I absolutely love Art Deco clocks. They are understated, elegant, have great collector value and are timeless, of course (!). Although we tend to throw the term around loosely Art Deco is actually derived from the phrase Arts Décoratifs which was a dominant decorative art style of the 1920s and 1930s, it’s heyday. This unique form is characterized … More Smiths Enfield Art Deco mantel clock
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
I acquired this mechanical Kienzle World Time clock recently from an antique shop in Quebec. No matter where you are in the world this clock will tell you the local time. Quite ingenious! This is accomplished through a rotating hour indicator in the lower half of the clock. As the time advances the indicator moves along with it … More Kienzle World Clock
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
Oiling your mechanical clock is an essential part of its maintenance, ensuring smooth operation and longevity. Proper lubrication reduces friction between moving parts, preventing wear and tear while keeping the movement running smoothly over time. During the summer of 2016, my wife and I were traveling through the Muskoka area of the province of Ontario … More How to oil your mechanical clock
Regular readers might have followed my progress on this 1927 Sessions tambour style clock. After installing 10 bushings, replacing the pendulum bob and suspension spring and reassembling and oiling the clock and the springs I am now in the process of regulating this old clock. I am finding that despite all the work I … More Sessions Beveled Number 2
Let me take you on a brief journey as we explore the history of the bracket clock. If you’re already familiar with them, perhaps I can offer some additional insights into what exactly defines a bracket clock. So, what exactly is a bracket clock? A bracket clock is a type of shelf or mantel clock. … More The Bracket Clock
Have you ever stayed at an inn or B&B? If you have you might have noticed those that have some sort of historical significance with furniture dating back a 100 years or more, have the odd antique or vintage clock. However, it frustrates me to no end to see them not running. In the summer of 2014 my wife and … More Inns and B&Bs – why don’t the clocks work?
Last summer (2015) I bought a Blackforest time-only shelf clock for $10 at a small antique store in Kazabazua, Quebec which you see pictured below. To be fair it did not look like this when I bought it. It was quite beaten up and a case refresh was sorely needed which included stripping and re-staining. It’s a relatively simple … More Searching for a donor movement pays off
Every clock owner wants to know what their clock is worth and every clock seller wants to know what price they can ask for. This article will provide a guide to buying or selling an antique or vintage clock. I will attempt to answer the following questions beginning with comments about the unpredictable clock market. … More What is my clock worth?
My wife and I were at a little antique shop just outside Truro, Nova Scotia on a typical Sunday drive. I found a lovely Black Forest time-only shelf clock that was reasonably priced and bought it because it had a simple plate movement I was looking for. My wife on the other hand wandered through the … More The 400 day anniversary clock
What is a shelf clock? If you have a number of clocks as I do it can be quite confusing to describe each specific type to the average person but it is really quite simple. Let me explain how you can identify the clock you might be looking at. The term shelf clock is a broad category but I believe it can be … More The shelf clock – what is it, exactly?
Shelf clocks such as the one pictured have always been hard to find though I did stumble upon this one very recently (April 2016) at an antique store in Great Village, Nova Scotia. Why, because of their cheap construction and inexpensive movements, not many of these clocks have survived over the years. This one might have had a … More A curious little Blackforest shelf clock
Restoring the case was relatively simple. After a thorough cleaning to lift the accumulated grime, a wax overcoat, touch-ups in discrete areas with yellow shellac, the case is very presentable for a 138 year old clock. I cleaned up the brass bezel but left the paper dial untouched. The hands are original and left those … More Ingraham Huron – the secret within – Part III
December 18th marks the day that my Arthur Pequegnat Maple Leaf fan-top is off to repair. Sadly this is a repair that I cannot perform myself at this stage of my learning. The problem is essentially a clutch plate off the centre arbor that is not engaging the gear for the strike side. The result … More Maple Leaf clock is sent off for repairs
In November 2015, I added an Arthur Pequegnat Maple Leaf “fan top” to my collection. The clock was advertised as non-running, and the seller’s description was accurate—it had its share of challenges. While gingerbread-style kitchen clocks don’t typically appeal to me, I felt that, as a Canadian, if I were to own one, it should … More Arthur Pequegnat Maple Leaf Kitchen Clock
This is a Sessions Tambour style clock that, according to the label on the inside back access door is a Beveled Number 2. Seems like an odd name for a clock. It is a fairly attractive mantel clock featuring a mahogany finish with faux inlay just below the dial. It is a time and strike … More Sessions Tambour Style clock
I acquired my Sessions Raven clock about a year ago. It had been serviced by someone knowledgeable about clocks and arrived in excellent condition. The movement had clearly been disassembled, oiled, tested, and the case carefully reconditioned. Interestingly, it also came with a set of instructions from the person who had worked on it. I … More Sessions Raven clock
This is a Blackforest shelf or kitchen clock made before the Second Word War. Blackforest is a Canadian clock company. The Blackforest Clock Company of Toronto, Ontario was founded by Leopold and Sara Stossel in 1928. Both clock movements and complete clocks were imported from Germany and sold through department and jewelry stores across Canada. Their … More Blackforest shelf / kitchen / cottage clock
Antique and Vintage Mechanical Clocks 
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