40 Most Recent Posts

Setting Your Clock Ahead to Daylight Saving Time (March 3, 2025) - Daylight Saving Time in the USA officially starts Sunday March 9, 2025 at 2:00 a.m. You will need to set your clocks forward one hour. I recommend doing this before…
Setting your clock back from Daylight Saving Time (October 29, 2024) - Daylight Saving Time in the USA ends Sunday, November 3, 2024 at 2:00 a.m. You will need to set your clocks back one hour. I recommend doing this before you…
Schatz Standard 400 Day Clock, Black and Brass, with Man and Lady on Dial (August 23, 2024) - I repaired a beautiful Schatz 400 day (anniversary) clock for a customer. The finish is black enamel paint and brass, and the dial has a scene of a man and…
Ansonia Crystal Regulator Clock (August 19, 2024) - Here's a "Crystal Regulator" clock I repaired for a customer. The maker was Ansonia Clock Company, New York, NY, USA. I estimate it was made around 1880 - 1910. A…
Seth Thomas Simsbury-1E Electric Chime Clock from 1949 (August 16, 2024) - Here's a Seth Thomas electric chime clock that I repaired for a customer. It was made in 1949 and is called Simsbury-1E. The July 1949 Seth Thomas catalog shows this…
E. N. Welch Black Mantel Clock (August 13, 2024) - Here's an E. N. Welch mantel clock I repaired for a customer. E. N. Welch made clocks in Forestville, Connecticut for many years until 1902, when the company name became…
Westclox Logan Electric Alarm Clock Made in November 1945 (August 10, 2024) - The "Logan" electric alarm clock was one of the first new products that Westclox introduced after world war II. Produced from October 1945 through 1953, Logan was made with both…
Sessions Store Regulator Clock with Simple Calendar (August 8, 2024) - I repaired this oak-cased store regulator wall clock for a customer. It was made by Sessions Clock Company, Forestville, Connecticut and is 8-day time-only (no strike or chime). It has…
Seth Thomas Metals No. 4 Oak Parlor (Kitchen) Clock (August 6, 2024) - I repaired this "Seth Thomas Metals No. 4" oak shelf clock for a customer. The case is oak (having a pine backboard) with metal decorations. It is 22 5/8 inches…
Seth Thomas Tambour No. 11 Mantel Clock (August 4, 2024) - Here's a Seth Thomas tambour mantel clock I repaired for a customer. It is called "Tambour No. 11, has a mahogany Adamantine finish and is 9 3/8 inches tall and…
Patent Dates vs. Patent Numbers on Old Clocks (February 5, 2024) - For years I wondered why the backs of Westclox alarm clocks listed patent dates at first, then were changed in 1927 to show patent numbers. Recently I was reading a…
Ansonia “Seneca” Oak Cabinet Mantel Clock (February 3, 2024) - I did minor adjustments to this clock back in 2011, see Ansonia “Seneca” Oak Cabinet Clock. The Ansonia "Seneca" mantel clock has an oak case 15 3/4 inches tall and…
Patents in the Westclox Database (January 27, 2024) - Many vintage Westclox alarm clocks have patent numbers or dates stamped on the back. I put the most common patents in the clockhistory.com database. You can see them on the…
Using the Westclox Database – Tick Talk Magazines and Parts Catalogs (January 18, 2024) - My clockhistory.com website has a database of Westclox clock and watch models, documents, case styles, clock detail variations, and patents. The main Westclox database page is https://clockhistory.com/0/westclox/page1.html. For starters, it…
Ansonia “Arabia” 8-Day Walnut Kitchen Clock (December 31, 2023) - Here's an Ansonia "Arabia" 8-day walnut kitchen or parlor clock I repaired for a customer. This clock was made around 1890 to 1900. The movement was discolored and rusty, and…
Ansonia La Palma Porcelain-Cased Mantel Clock (December 26, 2023) - Here's an Ansonia porcelain-cased mantel clock I repaired for a customer. The escapement is visible in the dial, adding interesting animation to the clock. The case is marked on the…
Sessions Tambour Mantel Clock, 1930s (December 15, 2023) - I repaired this Sessions Tambour mantel clock for a customer. It was made in the 1930s and is 9 1/2 inches tall, 21 1/8 inches wide, and the minute hand…
Schatz Miniature 400 Day Clock, May 1954 (December 11, 2023) - Here's a 400 day clock I recently overhauled. I overhauled it and polished the base 15 years ago, but now it didn't stay running. I disassembled and cleaned the movement,…
Schatz Standard 400 Day – Maroon with Painted Dial (November 30, 2023) - This Schatz Standard 400 day clock is painted maroon with brass trim. The dial is maroon behind the brass numerals, and the unusual center is painted with a scene of…
Gilbert Oak Store Regulator, Made in 1917 (November 15, 2023) - Here is a Gilbert Store Regulator in an oak case, that I recently repaired. It is a time-only clock (no striking or chiming) and the movement is stamped "17" indicating…
