Clocks at our summer retreat

Taking a look at this Ansonia cotteg clockwith the dial off

At our seasonal cottage located in central Canada, we enjoy displaying a small selection of clocks, during the summer months.

The first clock, displayed for a number of years, was a Danial Dakota time and strike clock, which we had converted to a quartz movement. This clock, originating from the 1960s, incorporated Chinese design elements that were inspired by American clocks of that era. It required minimal maintenance and provided very good accuracy.

To operate, it relied on a “C” cell battery. This chiming clock offered both Westminster and Whittington chimes, with my wife and I favouring the Whittington chime.

However, after a period of time we grew weary of the clock’s artificial electronic musical tone, and thus we decided to replace the Danial Dakota clock with a proper mechanical clock.

The Mauthe time and strike box clock we acquired as a replacement at the cottage features a raised maple leaf on its crown. This detail leads me to believe that it was likely sold under a Canadian brand, possibly marketed specifically for a department store or jewellery store. The distinctly Canadian touch with the maple leaf emblem, adds to its charm and appeal in our Canadian cottage setting.

_{Mauthe box clock with maple leaf emblem on the crown}

Next to the box clock is a captivating oak-cased gallery clock produced by the Empire Clock Co. of England. It was acquired through an auction in Nova Scotia and boasts a unique feature — a 10-inch dial instead of the more common 12-inch dial seen in similar gallery clocks.

Despite its resemblance to a fusee clock, it operates with a conventional spring-driven mechanism, which means its timekeeping performance is average at best.

Adorning the wall of our sunroom is a familiar time-only schoolhouse clock that was recently gifted to me. It features a sizable 12-inch Roman Numeral dial and a pendulum visible through reverse-painted glass.

Although it has a few minor veneer imperfections that I plan to address later this year, I have already examined the movement and confirmed its excellent condition. After re-oiling it, I carefully placed the movement back into its case.

Displayed in our family room is a Hermle clock that harkens back to a nostalgic design known as the “wag-on-a-wall” style. This clock operates on a weight-driven mechanism and includes both timekeeping and striking functions. It emits a delightful bim-bam sound by striking on three rods.

The design aesthetic of this clock strongly resembles the clocks manufactured in the 1960s, which aligns with its likely production period. While it possesses a plain and unadorned appearance, it carries a certain charm and serves as a reminder of that era.

Among our collection of cottage clocks, we have a New Haven ogee-style clock that operates on a 30-hour time and strike mechanism. It is smaller than a conventional ogee clock and might be referred to as a mini ogee standing at just 18 inches high.

From afar, it presents an appealing appearance, capturing one’s attention. However, upon closer examination, it becomes apparent that the clock has undergone a removal of its veneer at some point in its history. The absence of the veneer adds a touch of character and reveals the clock’s journey through time, offering a glimpse into its past.

Finally, a well-worn 30-hour cottage Ansonia clock graces a bedroom dresser.

Despite its visible signs of use, this clock continues to perform well, a testament to the remarkable engineering employed by the clock’s manufacturers. Craftsmen at the time anticipated the rigours of wear and tear, and their foresight in creating such durable movements showcases their longevity.

Clocks at our summer cottage not only serve as functional timekeepers but also carry with them a unique charm and nostalgia.

Each clock tells its own story, displaying the marks of time and the craftsmanship of its makers. Whether it’s the captivating gallery clock with its distinctive dial or the familiar schoolhouse clock with its endearing imperfections, these clocks create a harmonious blend of functionality and aesthetics within the cottage.

As their hands tick away the hours, they remind us to slow down, appreciate the present moment, and savour the timeless tranquility of a summer retreat.

July 25, 2023

7 Clocks in my collection that have family connections

Seven clocks in my collection have family connections, not necessarily with my own family but clocks that I am able to trace back through families mostly in Nova Scotia (Canada). No names are mentioned. The stories are sad in some cases but interesting nonetheless.

Let’s begin.

Waterbury wall clock

When I was a child back in the 1950s my grandparents had one clock in their home, a Waterbury drop octagon located in the kitchen above the sink. It was the only mechanical devcie that made a sound in their home.

_{Waterbury shot drop} _{wall clock}, _{homemade case}

My grandfather was a veteran of the First World War and suffered from shell shock (PTSD) long after the war. His home had to be stone quiet with the exception of the time and strike Waterbury clock in the kitchen.

