The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

So my wife and I masked up and went to an antique store. Middle of the day, middle of the week, we were the only ones in the store except for the clerk, and she was masked up, so we plundered around.

An old New Haven gingerbread clock caught my eye. I asked the price and the woman told me, it doesn't work, and she didn't have a key. I was looking for a project so I asked her how much, not working and no key? The case was nearly perfect and all the parts were there. I bought the clock, brought it home. The first thing I noticed was that the hands were locked up on each other. I unlocked them, straightened them out, wound the clock and it has been running sweetly since, and keeping damn good time to boot! So much for my "project." I did see another Ingraham mantle type pendulum clock in the place, I am thinking about calling her back to price that one. My wife is cringing as there are already five pendulum clocks in her living room and one in each bedroom......

This is probably late 1800s or very early 1900s. The style of clock was very popular from about the end of the Civil war through the '30s. These were middle class timekeepers, costing a little under $5.00 new. (about $125.00 in today's money)

That's nice; it looks to be in great shape too.

Hey, you may have a new side job!

Nice looking clock.

Dolk

How does Steve know he's home? When he can hear the house ticking and chiming from the woods or is that the swamp. Need to feed one to a gator and we can call you Capt Hook......

Cool clock, old clocks are cool......Between the craftsmanship on the outside and the mechanisms on the inside, they are a testament to old school technology.

It's about time .

Six years too late, I had some awesome vintage clocks that sold on eBay for good money. Big wood box 1900's factory wall clocks, and big iron gothic monstrosity that would have been right at home in Dracula's castle. That one went for big money.

I think I still have a little one left, beehive shaped wood shelf clock, mechanical movement, I will look.

When son got married (11 years ago) a relative 0f SWMBO that could not make (way out of state, we sent the invitation as a notification rather than anything else) sent a clock that had been in the family forever. They sent a package to her parents home. When it was opened, my DIL's Mother said "What a piece of junk, sell it at a yard sale, give it to the Good Will" or something along those lines. When we (SWMBO and I) heard about it there was some gnashing of teeth. Fortunately, they still had it. It is at my son's house, ticking away, irritating my son's MIL. At every family event, when the group photo is taken, the clock is in the shot. BTW, not as nice as yours Steve.

Ironnewt wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2020 2:46 am When son got married (11 years ago) a relative 0f SWMBO that could not make (way out of state, we sent the invitation as a notification rather than anything else) sent a clock that had been in the family forever. They sent a package to her parents home. When it was opened, my DIL's Mother said "What a piece of junk, sell it at a yard sale, give it to the Good Will" or something along those lines. When we (SWMBO and I) heard about it there was some gnashing of teeth. Fortunately, they still had it. It is at my son's house, ticking away, irritating my son's MIL. At every family event, when the group photo is taken, the clock is in the shot. BTW, not as nice as yours Steve.

I bought one last year and though I had overpaid at $150.00 for it, but it was gorgeous so I took it home. It turns out that it was rather rare and they generally sell in the $800.00 range. It wouldn't be fun to discover you had thrown one like that away.

I am a little surprised that there is so little interest in old clocks today. They will sit, unsold, for months in junk shops. I guess not many people appreciate the history, or it is just too hard to wind them once a week. I felt sorry for the couple who own a second-hand shop that got slammed by inactivity due to the virus, so I gave them a really nice mantle clock to sell. They priced it right and it has been doing nothing but gathering dust.

I am a little nutty, I fully admit it, but I think that it is really cool to have a clock that was ticking during WWI, or during the cowboy days, running and keeping good time today. I watched High Noon a few weeks ago and saw several of my clocks in the movie. Jim has also got me interested in wind-up phonographs, but I have only got one so far. They don't hit the shops around here often.

Ironnewt wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2020 2:46 am When son got married (11 years ago) a relative 0f SWMBO that could not make (way out of state, we sent the invitation as a notification rather than anything else) sent a clock that had been in the family forever. They sent a package to her parents home. When it was opened, my DIL's Mother said "What a piece of junk, sell it at a yard sale, give it to the Good Will" or something along those lines. When we (SWMBO and I) heard about it there was some gnashing of teeth. Fortunately, they still had it. It is at my son's house, ticking away, irritating my son's MIL. At every family event, when the group photo is taken, the clock is in the shot. BTW, not as nice as yours Steve.

I’ve got a Seth Thomas wall clock that I need to get serviced and hung. It was given as a wedding gift to some ancestors on Dad’s side of the family in 1849. It’s not going anywhere.

Junk Yard Dog wrote: ↑Fri Oct 09, 2020 3:06 pm Six years too late, I had some awesome vintage clocks that sold on eBay for good money. Big wood box 1900's factory wall clocks, and big iron gothic monstrosity that would have been right at home in Dracula's castle. That one went for big money.

Have you noticed an increase in estate sales in N.Y. ?

steelbuttplate wrote: ↑Wed Oct 14, 2020 6:04 pm

Junk Yard Dog wrote: ↑Fri Oct 09, 2020 3:06 pm Six years too late, I had some awesome vintage clocks that sold on eBay for good money. Big wood box 1900's factory wall clocks, and big iron gothic monstrosity that would have been right at home in Dracula's castle. That one went for big money.

Have you noticed an increase in estate sales in N.Y. ?

There are no estate sales around here thanks to Covid. I have no idea what's being done with all the crap they sell at these sales, maybe they are storing it for after the pandemic.

It happened again today. Seth Thomas clock made March of 1896. (they were polite enough to date them). The case has some delamination problems, but at nearly 125 years old, I forgive it. I got the movement cleaned and it is ticking and dinging fine. You can overlook my homemade movement stand, I am too cheap to buy a store-bought one. This stuff is fun to me.

SA1911a1 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 16, 2020 3:11 pm It happened again today. Seth Thomas clock made March of 1896. (they were polite enough to date them). The case has some delamination problems, but at nearly 125 years old, I forgive it. I got the movement cleaned and it is ticking and dinging fine. You can overlook my homemade movement stand, I am too cheap to buy a store-bought one. This stuff is fun to me.

Damn, Steve, you're on a roll, found your new calling I see. Guess with all those clocks it's hard to come up with an excuse for being late anymore.

As for the stand, if it works, there isn't anything wrong with it. Quick and simple and does what you need it to do.

Need to change your profile name to Hook, and feed a clock to a gator.......

I love looking at old clocks. I'd love to work on one, but I don't know if I have the steady hands you need.

Beautiful clock!

Darryl

dolk wrote: ↑Thu Oct 22, 2020 2:19 pm I love looking at old clocks. I'd love to work on one, but I don't know if I have the steady hands you need.

Beautiful clock!

Darryl

Thanks D.

I do not take the movements apart. Usually it is not needed. Cleaning and adjusting has fixed a large proportion of the ones I have bought.

Here is another one a friend gave me, not working about 6 months ago. I started playing with it and ordered a new suspension spring. Got it working today. This one was made in '53, so it is a new clock for me. It is supposed to run for 400 days on one winding.