The above photo is of a clock movement I recently restored. The major problem was that a few years ago someone had liberally sprayed the innards with something like a penetrating oil, which had of course, then hardened into a sticky overall surface, which was impeding the clock movement badly. I had to strip the whole movement down to its individual parts, clean the lot and reassemble (plus doing a good deal of adjustment to the movement). I'm glad to report that it's now ticking away, striking the hours and telling the time and date. The maker of this clock (his name's in the arch of the dial) lived about twenty miles from here, and died in 1754 at the age of 88. Wouldn't it be good to make things that would still be ticking away two or three centuries after you had ceased to?
Cheers, Mike.
4 comments:
That's a handsome piece of work Mike. I like the engraved wreath around the name disc. (With a name like that he would never be cold - always having at least his name to wear!)
I take it that is the fine minute hand you made up the other week? It sits very well with the hour hand for style but makes the hour hand look a bit shabby in comparison perhaps? - Oh well - give it a couple of centuries, eh?
No it's not, although they are of much the same style. The ones on the clock illustrated are both marginally too big for the dial, but they appear to have been in situ for a long time, so I've not even told the clock owner that in my opinion they are slightly later replacements. Perhaps I should do ?
Not that he'll want another pair made, and quite rightly. They would still only be replacement hands, albeit of a better fit.
had the opportunity of buying a Grandfather a few years back...Carol said "no".
She now admits she should have let me. Needed restoring/repairing but what a clock!!!!
Carol was probably right. They 'peaked' about seven years ago, price wise. Then slumped. I'm now buying them at much less than I was paying then, which means in real terms (taking inflation into account) that grandfather (or more correctly -long case) clocks are cheaper now than they have been for about twenty years (providing you buy them in the right places, i.e. country auctions, or on ebay).
But I must stress that you need to know what you're doing - there are as many 'wrong uns' as good ones about. And I think that prices are just beginning to show signs of taking off again. Sorry, I'm waffling on again -me own subject, you see.
Post a Comment