_{Not knowing much if anything about case construction} _{my cousin decided to screw the bezel into the case}

After he died my grandmother sold the house and moved in with one of my aunts. The clock went to one of my uncle’s kids. The original case was painted yellow to match my grandfather’s kitchen walls and either it was in poor condition or broken, and a new case was constructed by my cousin. He knew almost nothing about case construction but did the best he could. Because he did not know how to repair the movement the clock was stored in a barn for a number of years (chicken pecks on the dial face!). In 2020, he gave the clock to another cousin who was breaking up their home and asked if I would have it.

Rather than take the movement out of its homemade case and put it into something more appropriate I decided to leave it as is as the case with all its warts is part of the history of the clock.

Sawin Banjo clock from a collector in Wolfville NS

My wife found this weight drive time-only banjo clock on Facebook Marketplace. The photos were quite poor and I imagine the seller was not getting much traction on the ad. Knowing that it might be something special I made an offer, sight unseen.

_{Banjo clock} _{by John Sawin or one of his associates}

It had a few minor issues such as broken glass, and veneer losses but otherwise, the clock was intact including the original acorn finial.

I always ask the seller about a clock’s origin and in this case, the clock was from a collector in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. The seller said that her uncle had this clock as well as a number of quality clocks for as long as she could remember, perhaps 60 years or so but could not recall where the clock originally came from.

After researching this clock I discovered that it was made in or around 1840, in Boston and although unsigned has all the markings of a clock made by John Sawin (or one of his associates) an apprentice to the famous inventor of the banjo timepiece, Simon Willard.

Gilbert mantel clock Shawville

What attracted me to this clock was the condition of the case. For a 100+-year-old clock, it is in remarkably good condition.

The design is simple but graceful and of course, it would have been one of the cheaper clocks in the Gilbert line.

Despite the pandemic, people were still engaged in the buying and selling of clocks. This was another Facebook ad. The price was very reasonable. The clock was bought from a family in Shawville Quebec. A family member had passed away and all household items were sold off. The seller said her mother loved the clock and polished it weekly though it had not run for years.

Because the seller did not wish to have physical contact with me the clock was placed in a recycle container on the side of the highway for me to pick up.

Mauthe Horse crown

Most would call this a Vienna-style springer. Made in or about 1885 it had been in a family since I bought it from a former superintendent of schools about 6 years ago.

In the early 1980s, his wife brought the family clock over from Holland in a suitcase. It had been in his wife’s family for several generations previously. The gentleman’s wife passed away 10 years ago and had she been alive today I would certainly have learned a lot more about its history.

_{Mauthe Horse Crown with replacement bottom center finial}

The seller was reluctant to let this clock go since it was a happy reminder of his past life. But he was moving into the next phase of his life with a new partner and that meant divesting of furniture and other items. Like him, I think of life in phases.

The only issue was a missing bottom finial. I can only imagine that the finial had to be removed so the clock could fit in the suitcase.

Junghans wall clock Crispi

What happens when you get a clock in a box? Call it a collection of parts, pieces, and dust. To some, a box of clock pieces is discouraging but to me, it was a challenge.

This is an antique German Junghans time and strike spring-driven clock made in the style of a Vienna Regulator. There is no serial number on the movement which dates the clock to 1899 or earlier (in 1900 Junghans began to number their movements).

^{Fully restored Junghans Crispi wall clock}

This clock is a witness to the day of the Halifax Explosion in 1917. The result of the explosion from a munitions ship in the Bedford basin was apocalyptical.

This clock, owned by the seller’s wife’s mother caught the brunt of the blast.

_{Catalog photo of the Crispi, second from left}

The blast not only shattered the glass panels but heavily damaged the box frame. Most of the parts sat in a box for 100 years. Since the box frame was damaged beyond repair, the seller, an amateur woodworker, built a new frame made of oak some 35 years ago. He was at a loss as to how to repair the movement, put the project aside, and lost interest.

Wag on a wall

The style of the clock is a “wag on the wall”. It is a strange name but basically, it is a clock with the movement enclosed in a small case and with a pendulum and weights exposed. It is so named because the pendulum appears to wag on the wall like a dog’s tail.

