It has taken me 6 years to assemble my collection of antique and vintage clocks. Although I have many clocks, wall clocks are my particular favorites. Check out my collection of antique and vintage wall clocks in this YouTube video I made in January 2019. Feel free to comment.
A working clock for $25? You can’t go wrong. Found this little schoolhouse clock not 10 minutes from where I live. It is a Sessions Drop Octagon. It was manufactured in Forestville Conn. USA in the early 1920s and spent most of it’s life hung in a one-room schoolhouse near Springhill, Nova Scotia (Canada). The … More Sessions Drop Octagon – a pint-sized schoolhouse clock
Old Clock nice wood and brass good glass works great have both keys Seller wants $60. Nice Sessions American time and strike mantel clock at a good price but really, 2 keys? All American time and strike clocks require one key only.
Clock collecting and repair allows me to combine my other hobby, photography with the world of horology. I have seen so many poor photos of clocks that I thought I would cover one small aspect of photography, macro photography. The following is a generalist approach to macro photography that is intended to allow the hobbyist … More Using a macro lens to photograph your clock
We have a couple of antique stores in our small town. Calling them antique stores is a bit of a stretch because there is usually more junk inside than actual antiques. We were shopping in the area of one of those “antique” stores and my wife turned to me and said, “Let’s go in”. I … More Canada Clock Co. – a cottage clock from the early 1880s
Is clock collecting (and repair) part of the counter-technology revolution? Many years ago, social scientists predicted with the onset of modern technology it would sap us of our knowledge. Our brains would simply melt away. Concentration and initiative would be sucked out of us. Why would you need to know anything if it is readily … More Is clock collecting part of the counter-technology revolution?
I enjoy the ritual of winding my clocks once a week. It gives me a chance to “see how they are doing”. Each one is like a friend and my mission is to take care of them. As I go from clock to clock I listen carefully as I wind each one, adjust as necessary … More Clock therapy – it’s not a pill or counseling but it works!
Regulating your clock is the process of making repeated, precise adjustments to its mechanism with the goal of enhancing its accuracy and ensuring it functions as a reliable timekeeper over an extended period. The running of your mechanical clock is influenced by three key factors: neglect, friction, and the environment. These elements will determine whether … More Regulating your mechanical clock – its easier than you think
It this day and age it is very common to have family scattered to the four winds. What time is it is such and such? Why not create timezone clocks? I live in Canada and I have one daughter in Calgary, Alberta, one of our mid-western provinces and one in Victoria, BC, on the … More Timezone clocks – keeping track of family across the country
Do you like the challenge of working on a mechanical clock? This one might have you ripping your hair out. These are not the best clocks to start on and can be a headache for the experienced clock-maker. You will find Part I of this project here and Part II, here. In August 2015 I … More Sessions Westminster A mantel clock Part III – re-assembly and cursing the chime drive
Tick-Talk Tuesday is about the letters and comments I have received from you, the reader, concerning your clocks, issues you might have had and challenges you face and my responses to your questions with advice on your particular clock concern(s). For those comments and questions that stump even me, I consult within my clock circles … More Tick-Talk Tuesday #4 – question about Sessions Westminster A clock
This is Part II of a multi part series on the Sessions Westminster A chiming mantel clock. Inside the plates they are a conventional Sessions clock. Outside the plates is an entirely different story Sessions Westminster A clocks are true chiming clocks that play the Westminster chime sequences on the quarter hours and strike the … More Sessions Westminster A mantel clock Part II – Dis-assembly
This is Part I of a multi-part blog wherein I explore the challenges of repairing a Sessions Westminster A tambour style time, strike and chime mantel clock. This part is the introduction. In August 2015 I wrote, “This a good project clock that is not for the inexperienced. As I gain more knowledge I will … More Sessions Westminster A mantel clock Part I – Let’s explore this clock a little further
I recently purchased a vintage Canadian made New Haven 8-day short drop octagon time and strike clock. It is in the familiar style of a schoolhouse clock. The New Haven Clock Company lasted just over 100 years. Sadly, The New Haven Clock Company lasted just over 100 years. Much of the history of the New … More New Haven Short Drop Octagon – two curious features
This year I decided to part with three of my vintage clocks. Rather than sell them which would have offset tool purchases, I decided that there is no better way than gifting them. I have three adult children (is that an oxymoron?) and it was a matter of allowing them to choose what clock they … More Timely Treasures – Gifting a Mechanical Clock
I scour the online for-sale sites frequently and I am always amused by some of the clock ads that folks write. I wish I could post some pictures, some of the clocks are truly pathetic but copyright law prevents me from doing so but at least present the unique descriptions. None of the spelling errors … More Hilarious and other interesting clock ads
My recent acquisition of another schoolhouse clock stimulated my curiosity and prompted me to do some research on the origin of the name. In this article I will describe my thoughts on how the schoolhouse clock came to be and my most recent Sessions wall clock purchase. During my research I found it very interesting … More The schoolhouse clock that was never called the schoolhouse clock
Sadly the number of antique shops in Nova Scotia is dwindling. We were antiquing in the city of Halifax (Nova Scotia, Canada) this past spring and one of the store owners remarked that there used to be dozens of antique shops in the city, now only a few remain. There are still a few antique … More Antiquing on a Sunday afternoon
Everybody appreciates a serviced clock when they are making a purchase. However, there is no acceptable definition for the term “Fully Serviced”. Fully serviced may mean one thing for the amateur clock collector and repairer and another to a professional clock repair shop. The other day I was responding to a FaceBook post which offered a … More What the term a “fully serviced” clock really means
In this fourth and final entry of the series I will discuss bushing work, re-assembly and finally, testing and mounting the movement back into it’s case. Part I of this series can be found here, Part II here and Part III here, Once the pivots are inspected, cleaned and polished it is now time to install any bushings required as result … More Servicing a Sessions American No. 2 mantel clock Part IV
The movement is disassembled and now it is time for further inspection, cleaning, servicing the mainsprings, pegging the pivot holes, polishing the pivots and installing bushings where needed. In this, Part III we will cover cleaning and mainspring servicing. I have a small ultrasonic cleaner so I tend to clean parts in batches since this … More Servicing a Sessions American No. 2 mantel clock Part III
This is Part II of the Sessions American No. 2 servicing. As I mentioned in my last blog entry (Part I) this clock was running but is in need of a little attention. This is a fairly simple clock to work on for an American time and strike movement. I cannot stress enough that photos … More Servicing a Sessions American No. 2 mantel clock Part II
I am going to take you, the reader, through the process I follow when servicing a clock. There will be several posts in this series. I am not a trained expert in clock repair, nor do I do this for profit and have learned most of what I know through trial and error, careful study … More Servicing a Sessions American No. 2 mantel clock, Part I
After not having visited my sister in some time I was surprised to find that she is an avid clock collector. I must stress the word collector because although she appreciates the beauty of each clock she has acquired over the years how they run is somewhat of a mystery to her and that is just … More So, my sister also loves clocks
Regular readers have followed my progress on this 1927 Sessions tambour style clock. Better news this time. After installing 10 bushings, repairing the strike click, replacing the pendulum bob and suspension spring and reassembling and oiling the clock and the springs I am having excellent success regulating this fine old clock. On a full wind I am … More Sessions clock final thoughts
You must be logged in to post a comment.