For years, we thought that the style 7 Big Ben and Baby Ben alarm clocks were made from 1956 – 1964. We now know that the style 7 Baby Ben windup was revived ca. 1976. Here are photos of an example dated 10 76 (October 1976) on the movement, in its original box with instructions.
Here is how to identify this late style 7 Baby Ben:
The base is plastic, with number 58056 on the bottom. It is the same as the plastic base used on late style 8 Baby Ben alarm clocks.
The bezel has a matte or sand blasted finish.
The key and knobs are plastic.
The minute hand does not have a metal cap in the center.
This clock has been seen in boxes labeled “Special Baby Ben Buy!” It uses the aluminum movement that late style 8 clocks use.
I recently repaired this Schatz 1000 day clock. It is dated 10 56 (October 1956) on the back of the movement, and the front of the base has a presentation plate dated February 8, 1959. The picture on the right, below, shows the gears and the mainspring barrel. Note how large the barrel is compared to the other gears!
This Schatz standard-sized 400 day clock with diamond-shaped dial is dated 7 53 (July 1953) on the back of the movement. This clock has a glass dome with a hole in the top that fits over the brass handle. The base has brass leveling discs. The movement has two jewels (bearings), an uncommon feature in Schatz standard 400 day clocks (but all the Schatz miniature clocks have two jewels). This movement also has an extra mainspring on gear T4 (the 4th wheel in the gear train). It is visible in the left photo below. This is a very weak mainspring, and was used on a relatively small number of clocks. They found that it gave no improvement in performance.
This Seth Thomas mantel clock from about 1910 – 1920 has an Adamantine (celluloid) wood-grain finish. The movement is marked “89″ and has bim-bam striking on the hour and a single tone strike (the high note only) on the half-hour. The case is 19 7/8 inches wide and 9 1/2 inches tall. The dial is silvered brass with printed numerals and a 4 7/16 inch diameter minute track. The minute hand is 2 3/8 inches long.
I cleaned the movement, polished the pivots, and installed 13 bushings. The pendulum rod and pendulum bob were previous replacements. The clock was losing time, so I shortened the pendulum rod by 3/8 inch.
I replaced the time mainspring because it was causing wear to the mainwheel teeth. I intended to keep the original strike mainspring, but it broke after cleaning and lubrication, as I was winding it into the clamp for re-assembly. The original mainsprings have the following measurements:
Time: 3/4 wide by 0.0185 inch thick (thicker than usual for a Seth Thomas No. 89 movement)
Strike: 3/4 inch by 0.017 to 0.0172 inch thick).
The replacement mainsprings are no. 280-19-003 from Colonial Clock Co., and have the following measurements:
Time: 3/4 inch wide by 0.0158 – 0.016 inch thick by 120 inches long
Strike: 3/4 inch wide by 0.0162 inch thick by 120 inches long.
The movement is a variation on the basic No. 89 having bim-bam strike. It was made before Seth Thomas started giving different model number to variations on the basic movement.
Here is a video showing the pendulum motion and the striking:
Yesterday, the old Westclox factory in Peru, Illinois was partly destroyed by fire (see Massive Fire at Former Westclox Plant in Peru, Illinois). Google Earth has a nice view of the old factory, and I saved this image before it gets updated.
North is at the top of this image. The factory covers 4 city blocks from east to west.. Just across the street (north) from the factory is the old Westclox administration building (just above the yellow marker).
The fire started shortly before the new year, and two teenagers were charged with arson.
Peru assistant fire chief Jim Duncan said the middle building portion of the Westclox complex was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived. “The fire was just out of control when we found it,” Duncan said. As Duncan explained, the Westclox complex includes three buildings, with some separation between each. Those small distances — and a firewall — helped firefighters contain the blaze to the building in which it originated. Duncan said businesses including Bakery Machinery and Fabrication, in the southernmost building, as well as those visible from U.S. 6 — including a bridal shop, a photographer, a salon, Curves and Total Environmental Service Technologies — were spared damage from the flames, though they may have smoke damage.
My wife and I photographed the outside in 2007, does anyone have more photos, especially of the inside, that I may display on my ClockHistory.com web site?
This Kundo standard size 400 day clock was probably made in the 1960s. It is unusual in having a heavy, cast brass base (most 400 day clock bases are thin brass over a wood, metal or Bakelite core). The fancy dial is in the French style, with imitation enamel numerals applied to the dial). The arch (the piece with the decorative finials above the dial) is made of plastic!
Here’s a Hermle 400 day clock form the 1950s that I repaired recently. Hermle 400 day clocks are not very common. I get many Schatz and Kundo 400 days, but see a Hermle only every couple of years.
The dial has a 3 15/16 inch minute track, and the minute hand is 2 inches long from center to tip. The original instructions are with the clock.
The pivots were rough on this clock, and I think they left the factory this way. I polished them all.
Repair job 5589. Horolovar back plate number 1103. Suspension unit 25A, with fork raised to prevent fluttering (5.2 mm space bvetween upper block and fork). 0.0033 inch Horolovar suspension spring.