Gilbert “Pandia” Walnut Parlor Clock from 1885 (October 23, 2023) - Here is an amazing Gilbert walnut parlor clock named "Pandia" that I repaired recently. The case has a three-dimensional character to it (see picture below), with a turned half-column on…
Ward’s 30 Day Drop Octagon Clock With Round Japanese Movement (October 13, 2023) - Here's an interesting clock I recently repaired. The round Japanese movement has two unusual features: stopworks and "up and down" indicators. I explain these features below. I like this kind…
Ansonia La Riviere Porcelain Mantel Clock, Visible Escapement (October 8, 2023) - I repaired this beautiful Ansonia "La Riviere" porcelain cased mantel clock with visible escapement. The clock is 12 1/2 inches tall and 14 inches wide. The minute hand is 1…
Seth Thomas Oak Kitchen Clock, July 1892 (October 3, 2023) - Here's a Seth Thomas oak kitchen clock I repaired recently. It has an 8-day time and strike movement, and is dated 2981G (July 1892) on the back. The paper dial…
Gilbert Kitchen Clock Movement, 1908 with Picture Pendulum (September 28, 2023) - Here's a Gilbert clock movement I repaired, it belongs to a kitchen clock. The customer sent just the movement to me. It is dated 1907 on the front plate. The…
New Haven Oak Drop Octagon Wall Clock (September 23, 2023) - I recently overhauled this New Haven modern style drop octagon wall clock. The case is oak and the movement is 8-day time-only (no striking or chiming). I call it modern…
New Haven O. O. G. Extra V. P. (September 18, 2023) - I recently adjusted this rosewood-veneered New Haven shelf clock called "O. O. G. Extra V. P.", made around 1881. It is a small one-day weight-driven clock, only 21 1/8 inches…
Seth Thomas “Metals No. 3” Oak Kitchen Clock (August 25, 2023) - Here's a Seth Thomas shelf clock I recently repaired - "Metals No. 2" oak shelf clock (often called a "kitchen" clock). This clock is 23 1/4" tall and 14 7/8…
Ingraham “Colby” Oak Mantel Clock, 1924 (August 21, 2023) - I repaired this Ingraham oak cased mantel clock for a customer. It appears to be the "Colby" model, as shown in the 1927 - 1928 Ingraham catalog. This example is…
Seth Thomas Adamantine Mantel Clock, Similar to Sussex (August 15, 2023) - Here's a pretty little Seth Thomas Adamantine mantel clock, similar to their "Sussex" model. It is black with marbleized trim, and is 10 3/4 inches tall, 11 5/8 inches wide,…
Seth Thomas Legacy 2W Chiming Mantel Clock (August 10, 2023) - Here is a Seth Thomas "Legacy 2W" chiming mantel clock I repaired recently. The 1949 Seth Thomas clock catalog shows this clock on page 10. It has a mahogany case,…
Seth Thomas Harvard Oak Kitchen Clock (August 5, 2023) - Here's a Seth Thomas oak kitchen clock I repaired. It is part of their "College" series and named "Harvard." It is 23" tall, 14 15/16" wide and the minute hand…
Ansonia Belmont Oak Kitchen Clock (July 31, 2023) - I repaired this Ansonia oak kitchen clock named the "Belmont." You can see the nice original paper dial in the pictures below. The glass has been repainted differently from the…
Schatz London Coach 400-Day Clock from 1957 (July 26, 2023) - I repaired this Schatz "London Coach" miniature 400-day clock and polished and lacquered the case and pendulum. It took a lot of time and came out looking nice! This clock…
Seth Thomas Mahogany Adamantine Mantel Clock (July 20, 2023) - Here's a beautiful Seth Thomas Adamantine mantel clock I repaired. The mahogany color Adamantine case is 18 1/8 inches wide and 11 1/8 inches tall. The minute hand is 2…
Schatz Standard 400 Day Clock with Unusual Levelers, 1953 (July 16, 2023) - Here's a Shatz standard 400 day clock I repaired. The movement has date code 3 53 (March 1953) and the base has two unusual levelers. Most Schatz standard clocks have…
Seth Thomas Sentinel #1 Tambour Mantel Clock (July 12, 2023) - Here's a Seth Thomas clock I repaired called "Sentinel #1". It has a mahogany case, 16 3/4 by 9 inches with a 5" dial and "ST" hands (the minute hand…
Gilbert Maranville Calendar Clock (July 8, 2023) - This drop octagon wall clock with slant front and "ears" on the side was made around the 1860s to 1870s. It has a Gilbert 8 day time and strike movement…
Late Jahresuhrenfabrik (JUF) 400 Day Clock (July 4, 2023) - I recently repaired this 400 day clock. The maker, Jahresuhrenfabrik (German for Year Clock Factory, often abbreviated JUF by collectors), later became known as Aug. Schatz & Sohne. These later…
Ithaca No. 10 Farmer’s Double Dial Calendar Clock (June 30, 2023) - Here's an Ithaca perpetual (double dial) calendar clock I repaired. The case is walnut, the top dial gives the time, and the lower dial gives the month, date and day…

