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I just started collecting clocks. My first purchase a circa 1928 Sessions mantel clock in good working condition. Does anyone else share this interest? I'd like to know your thoughts regarding clock makers, types of clocks, and anything else of interest regarding this hobby.
Antique clocks are nice depending on the area of mfg and age. 20 some yrs ago I purchased two german wall clocks (approx 42 in) made between 1850-1875. My one daughter has one and I still have the other. They are the three window type. When it chimes (more of a dong sound) a small hammer hits the spring. I hope to pass this one down to my Great Grandson as something to remember me by.
Really think i'm going to enjoy this hobby. I'm thinking of joining the NAWCC to learn more about the specifics of buying, restoration, and selling of clocks, but also to experience the enjoyment these beautiful old timepieces bring.
We have a grandfather clock from the 1880's that was owned by al capone. He had given it to mayor Thompson of Chi in the 1920's and when the mayor passed away he left it to his sister. His sister left it to a Dr dewire of Ottowa IL, who was engaged to my wifes aunt. Dr. dewire came down with cancer and left it to her aunt, she then passed it on to my inlaws and they passed it on to my wife. We have had it for over 18 yrs now. It stands 8' tall and28'' wide. It looks like it should be in a cathedral. It's a Toby of Chicago which was made bt Watham clocks an Illinois clock co. I have others but not like this.
We have a grandfather clock from the 1880's that was owned by al capone. He had given it to mayor Thompson of Chi in the 1920's and when the mayor passed away he left it to his sister. His sister left it to a Dr dewire of Ottowa IL, who was engaged to my wifes aunt. Dr. dewire came down with cancer and left it to her aunt, she then passed it on to my inlaws and they passed it on to my wife. We have had it for over 18 yrs now. It stands 8' tall and28'' wide. It looks like it should be in a cathedral. It's a Toby of Chicago which was made bt Watham clocks an Illinois clock co. I have others but not like this.
Thanks snapper54 for the info. Anyone else have an interesting story about an old clock or clock collection they have. Also interested to hear from people who collect antique/vintage clocks, their interests and places they find clocks.
I have collected antique clocks for several years. You have lots of options. One thing I learned is it is better to add clocks slowly and choose only exemplary ones that you will love than to buy a bunch of mediochre clocks and then wish for some really nice ones, but you no longer have any money.
A couple of intersting things i have found:
Wood Works Clocks from the early 1800s are really neat and relatively inexpensive. There is a guy in New Hampshire who will carve new gears if you need them.
French clocks are intricate hard to repair and maintain and finicky. If ou want clocks that run, stay away from French Clocks.
Electric clocks are pretty cheap and some are pretty neat. There was a guy on the West Coast (but not California. Oregon or Washington I think) who will re-wind electric motors for a reasonable price. Electrics are less popular and therefore usually less expensive.
I have a fairly extensive collection of Kit Cat clocks. people tended to put them in the kitchen and they got all gunked up and stopped. Often, you can fix them by simlpy taking them apart and cleaning them. They were made from the 1930s through about the 1960s and then some company started making crappy battery powered ones. And they still make them.
Mastercrafters and united made some really neat motion clocks in the 1950s and 1960s. The newer mastercrafter clocks had mostly plastic motors with a gear that has a 100% failure rate over time. The gear cannot be replaced, but thre was a company that made replacement motors for a while. I think they are gone, but the motors are still around sometimes. About 1/3 of the motors will be defective, so you need to get more than you need. Some of the mastercrafters movement clocks are fairly valuable ($400 - $700), most are worth $30-$50. Haddon also made some neat motion clocks.
There are thousands of reproduction clocks (usually made in china) and bastard clocks (clocks assembled from parts of several different antique clocks. These have little value. Some of the chinese reproductions are neat and valuable in their own right, but they are not well made. Some antique clocks have the works removed and replace with quartz movements. Those clocks have no value at all. Caveat Emptor.
Those chinese clocks are mostly sold by a guy in San Francisco and a guy in Ohio. I found the guy in Ohio more friendly and honest (Proclocks I think is the name, but not sure, it has been a while). His name is Bob and he spent hours on the telephne telling me about clocks. Both of them also sell antique clocks as well as reproductions. Both of them sell bastard clocks sometimes, one of them is very forthright about it being a bastard clock, the other - well he does not say it isn't a bastard clock and if you assume it is a legitimate antique clock, he can show you that he never said it was.
