takes takes a little longer to gel and with the longer working time it is better for applications like this when you need time to fit, but where high strength is not absolutely essential.

If you have never worked with hide glue, it is best to start with a small batch. My first batch was larger than I needed and too thin. Simply put 2 tablespoons (30ml) of glue in a heat-resistant glass container, cover with 1 tablespoons (15ml) of cold water and let soak for about an hour or until the glue softens and becomes gelatinous. Less is more and I recommend making small quantities. For about 20CDN you can buy a supply that will last a long time.

Place the container with the gelatinous glue in a bath of water in a pot especially designed for hide glue or a double boiler which I found worked just as well. Heat to approximately 140°F (60°C) and maintain the temperature. A candy thermometer is ideal to keep the glue at an even temperature.

Home-made double boiler with temperature maintained on a hot plate

Tools

Clamps, weights, tweezers, wax paper, a sharp knife, a metal straight-edge, painter’s tape, a micrometer, sand paper, palm sander and whatever you choose to use as a double boiler complete the list of tools.

A micrometer is an indispensable tool for accurate measurements. Accurate measurements ensure a good fit, minimize the use of fillers and lessen waste.

A micrometer ensures an accurate cut

Cutting, trimming & clamping

Cutting veneer can be tricky. Veneer is thin, brittle and can easily tear. Veneer today is different than veneer used 100+ years ago, it is very thin. On some clocks you may need to double-up, that is layer the veneer to approach the height of the original veneer.

Cutting can be a challenge since you must follow the grain and those narrow strips can break very easily. Painters tape is a true friend since it prevents tearing and it is easily removed from the veneer prior to application.

Painters tape ensure a rip free cut
Painters tape ensure a rip free cut

Painters tape easily peels off

You will never have enough clamps

I chose to work one area at a time moving from the bottom of the case to the top. The next photos shows veneer sections glued and clamped into place. Clamps are essential for veneer repair but when clamps do not work other methods such as weights can be employed. You will never have enough clamps! Although a clamp need only be in place for a few hours, having it on for a 24 hours is best for maximum adhesion.

Clamping cornice veneer
Clamping cornice veneer

Door piece and corner base piece is clamped
Door piece and corner base piece is clamped

The upper left cornice presented a unique challenge. A section was missing just above the cornice. Fashioned out of softwood it was glued in place.

A piece of pine was cut to fit
A piece of pine was cut to fit

strip of veneer applied
Strip of veneer glued in place;  prior to trimming and sanding

In this photo the piece for the curved part of the veneer is applied. The top area of the front cornice is now ready for staining and finishing.

Small angular cornice piece on left is glued in place

Top section almost complete and ready for staining
Top section is almost complete except for a left side cornice section (not visible in this shot)

As with any other project there will always be a slight colour variance as one would expect over the course of a century or more but the goal is to come as close to the original finish as possible

As mentioned the worst areas were the very top and very bottom of the case, expected after years of wear and tear. Another area which had veneer loss were the column bases. When possible I used old veneer to repair small areas but I found it very brittle and hard to work with. From my research I discovered that there are methods of softening old veneer but that can wait until the next project.

Right column base
Right column base, prior to sanding and trimming

After many hours the veneer work is now complete The next step is colour matching the new to the existing veneer. As you can see in the following photo the chip held by green tape shows that Rosewood Minwax Gel stain is a close match to the older veneer. My experimentation did not end. Part III explores other finishing options.

As with any other project such as this there will always be a slight colour variance as one would expect over the course of a century or more. The goal is to be as close as possible to the original finish.

Colour matching test: the green tape is holding a chip that has one coat of Rosewood stain

Now that the veneer work has been applied the next and final stage is finishing. Stay tuned for Part III in a few days time.

The art of veneering – Part I – general assessment and the work to be done

This is Part I of a three part series on my first venture with veneer repair on an antique clock. Prior to beginning this project I spent many hours researching veneer repair, watching YouTube videos and seeking advice from my knowledgeable colleagues at NAWCC.

Repairing veneer on a clock case is inevitable. As much as I love old clocks I will eventually purchase clocks that need a little TLC in the case department. This is that day. Collecting and repairing clocks is not only about cleaning and servicing the movement but the care and repair of clock cases. Aesthetics are equally important in clock work. A clock not only must run as it should but it must be appealing as well. Many of the clocks in my collection are in excellent condition and have required very little case restoration, nothing more than a touch up here and there. I have avoided clocks that need too much work. For example this 30-hour Waterbury Ogee required extensive movement repairs but the clock case was in exceptional condition.