17 comments

  1. Hi Phil, There may be a loose tension spring or a sticky part that is causing it to not strike correctly. A local clock shop should be able to adjust this for you. I’m so far behind on repair work that I hesitate to take this clock in for repair unless it is getting a full overhaul.

    Yours truly,

    Bill

  2. Hi Bill, Sorry – I think I posted this in the wrong forum:
    I have a 1945 Seth Thomas mantle clock (steeple type) that has started to strike the wrong number of hours past 6pm. In other words, from 1pm to 6pm, it strikes the correct number but beginning at 7pm, the number is always less than it should be. For example, at 11am this morning, it only struck 4 times. The half hour always strikes 1 time as always and it keeps perfect time. What need to be done to have this fixed? Thanks!!

  3. Hi Mr Stoddard.

    Re: 400 day set-up

    I caught sight of your excellent YouTube showing that an upward adjustment of the fork of a mere 1/32″ can make a difference. That’s a very small measure but I would say that even an adjustment of 1/64″ will stop these clocks. I have gone as high as I can. All cleaned and polished pivots. Oil is only in the spring barrel and a tiny tad on an EW tooth to polish it.

    I am a clock collector who does a lot of my own maintenance. I get by on almost everything except the Miniature/Midget 400 day variety. In particular the K&S Midget. I have 3 here with different labels but identical movements. Only one is virtually flutter free. The other two will run precisely for days and then, often overnight, will flutter several minutes (8 to 10) forward. I have tried everything to stop it. The rotation on all 3 is a tad over 180 degrees. The overswing is 3/8″ The beat is even. The escape actions look identical. I suppose it could be the change of overnight temperature that precipitates the flutter?
    Can you offer me any tips to overcome this. Its maddening. Talk about touchy! The beat setting is an art-form in itself. So coarse is the adjustment and so precise does the top block need to be.
    Thanks for your excellent site with superb videos too.
    Sincerely, Berry Greene in UK

  4. Hi, one possibility is to offer them on Facebook Marketplace. This might attract local clock repairers or collectors who may need them.

