How far do you go repairing, restoring or conserving a vintage or antique clock without changing it in a significant way? My daughter. a civil engineer 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 exercise … More Preserve, Conserve or Restore, a clockmakers dilemma
Clock collecting from a beginner’s perspective. That was the subject of my first blog post six years ago. Since then I have seen a lot of excellent and not-so-good blogs come and go but I wanted to give it my best shot and after 6 years, well, I am still here. I started with a … More First blog post – 6 years ago
It should have been an easy fix but often when working with clock movements unexpected issues occasionally crop up. The clock was purchased in the fall of 2018. This Seth Thomas #2 Regulator has had little done to it except oiling the movement and cleaning up the case. It is one of the most accurate … More Replacing a suspension spring on a Seth Thomas #2 Regulator
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 #29 – A bob for a Pequegnat wall clock
Let me begin by saying that some people have good luck with torsion clocks and while others loathe them. For such a simple device they provide misery for some and it is no wonder that clock repairers steer away from them. I seem to be one of the lucky ones. I gifted this clock to … More Anniversary clock repair – a replacement suspension spring
Let’s get rid of DST. It is anachronistic, a dumb nuisance and there is no place for it in our modern world. Today, of the 195 countries in the world, approximately 70 countries utilize Daylight Saving Time in at least a portion of the country. Japan, India, and China are the only major industrialized countries that do not observe some form … More Daylight Savings Time ends – time to set your clocks behind one hour
A couple of years ago my daughter gave me a Horolovar guide as a Christmas gift. Any horologist will agree that the Horolovar guide is indispensable when working with 400-day clocks. It is not a manual one opens up regularly but when working on 400-day or anniversary clocks, as they are often called, it is … More Horolovar guide and how to determine the correct suspension spring for a 400 day clock
Some time ago I wrote an article on an interesting acquisition, an Ansonia Extra Drop, a true barn find. This Ansonia Extra Drop time-only Rosewood veneered wall clock was manufactured in the early 1880s by what was then known as the Ansonia Brass and Copper Company. It was in pretty rough shape when I bought … More Ansonia Drop Extra does not run and a rusty mainspring is the culprit
What defines a successful clock day? When everything goes according to plan, I’d say. I ordered a number of parts from a clock supplier that finally arrived recently. Among the supplies was a good quality pivot oiler, a mainspring for the time side of a mantel clock, a set of better quality broaches and movement … More What defines a successful clock day?
Older readers growing up in the rural areas of Canada and American have fond memories of the one-room schoolhouse clock located in the front or rear of the classroom. Just how did the schoolhouse clock get its name? As the teacher instructed the students to work quietly on their own students would look up furtively … More The schoolhouse clock – how it got its name
When people living in the Yukon Territory, Canada switch their clocks forward to Daylight Saving Time Sunday March 8th, it will be for the last time. The government announced March 4th, that the territory will keep the time change permanent, after hearing an overwhelming majority of residents said they would rather remain an hour ahead … More Day light savings time – time to see it end
Every now and then a clock is temperamental. I am not talking about the signs of wear that will certainly stop a clock but occasionally it is serviced, everything looks good but it is downright cantankerous. Anyone who has 400-day anniversary clocks knows exactly what I mean. Are clocks moody? I relocated my unmarked Vienna … More Are clocks temperamental? Is my one-weight Vienna Regulator moody?
Tick-Talk Tuesday is about the letters and comments I have received from you, the reader, concerning your clock, issues you might have had, challenges you face or a clock you would like me to profile. I offer my responses to your questions with advice on your particular clock concern. For those comments and questions that … More Tick Talk Tuesday #23 – Forestville clock with electromechanical movement
When I bought this clock I was not sure what I had. There is no label, no makers name on the dial and an unsigned movement. I thought, Gilbert, Sessions? This clock was hanging on the wall of a local antique shop with no price. When I inquired the shop owner said that he just … More Gilbert Admiral schoolhouse clock – first look
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. This George H. Clark 30-hour shelf clock is a very good example of … More George H Clark Ogee clock – movement and dial work
Over-winding a clock is a common myth. The world of horology reveals an assortment of interesting expressions as well as the misuse of words and terms. For classic example; why do some refer to shelf clocks as Mantle clocks when a mantel is something you wear like a shawl or a cloak? Mantel, such as … More Over-winding a clock is a myth
The first day of spring is called the vernal equinox (sometimes also referred to as the spring equinox or March equinox) and it is almost always either March 20 or March 21 though it will fall on March 20 for the next two years in a row. The first day of the spring season is … More Spring comes early this year but not by much! Adjust your clocks
On March 10th Daylight Savings Time began at 3:00am in Canada. Over 100 years ago on July 1, 1908, the residents of Port Arthur, Ontario, today’s Thunder Bay, turned their clocks forward by 1 hour to start the world’s first DST period. Spring ahead, Fall behind In Canada we refer to it as Daylight Saving … More Spring ahead – Daylight Savings Time – set your clocks!
I decided that it was time to service this attractive New York-styled Sperry and Shaw 30 hour time and strike, four column hour-strike clock. The case measures 25 1/2 inches in height by 14 inches in width, very close to the dimensions of a typical ogee clock. This clock is an estate auction buy. The … More Sperry and Shaw 30 hour four column New York Style shelf clock – servicing the movement
My wife loves those little craft shops that seem to pop up everywhere. While shopping for Christmas presents in Truro, Nova Scotia, she spotted an attractive Seth Thomas balloon alarm clock. It is not working, said the vendor but my wife knew that her clock loving husband would likely get it running in no time. … More Seth Thomas Alarm Clock – big and ugly but I like it
Regular viewers may recall this post in September 2018. Added are new photos and additional information on this project. I wrote about this Ansonia Extra Drop wall clock barn find in a previous article. It has been a test bed for case restoration techniques I have never attempted before. A barn find clock in pieces … More Making a drop door for an Ansonia Drop Extra wall clock
One of my newest acquisitions is a Seth Thomas Regulator #2 which I found in Bloomfield during my travels through Ontario. Bloomfield is a few minutes from Picton which is a major centre in Prince Edward County, known for it many wineries. These clocks do not come up very often; the price was right and … More Seth Thomas Regulator #2 wall clock
I discovered this Arthur Pequegnat Moncton in an antique store in Bloomfield, Ontario. I had my eye on it during a visit to the antique shop this past summer (2018), thought about it before taking the plunge later in the fall to buy it. These clocks do not come up very often and the price … More Arthur Pequegnat Moncton wall clock
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
There are four general categories of clock mechanisms; quartz, electro-mechanical, electric, and mechanical. Mechanical clocks be they antique or vintage types are the focus of this post and if your clock has stopped perhaps I can help. It may surprise some to know that mechanical clocks need periodic winding Perhaps you have a newly acquired … More My antique clock stopped, what do I do?
Ominous The Spirit is an artist that makes music, paints, and creates photography. He donates 100% of profits to charity.
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