tall case clock – Antique and Vintage Clocks

William McLachlan – Scottish clockmaker – what ChatGPT taught me

February 24, 2023

Confronted with the prospect of finding little else about William McLachlan I was curious about how ChatGPT might help. Read on and you will find the results quite interesting. First of all, what is ChatGPT? ChatGPT is a sophisticated computer program that is designed to understand natural language input from users and generate appropriate (my … More William McLachlan – Scottish clockmaker – what ChatGPT taught me

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Tick Talk Tuesday #36 – a tall case clock is transformed

October 12, 2021

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 or my responses to your questions with advice on your particular clock concern. For those comments and questions that stump … More Tick Talk Tuesday #36 – a tall case clock is transformed

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New Haven movement servicing

October 1, 2021

This movement came out of an unknown tall case clock that I am certain did not come out of New Haven’s factory. The case appears to have been made by an unknown case builder and I believe the movement, coil gong, dial face, and pendulum were all sourced from the New Haven Clock Company as … More New Haven movement servicing

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Refinements to a tall case clock test stand

January 14, 2021

Those involved in clock repair must use a special stand for testing tall case clock movements. There are many varieties of stands most of which are home-built though commercial ones are available in the $2-300 range. Early last year (2020) I purchased a Scottish tall case clock. Those familiar with English bell strike movements know … More Refinements to a tall case clock test stand

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Scottish tall case clock with new top finials

September 27, 2020

The final step in the repair/restoration of my tall case clock are the top finials. This clock had top corner finials at one point in its life. There is evidence that something was there on either side of the crown. I have no idea what they might have looked like but judging from photos of … More Scottish tall case clock with new top finials

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English bell strike servicing Part I – the assessment

July 13, 2020

In February 2020 my wife was perusing an online auction house looking for interesting bargains and noticed a 170-year-old Scottish tall case offered for bidding. Over the past couple of years we had talked about acquiring an antique tall case clock but those we liked were either well beyond our reach or required extensive repairs … More English bell strike servicing Part I – the assessment

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Restoring an 1850s Scottish tall clock case – Part II

June 11, 2020

Restoring the case of an 1850s period Scottish tall case clock with an English bell strike is the subject of this blog. This is Part II of a two-part series. Check out Part I here. While the case was made in Scotland, the movement, dial and weights are all from Birmingham, England made at or … More Restoring an 1850s Scottish tall clock case – Part II

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Restoring an 1850s Scottish tall clock case – Part I

June 7, 2020

This is my first experience with a tall case clock from the 1850s and my first venture into English bell strike movement servicing. Let me explain. Although the case was made in Scotland, the movement, dial and weights are all from Birmingham, England made at or before 1850. The clock was in fair condition when … More Restoring an 1850s Scottish tall clock case – Part I

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Disassembling an antique tall case clock

March 29, 2020

The disassembly of an antique tall case clock need not be a daunting task. When I bought this clock at auction at the beginning of 2020 I put into practice some of the things I had learned when transporting a Ridgeway grandfather clock in 2013. My advice is to work slowly and methodically but think … More Disassembling an antique tall case clock

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7 reasons why a hobby is your oasis for the coming dark days

March 25, 2020

Amid the health crisis ensnaring the world today finding escape is good for the soul. Social distancing, self-isolation, and sheltered-in-place are terms representing new realities. However, we must all use our time at home constructively engaged in meaningful activities and mine is the repair and restoration of old clocks. Horology allows me to drift into … More 7 reasons why a hobby is your oasis for the coming dark days

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Scottish tall case clock circa 1850s

March 17, 2020

For the past several years my wife and I have been searching for an authentic antique tall case clock. I finally found one at an estate auction an hour down the road from where I live and seized the opportunity to purchase a clock I knew practically nothing about. In this blog article, I will … More Scottish tall case clock circa 1850s

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Antique clock shopping experience

September 3, 2019

Although I did not buy any clocks during my trip to the west here are examples of what you might find in some of the better quality antique shops. The three shops these clocks are from are located on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Let the photos speak for themselves. captions identify some of the … More Antique clock shopping experience

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Tick Talk Tuesday #19 – what is my clock worth?