  5. Hello, I have a lot of antique clock parts from my late husband who loved to tinker with clocks as a hobby. Do you know of any good places for me to sell them? I live in Arizona. Thank you.

  6. I would do very little to the dial, the paint may be fragile. Wood glue is fine to use.

  7. I just inherited a Birge Mallory 8-day shelf clock. The mechanism looks very close to the one on this site. It was damaged in shipment to me and I want to restore it properly. The hand painted clock face is dirty, what is the best way to clean it? The weight channel partitions and lower mechanism wooden structure were broken loose, should I only use Tilden’s Leather & wood glue to reattach them? One of the wooden pulleys has a chip out of it. I cloud glue a dowel in it and cut/sand it down, but what’s the best glue to use? Are there any internet resources for learning how to restore these clocks? Thanks

  9. I am USA retired from Mission service in Penang Malaysia. I have a Rhythm Chiming Quartz Pendulum, changed to energizer batteries. Time chime on the hour is ok

    but the 1/4,1/2, 3/4 chimes no longer work? It is set to the Westminster 4×4?

    I grew up in New Albany!! Miss Indiana.

    Thank you

  10. I don’t have any detailed information on the clocks made in Hong Kong. It is unfortunate that they made them so that the movement cannot be taken apart.

  11. Hello,

    I am presently working on an alarm-clock belonging to an English friend of mine, this is the one he had when he was young, some 40 years ago, we suppose. Never seen such a rugged instrument. The only indications on the dial are EQUITY, and, in smaller letters at six, Hong Kong. On the movement itself is written 80 2, then Hong Kong, then Eastern Time LTD, then unadjusted, and finally : NO O Jewels. This is the first time ever I open a clock without any screwdriver ! The dial is fixed on the bridge with four small pliable metallic teeth, and the whole thing is inserted ‘in force’ into the clock casing. Plastic glass, plastified carton dial. As the movement was completely stuck with old oil, plus dirt, plus rust, I made a few ultrasonic passages first, then decided to litteraly cover everything possible with WD 40, and took out all the rubbish with a thin pin. Note that the two plates ( bridges ) are not screwed, only crimped, so not removable. The spiral spring revived, and I am letting it go to release completely the mainspring, so I shall be able to put WD 40 again inside it to improve its cleaning ( it was fully winded and stuck when I got the clock, not working ). This treatment is a bit hard, but it’s the only way I found to come to revival. Fortunately, the spiral spring is nice and spires well aligned, the beating looks O.K, so I have good hope for the future. Once all this will be clean, I’ll go back to the ultrasonic, still with water only , to remove all the WD 40. Then I’ll mount everything back again, with a proper oiling, which is common practice for me.
    I am surprised by the simplicity of the movement : the play at the extremity of the axis of the spiral spring must be a third of a millimeter, and all rotation points are metal on metal ! !
    Any comment or opinion on all this is most welcome. I can send pics if you let me know your full e-mail address. I would be very obliged if you could let me know more about this time machine, one of the most elementary I have ever seen ! Congratulations for your sites and information on Westclox, a nice discovery for me. Unfortunately, I did not find any mention about HK connection for the movement.
    Thanking you again for your attention,

    François DUPRE, 64 years old, in France.

  12. My father just bought a Forestville Mfg. Company clock OGEE. Its a double weight 8 day clock with chimes. Would like to have a schematic of the insides. Would you know where we can get this?

    Thank you for any insight.

    Tracy

  14. I have a question about a clock my eighty-nine year old father gave me. The case is a Seth Thomas The Metals oak kitchen clock but the face and movement are Sessions. I would like to restore the original ST face and movement but I am clueless what to look for in a movement. I just want it back to when this was my grandparents clock. Do you have any pointers?

  15. I don’t have spare motors to sell, I have to go looking for used ones to overhaul for my own repair jobs.

  16. I need a motor for the Seth Thomas Legacy 2-E Mantle Clock. Can I purchase one from you?

  17. I found a 400 day clock in trashthe globeis broken but I like to see a pictureof the back to see if all other parts are there

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