Waterbury OG clock
The veneer on this Waterbury 30 hour Ogee is in excellent condition

The Seth Thomas case is in generally poor shape, has some crude repairs along with many corner chips and missing veneer sections here and there

One of my latest clocks offered me my first opportunity to learn the art of veneering. I really wanted this 8-day Seth Thomas column and cornice time and strike shelf clock and I was willing to overlook the veneer issues.

The clock is from the American Empire period which defined the early and mid nineteenth century design movement in American architecture. It has a Plymouth lyre movement with a Thomaston Conn. label. It has the two original 8.5 lb weights and pendulum bob. The lower tablet is original but the upper tablet which would have had a complimentary design is missing and replaced by clear glass. The dial is original having been introduced in the late Plymouth Hollow era circa 1862 up to about 1879 according to this site. The clock was made between 1875 when Thomaston was incorporated to 1879.

The case was intact save for one trim missing piece on the top section of the left cornice. There have been a number of crude repairs over the years which made the restoration somewhat frustrating but the veneer work was certainly within the limits of my capabilities.

Seth Thomas 8-day column and cornice with sleigh feet
Seth Thomas 8-day column and cornice with sleigh feet

Plymouth ST 6-day lyre movement
Plymouth ST 8-day lyre movement

Cornice trim piece
Cornice trim piece made from pine

New piece to replacing missing top section
New pine piece replaces missing section

The case is in relatively good shape but has some crude repairs along with many corner chips, missing veneer pieces here and there over the entire case save for most of the front cornice veneer and the sleighs which have stood up very well. The gesso columns have some finish loss but they will be left as is. The dial face has loss on the corners, barely visible floral designs on each corner, loss around the chapter ring and a large area of missing paint on the lower left bottom. There are three options for the dial face; a replacement dial, a repaint or leave as-is though this is a decision to be made at a future date. The clock did not come with hands but I have a spare set of Ogee hands that are appropriate for this clock.

Structurally the case is sound with no loose or moving parts save for a left side cornice which has let go and held on loosely by a small screw. The back panel looks secure though Robertson screws were used to re-attach it, a later repair since Robertson screws were not invented until 1908.

Dial in generally poor condition
Dial in generally poor condition

Loss of veneer on the cornice
Loss of veneer on the cornice

Different angle of the same cornice
Another view of the same cornice showing a poor attempt at a repair

The photos show that a previous owner tried unsuccessfully to hide the damaged veneer by applying a “matching” paint. I found wood filler beneath the paint which was used to raise the painted area to the level of the veneer. An appalling attempt at a repair.

Chipped veneer below sleigh foot
Chipped veneer below sleigh foot

Closer view of left foot
Closer view of left foot with veneer chipped off

The bottom left foot had corner veneer damage as one would expect after years of wear and abuse. On the left edge of the foot you can see the same dark paint used to hide the cornice damage.

Having reviewed the work to be done it is now time to move to the next step in the restoration of this clock case.

The art of veneering is a steep learning curve

The art of veneering is a steep learning curve. Part of that requires acquiring new skill-sets and acquiring an understanding of protein adhesives and finishes.

Part II, in one weeks time, will describe the steps in the application of veneer, trimming and sanding. Part III will detail the final finishing.

The lantern clock

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

french-fusee1
Lantern clock converted to a fusee movement

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

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

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

frecnh-fusee-3
Side view of fusee clock

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

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

POSTSCRIPT

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

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

Dial face with abraded numerals

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

Mauthe box clock
Mauthe box clock, as found

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

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

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

Rod twist lock
Rod twist lock to secure the rods during transport

I would comfortably date the clock to the 1930s

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

Maple leaf applique and Divina gong
Maple leaf applique and Divina gong

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

The price was right so I bought it

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

Mauthe movement front plate
Mauthe movement front plate

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

Mauthe movement back plate
Mauthe movement back plate

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

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

Divina rod gong
Divina rod gong, patented by Mauthe in 1912

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

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

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

Repainted numerals
Repainted numerals and hands

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

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

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

270 Year Old Clock – A True Work of Art

A work of art

In 2014 during a visit to Portugal I had a chance to visit one of the country`s premier museums in Lisbon.

They had a magnificent collection of antique clocks but this particular clock attracted my attention. This weight driven “Regulador” was made by Burgh, Bernard (II) van Risenburgh in Paris between 1745-50.  It is made of oak with exotic woods and bronze. The style is Rococo or late baroque, very ornate with elaborate though balanced and a less angular asymmetrical design.