December 18, 2018

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 … More Tick Talk Tuesday #19 – what is my clock worth?

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Perspective on Horological (clock) Development

September 8, 2018

Need a quick primer on developments and inventions in horology. You have come to the right place. Though by no means a definitive guide the following are some important dates in the history of the clock as gathered through a number of sources. The difficultly in affixing some dates with precision results from discrepancies among … More Perspective on Horological (clock) Development

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Macdonald Museum in Middleton Nova Scotia

The Macdonald Museum – if you are a clock fan, or even if you are not, this small museum may surprise you

June 24, 2018

I have been to Middleton, Nova Scotia many times. I have even passed the Macdonald Consolidated School where the clock museum is located without realizing what treasures lay inside. The clock museum represents a small section of the museum, the remainder of which is dedicated to the history of the area. In the Spring of … More The Macdonald Museum – if you are a clock fan, or even if you are not, this small museum may surprise you

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Clocks we saw while on a visit to Spain and Portugal

April 21, 2018

In the early spring, my wife and I travelled to Portugal and Spain. We attended our daughter’s destination wedding in Sintra, Portugal and we decided to expand our stay, visit Spain and see the sights in Barcelona and Montserrat. Spain has always been on our bucket list and it did not disappoint. Being a clock … More Clocks we saw while on a visit to Spain and Portugal

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Westclox display at the Candian Clock Museum

What style of clock do I have?

January 27, 2018

The clock is an instrument designed to keep and indicate time. It is one of the oldest human inventions. The clock has evolved through the ages from sundials in ancient times to early tower clocks of the 14th century and weight driven clocks and finally spring driven clocks from the 1840s to the 1970s. A … More What style of clock do I have?

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Setting up your modern tall-case (grandfather) clock

December 16, 2017

You’ve decided on a new location for your grandfather clock. Now it is time to set it up. Before you do anything ensure that the clock is level and preferably on a hard surface. Wood floors are great but carpeted floors are not optimal. There are 4 leveling wheels or points on the bottom of … More Setting up your modern tall-case (grandfather) clock

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Tick Talk Tuesday #12 – Arthur Pequegnat Nelson hall clock

October 3, 2017

Tick-Talk Tuesday is about the letters and comments I have received from you, the reader, concerning your clock, issues you might have had and challenges you face and my responses to your questions with advice on your particular clock concern and of course, my general comments. For those comments and questions that stump even me, … More Tick Talk Tuesday #12 – Arthur Pequegnat Nelson hall clock

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270 Year Old Clock – A True Work of Art

May 9, 2017

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 … More 270 Year Old Clock – A True Work of Art

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Grandfather clock – why not call it a tall clock, long-case or floor clock?

February 25, 2017

How did we get the name grandfather clock? Most serious clock collectors and enthusiasts do not use the term grandfather clock when conversing with each other. Firstly, most clock collectors and enthusiasts do not use the term grandfather clock when interacting with each other. I tend to use the word when conversing with family and … More Grandfather clock – why not call it a tall clock, long-case or floor clock?

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Is my clock worth fixing?

December 8, 2016

Is your clock worth fixing? That depends on many factors which I will explore in this article. People acquire vintage and antique clocks for many reasons and in this article I will examine four reasons why your clock might be worth fixing. 1) Sentimental value: The first is a clock with emotional or sentimental value. … More Is my clock worth fixing?

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Clocks I discovered on my summer travels (2016)

November 9, 2016

Once a year we travel to central Canada and since I am always on the lookout for clocks when I am on the road, they can show up in the strangest of places. We stopped a a boutique hotel in downtown Quebec City and came across this Snider Starburst clock in the dining area. Many … More Clocks I discovered on my summer travels (2016)

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Hugh Gordon longcase clock

September 12, 2016

Hugh Gordon, clock-maker worked in Aberdeen, Scotland from 1748-90. He had previously worked in Edinburgh and London. Although a very proficient maker little of his work seems to have survived. This is a friend’s clock and I was asked to research it. Unfortunately, I have discovered very little so far. This time and strike clock … More Hugh Gordon longcase clock

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Inns and B&Bs – why don’t the clocks work?

June 20, 2016

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?

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Collecting, repairing and restoring antique and vintage mechanical clocks

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