I boought a reproduction rolling clocks from Bob (you gotta have one of these). It was really neat but it brke and neither i nor any local repair place have been able to fix it.
Some clocks are unusual and super neat. For example Seth Thomas made a clock with a half dozen nestled bells in it rather than chime bars. It is neat to see how it works and sounds awesome. (Called Sonora Chime)
Some clocks keep track of day, date, month and time. Some include phases of the moon.
The Atomos clock runs on atmospheric changes. No springs, weights or power at all. They are really really expensive.
Personally I like weight driven clocks better than key wound. I cannot tell you why. One this is it is much more fun to draw the weights up than to wind a bunch of key wound clocks.
I did not read the whole thread to see whether someone suggested joining NAWCC. It is pretty boring most of the time, but you can learn a lot. I have not found/oined our local chapter since moving to Michigan, but I will eventually.
If you have chming clocks, set them a minute off from each other. Otherwise noon and midnight sounds like a peddler fell down your stairs. Two or three chming at once is neat. Fifteen or twenty at once is maddening.
Clocks do not have to run to be neat. Right now none of my clocks are running (most just becasue I do not wind them). They are still neat to look at.
One lesser known colelctable clock is the Oswald Dog Eye clocks (also owl skull and something else). There are a lot of fakes of these as well. The fakes are terrible quality.
FOr many years I kept all my clocks running. However running them does tend to wear them out, and you end up doing a lot more repriars. Now I just run them once in a while. There are a few I run all the time, but not all of them.
Another neat type are ships clocks. They chime the watch bells system rather than the 12 hour system. Usually, they are sealed against moisture, so I have one in the bathroom.
Clock collectors are everywhere these days, so it is unlikely you are going to find that $5000 big name maker clock at a flea market anymore. However I did have a friend find one in the trash.
Ebay is a good source for finding out the value of a clock. Ebay is not longer the place for bargains, but you will find market prices from the actual sales.
Prices jump all around. I have some clocks that were unpopular when I bought them and i got them for $30 apiece in a good deal. Then they got popular and many went up over $1000. Last I checked they had dropped back to around $100.
I have ignored my clocks for the past year or two. You have inspired me, I am going to go home and clean some up and get them running.
IF you ever get a chance to get a Herschede Grandfather clock for a decent price - buy it. Do not hesitate. I am still regretting past hesitation and looking for a nice herschede I can afford.
Learn to fix clocks. Or find a retired guy who does it as a hobby. Commercial clock stores will charge you more than the clock is worth most of the time.
Last edited by Coldjensens; 07-27-2012 at 12:51 PM..
I collect clocks but I'm never on time. I have 3 Art Deco marble clocks. One Sessions Calender clock. One German and one French Regulator. I have a Jefferson Mystery Hour clock. I have a very early digital clock in an oak case.
My son had an assignment in Kindergarten to count different things in his house and write down how many there were. He got one wrong and he was uset. His teacher said it had to be wrong, he could not possibly have 54 clocks in his house. We had to call her and correct her misperception.
To the OP...If you get any old clocks, don't be tempted to strip them apart, just remove the mechanism and soak it in petrol overnight first with occasional swishing in the petrol. Most old windup clocks I've came in contact with only needed to be flushed out due to old oils collecting dust and gunk over many years which affects the workings, and then fine tuning the timing adjustments after putting the mechanism back in the clock. Flush them out and re-oil them and they are back to working order, unless of course there is something visibly broken, bushings are worn out, or the springs have lost their tension over the years.
If you find it necessary to strip a clock down, get some polystyrene foam or something and embed each gear wheel in it in the same order as they came out of the clock, and mark each somehow with 'T' for time and 'C' for chime, that way it's easy to know how things go back together. Most importantly, ensure each spring is fully unwound, or tied and bound with wire before attempting to separate the plates. Those springs retain a severe amount of tension or force, if they let go while separating the front and back plates you may find you end up stripping teeth of those gear wheels or bending/breaking pinions. Bending a suitably strong piece of wire into a small 'S' shaped hook similar to a sheppards crook is very handy too for moving each gear wheel pinion back into their respective bushings in the plates when putting things back together.
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I have 3 Art Deco marble clocks. One Sessions Calender clock. One German and one French Regulator. I have a Jefferson Mystery Hour clock. I have a very early digital clock in an oak case.