RS art and antiquity museums (61)
French Rococo style floor or tall-case clock

RS art and antiquity museums (62)
Intricate detail of the clock face

It is truly a work of art.

 

Ship of Theseus and antique clock restoration

Converted lantern clock

Last month I posted a article on Minimal Invasive Intervention in which I posed the question, how far do you go to repair, restore or conserve a clock without changing it in a significant way? I was having a discussion with my daughter who is a civil engineer and she raised the philosophical argument that questions whether an object like a clock that has had all of its components replaced remains fundamentally the same object. This paradoxical thought experiment exercise is called the Ship of Theseus. Plutarch, a Greek philosopher, asked whether a ship that had been restored by replacing every single wooden part remained the same ship.

The ship wherein Theseus and the youth of Athens returned from Crete had thirty oars, and was preserved by the Athenians down even to the time of Demetrius Phalereus, for they took away the old planks as they decayed, putting in new and stronger timber in their places, in so much that this ship became a standing example among the philosophers, for the logical question of things that grow; one side holding that the ship remained the same, and the other contending that it was not the same.

— Plutarch, Theseus[2]

In Nova Scotia we have a sailing ship called the Bluenose II. It is the pride on our province, an important tourist attraction and our provincial ambassador. The original Bluenose was a fishing and racing schooner that ran aground and sank some 90 years ago. To honour the original Bluenose, the Bluenose II was built in the 1960s and she sailed for over 50 years before it was determined that she was in need of significant restoration. In the last 4 years the hull of the Bluenose II has been completely rebuilt. Some of the original vessel is being reused including: rigging, masts, sails, ironwork, deck structures, safety equipment and electronics. In time the masts, sails, rigging and deck structures and other components will be replaced. Will the ship be fundamentally the same? Will it retain it’s identity?

french-fusee1
Early English lantern clock

frecnh-fusee-3
English lantern clock converted to fusee movement

Let’s look at another example, the lantern clock. The lantern clock, a weight driven wall clock shaped like a lantern were the first type of clock widely used in English private homes in the 17th century. With the arrival of long-case clocks with 8-day movements the lantern clock became obsolete. Lantern clocks are very collectible today and those that are in “original” condition are the most desirable. The problem with lantern clocks is that almost all of them have been altered, even those regarded as totally genuine. In this example I will cite a quote from a seller of lantern clocks, D. and J. Benson, specialists in early English clocks.

We are strong believers that if a clock was converted to a different escapement many years ago, this should be retained, being part of the history of the clock, rather than reconverting clocks back to former guises. Only under compelling circumstances would a clock be returned to a former state. Only absolutely necessary restoration work is carried out in order that the original clock survives for future generations. We conserve rather than replace.

Some of the more expensive lantern clocks they offer for sale have early conversions from verge to anchor escapement. Later ones had the original movements removed and a fusee movement (single or double) installed. When converted original movements including alarm mechanisms were taken out, a single-hand was replaced with two hands (or the minute hand added), broken finals and door handles might have replaced, chapter rings re-silvered, doors are often lost due to their nature of lifting out easily. Therefore, what is the nature of the clock after it has been changed, how original is it and does it retain its identity?

One clock collector might have the opinion that if too much is done to restore a clock it is not fundamentally the same and cannot be considered original even though the new parts were made from the same materials and using the same methods when the clock was first made. Another might have the opinion that changes or alterations to the clock that bring it back to its original look and function including the making of new parts make it more “original” and therefore more desirable. Moreover, if the changes are not recognized by the observer, is the clock original?

Furthermore, if one replaces one part at a time on a clock so that at some point all parts are replaced, at what point does a clock no longer become the same clock? It follows that if you take all of those parts and make a “new” clock which of the two clocks is original? What is the nature of the clock’s identity since no two objects can occupy the same identity.

Gustav Becker two weight regulator
Gustav Becker two weight regulator

I am sure that those of you who are collectors have experienced the dilemma of identity. I know that when I bought my first Vienna Regulator I began to realize that many parts were replaced over the years and it made me wonder to what extent the clock is original. It is an unwinnable argument and I began to accept the notion that it may not matter to me or to a casual observer who may view the clock as completely original.

Minimal Invasive intervention – repair, restore or conserve? The Ingraham Huron | A Case in Point

Front and back plates

How Far Do You Go to Repair or Restore a Clock?

How far should one go to repair, restore, or conserve a clock without changing it in a significant way? Minimal invasive intervention is a term I “borrowed” from a clock forum I frequent. Some collectors argue that any work done on an antique clock detracts from its value—much like replacing the motor on an antique car. It may look nice, but it’s ultimately less desirable.

