Sessions Small Shelf Clock with dark stained pine case. Height 15 3/8 inches, width 10 3/4 inches. The dial is paper on a metal plate, and the time track outside diameter is 4 3/8 inches. 8 day time and strike movement.
This is a cute little clock. It appears to be a later design, judging from the use of pine instead of oak, and the simplified case style with no embossed designs on the flat pieces. Perhaps it is one of the last of the shelf clock style in regular production, and may have been made in the 1930s.
Repair job 5500. This clock just received minor servicing including rinsing the bearings and lubricating.
This Sessions oak kitchen or shelf clock may have been made in the 1920s or 1930s. The case form has been simplified from earlier models. The label on the back says at the top:
Superior Assortment
Manufactured by
The Sessions Clock Co.,
Forestville, Conn, U. S. A.
Eight Day Half Hour Strike
A metal plate inside the clock says:
Sensenbrenner’s
“Watch Shop”
Circleville, Ohio
This clock has the usual Sessions 8-day time and strike movement. The pivots were rough, so I polished them. I replaced the brass wire click springs with steel wire for reliability.
The time mainspring was a replacement that was too strong. The end was labeled “Usibel France”. It was 3/4 inches wide by 0.018 inch thick. I replaced it with a mainspring 3/4 x 0.0165 by 96 inches from R & M Imports. The original strike mainspring of 3/4 by 0.0177 inch was retained in the clock.
This Sessions tambour mantel clock is named “Stratford” on the label inside the rear door. The case is 21 5/16 inches wide and 9 3/8 inches tall. The aluminum dial with embossed numerals has a 5 1/4 inch time track. The label has the date 11 – 39 (November 1939) stamped in ink.
I did only a partial repair on this clock, per customer request. I disassembled and cleaned it, and replaced the click rivets (the time click had come completely off the mainwheel, allowing the mainspring to unwind. I also replaced the brass wire clicksprings with steel wire for greater reliability (the old brass ones often fail).
This clock has stronger mainsprings than necessary (both 3/4 inch wide by 0.018 inch thick). They hadn’t caused much mainwheel tooth wear yet, but are fairly hard to wind. If I were doing a full overhaul I’d be tempted to replace them with 3/4 x 0.0165 by 120 inch or 96 inch long springs. The 120 inch springs cost a bit more, but will help the clock to keep more consistent time as it runs down.
This tambour mantel clock is dated 1939 on the label inside the rear door. It has the usual Sessions 8 day time and strike movement.
The original time mainspring is 3/4 by 0.017 inch, and the original strike mainspring is 3/4 by 0.0175 inch. I retained the original springs in the clock.
I did the following repairs: Replace both click springs and click rivets; polish the pivots; install 9 bushings; adjust the strike levers.
I recently overhauled this Sessions black mantel clock from around 1903 – 1910. It was a routine overhaul including polishing the pivots and installing bushings. A previous repairer had installed two screw-in bushings (a no-no!). I replaced these with KWM size 4 American bushings. The mainwheels were made with Gilbert-style clicks, which are more robust then the standard Sessions clicks.
The original mainsprings seemed too strong. The time spring was 0.0182 inch thick, and the strike spring was 0.0178 inch thick. I replaced both with thinner mainsprings, Merritt’s Antiques P-1956, 0.0165 inch thick, to reduce future wear to the mainwheel teeth. The escapement takes an excellent motion.
I recently overhauled this clock. The repairs included:
Polished all of the train wheel pivots (some were rough when the clock left the factory);
Installed 10 bushings (including rear time mainwheel bushing). One bushing had been installed by a previous repairer. It was crooked in the movement plate. To correct this, I installed a bushing with a hole too small for the pivot, then used a cutting broach to open the hole while uprighting it. Then the hole was polished with a smoothing broach;
Replaced the click on the strike mainwheel, as it was very worn, and had been filed down. I installed a steel clickspring, and a steel rivet;
Filed wear from the click on the time mainwheel, replaced the wimpy brass clickspring with a steel one, and replaced the brass rivet with a steel one;
Installed the correct size suspension rod, and installed an original Sessions mantel clock pendulum bob;
The strike mainspring was a replacement that was too thick (0.018 inches). I replaced it with a spring 3/4 inch wide, 0.0165 inches thick, and 96 inches long, Merritt’s Antiques part no. P-1956;
The time mainspring had been ground narrower by a previous repairer. It was rough with sharp edges. I installed the same type of mainspring as above, Merritt’s Antiques part no. P-1956;
The new mainsprings mentioned above (in the last two items) provide plenty of power to operate the clock. The movies below show the operation of the escapement, the clock striking, and the movement with pendulum. This clock strikes bim-bam on two chime rods.
Here is a slide show of some of the repair steps:
The label on the rear door says the following:
No. 277 P
Eight-day Turn Back
Striking the hours on Two-Tone Chime
Half-Hours in Harmony
The Sessions Clock Company
Forestville, Conn., U.S.A.
NOTICE
The Pendulum Ball and Key are fastened to bottom of clock.
DIRECTIONS FOR STRIKING
In order to make Clock strike the hour desired, turn the long hand up to twelve and allow the clock to strike. Then turn back to nine and forward again to twelve. Continue in this way until the Clock strikes correctly.
TO REGULATE
Should it be desired to have the clock run faster, place the small end of the key on the arbor at twleve and turn TOP of key to the left toward F. To run slower turn TOP of key to the right toward S.
There is a date code of 9-38 (September 1938) stamped on the label.