My wife’s uncle was an internist (internal medicine specialist) in Newfoundland and practiced for many years but dementia and its attendant complications finally got the best of him. He spent the last 5 or so years in a locked ward of a residential facility for the elderly.

As part of his practice, he set up a home office where he would receive patients and consult with colleagues. In his office was a wall clock given to him by a former patient.

When he passed away his possessions were distributed among his family members with the clock going to his brother who, himself passed away this past year. Unfortunately, there was not much interest in the clock and it spent 15+ years in a Rubbermaid container in the basement of his brother’s home.

Ingraham Huron

The clock is Rosewood “Huron” Shelf Clock, by E. Ingraham & Co., Bristol, Connecticut circa 1878.

It has a paper-on zinc dial with a round glazed door and a lower glass access panel. It is a brass eight-day spring-powered movement, with a height of just under 41 centimeters.

Kienzle clock on display with Ingraham Huron — _{Ingraham Huron balloon-style shelf clock}

I asked the seller who was about 70 years old at the time, “what do you know about this clock?”. He extended his hand palm down out to about a meter from the floor and said, “I was this tall when I can first remember it in my grandmother’s home”. There is a penciled marking just inside the case indicating that it had been serviced by a person by the name of Hebb in 1944. The seller recalls a Hebb family who at one time lived in the Bridgewater area of Nova Scotia near where I purchased the clock.

He and his wife were in the process of dissolving their marriage and were selling off everything they own including many sentimental items.

Conclusion

I always make it a point to ask about the history of any clock I purchase. Sometimes, in the cases above I learn interesting things about the clock. In other cases, the seller knows nothing.

I wish I knew more about other clocks in my collection. Unfortunately many were passed on from seller to buyer and the history has been lost forever, but what stories some of them could tell.

September 19, 2022

Wag on a wall clock – does it wag?

As part of his practice, he set up a home office where he would receive patients and consult with colleagues. In his office was a wall clock given to him by a former patient.

His wife is currently in the process of moving to a smaller home, giving away what she could and since I have a keen interest in antique and vintage clocks she determined that the best place for the clock was in the hands of someone who could have it working once again. I did not have a clear idea of what she was giving me though I knew that it was a mechanical wall clock.

^{Quickly mounted on the wall to check things out}

The style of the clock is a “wag on the wall”. It is a strange name but basically, it is a clock with the movement enclosed in a small case and with a pendulum and weights exposed.

In the years between 1660 and 1870, the wag-on-the-wall was a very common clock. It is so named because the pendulum appears to wag on the wall like a dog’s tail. It was eventually deemed not attractive enough to hang on the wall in many upscale homes, so wooden or glass and wooden cases were added. The long-case or grandfather clock actually evolved from early wags-on-the-wall clocks. Wooden cases were used to hide the unsightly weights and cast-iron pendulum.

The style did not totally disappear as many manufacturers continued making the wag-on-a-wall style clock to this day.

There are no maker’s marks on the dial or the movement but it appears to have a Canadian connection. There were several clock assemblers operating in Canada up to the mid-1970s, and it was likely assembled by the Forestville Clock Company of Toronto from parts sourced from West Germany but I will learn more as I continue my research.

The only markings on the movement are a serial or production number ending with 65 behind the pendulum leader and UW 7/29 (a date or other measurement) just above the aforementioned number. The year 1965 seems about right judging from the two-tone case tinting popular in the 1960s, The clock case is not particularly attractive today but such was the style at the time. I don’t think it will ever be my favorite wall clock.

It is a weight-driven rack and snail time and strike movement possibly made by Hermle, Mauthe or Urgos. I have worked on similar movements in the past though this one is a bit different, specifically the arrangement of the hammer assembly and the main wheels are reversed from each other.

_{The weights and pendulum are polished}

It is not apparent upon first inspection if the movement has ever been serviced. Rather than run the risk of further wear I plan to test it briefly before servicing the movement. The movement looks robust and well made but I am expecting minor wear issues commensurate with age when I open it up.

While it is largely intact the bottom middle finial is missing. Otherwise, the case is in very good condition for its age. I mounted it on the wall to check things out and yes, it does wag!

In an upcoming article, I will go over the steps in servicing this movement.

August 22, 2022

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