At the end of this article, I’ve included several questions that collectors might consider when faced with this dilemma.

When does performing too much work on a clock affect its collector value? If you go too far, does it lose its attraction as a collectible item? A true collector is often more interested in a movement that has never been touched than one that has been repaired or restored. But just how far should one go with a non-working vintage or antique clock? While it’s always desirable to have a running clock, most understand that getting a movement to actually function requires at least some invasive intervention—such as bushing or pivot reconstruction.

Repair implies correcting faults or poor servicing that may alter a clock from its original form.
Restoration involves rebuilding parts of the movement or case to return it to an “as-new” condition.
Conservation focuses on protecting and preserving a clock using effective methods to maintain its originality for as long as possible.

Some degree of intervention is not only necessary but, for some collectors, even desirable.

The Case of the Ingraham Huron Shelf Clock

To illustrate, let’s look at my 1878 Ingraham Huron time-and-strike shelf clock, an American-made piece with a uniquely designed rosewood case. For a 147-year-old clock, the case is in remarkable condition and always draws attention. The hands, pendulum, sash, and bezel hardware are all original. There are no cracks, breaks, or missing pieces. The case was cleaned with Murphy’s Oil Soap and water, followed by a light coat of shellac. The dial shows a natural buildup of grime that, while some may see it as unsightly, contributes to its authentic character—and that, I will not touch.

RS April 12th
Ingraham Huron shelf clock circa 1878

The movement is original but bears evidence of poor past repairs. In small-town Nova Scotia, access to professional clockmakers was limited, so people often relied on local tinkerers to get their clocks running again. In those days, a clock was an appliance—something that needed to work, not a collector’s treasure. Quick and inexpensive fixes were the goal, and as a result, questionable methods were sometimes used. This movement shows plenty of solder, with misaligned gears and new pivot holes drilled into the plates. The soldering was likely done in the 1940s, when soldering guns became common.

RS Ingraham movement (2)
This lantern pinion has plenty of solder

When I got it, the clock ran for two or three days on a full wind before stopping. A gentle nudge of the pendulum gets it going again, but it soon stops once more. From the front, little seems wrong, but once the movement is removed from the case, the problems become clear—particularly the invasive solder repairs.

Repair, Restore, or Conserve?

I brought the clock to a certified horologist, and we discussed which approach to take: repair, restore, or conserve? He shared a story about a customer who brought in a kitchen clock (also known as a “gingerbread” clock)—a family heirloom they wanted running again. These clocks are common today; thousands were made, and few have significant market value. Yet sentimental value often outweighs monetary worth. In such cases, he repairs the clock to the customer’s satisfaction but if the movement is beyond repair, he recommends replacing it with a period-correct one. Most customers accept this solution, but collectors recognize that a clock with a replacement movement holds little or no collector value.

RS Ingraham movement (4)
Piece added to the plate, second arrow shows new pivot hole

In my case, the horologist advised that my Ingraham Huron’s movement should not be replaced. Instead, it should be carefully restored to its original condition.

Collectors are always on the hunt for untouched examples, but finding an antique clock that has never been altered is rare. Using this clock as an example, a repair might reduce its originality—and thus its value—while a proper restoration could increase both its appeal and desirability.

Questions for the Collector

When deciding how to approach an antique or vintage clock that needs work, I ask myself the following:

  • Is undoing the “damage” caused by an earlier poor repair considered an overly invasive procedure?
  • If the repair was done shortly after the clock was made and clearly documented, should it be left untouched?
  • Is a poor repair part of the clock’s historical provenance, and should it remain as-is?
  • Would bringing the movement back to its original state be considered a restoration or a repair?
  • In the case of the Ingraham Huron, does removing all the solder qualify as minimal invasive intervention?
  • Will the repair enhance or diminish the clock’s value?
  • Would choosing not to repair or restore it be considered conservation?

In my view, conservation represents the least invasive form of intervention, while repair and restoration involve progressively greater degrees of change.

So, how far would you go?

In the end, the question of how far to go in repairing or restoring a clock echoes the ancient Ship of Theseus paradox. When every part of a clock has been repaired, replaced, or renewed, does it remain the same clock? Perhaps the answer lies not in its parts but in its essence—the story it tells, the hands that have wound it, and the generations who have listened to it mark the passing of time. Whether we choose to repair, restore, or conserve, each decision reflects our own philosophy of preservation: what we value more—the clock’s originality, or its ability to keep time once again.

 

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