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| jmmacintyre@hotmail.com |
 Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 12:00 am |
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I have come across an old wall clock (19th c.) from someone in my
family. The clock is in a wooden case and with the movement. When I
got the clock it was really wet and damp. It was stored in a trunk
with a blanket around it and some water had gotten in, infact some
pieces had fallen off because of the water, I imagine the old glue is
just water soluable, there is also some mold on some of the pieces of
wood. Some of the finish is coming off as well, the finish being a
thin yellow layer of I am not sure what (varnish, shlack, stain) it
seems to peel off in pretty big chunks. There is a little surface rust
on some of the clock movement. I would like to bring this back to it
orginal glory. I am currently trying to dry it out slowly in a garage.
What are the steps I should take to bring it back to working order.
Thanks for all the help
Mike |
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| Jessica V. |
| Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 6:00 pm |
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jmmacintyre@hotmail.com wrote:
Quote: I have come across an old wall clock (19th c.) from someone in my
family. The clock is in a wooden case and with the movement. When I
got the clock it was really wet and damp. It was stored in a trunk
with a blanket around it and some water had gotten in, infact some
pieces had fallen off because of the water, I imagine the old glue is
just water soluable, there is also some mold on some of the pieces of
wood. Some of the finish is coming off as well, the finish being a
thin yellow layer of I am not sure what (varnish, shlack, stain) it
seems to peel off in pretty big chunks. There is a little surface rust
on some of the clock movement. I would like to bring this back to it
orginal glory. I am currently trying to dry it out slowly in a garage.
What are the steps I should take to bring it back to working order.
Thanks for all the help
Mike
you might try alt.horology. Sounds to me like you are in need of a a
good clock repairer. Ask people you know, antique dealers in the area
and jewelers who they take clocks to for repair. Chances are that the
names of those who are genuinely good at what they do will come up more
than once. I personally steer clear of anyone who reccomends a nice
easy quartz movement be put into an old clock, unless of course they
were specifically asked about that option.
Jessica |
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| Andy Dingley |
| Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 8:00 pm |
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It was somewhere outside Barstow when "Jessica V." <no@spam.com>
wrote:
Quote: Sounds to me like you are in need of a a
good clock repairer.
Or a vet with a humane killer.
Please show us some pictures of this clock. But there were a _lot_ of
clocks made, they're worth almost nothing today, and clock repair is
far from cheap.
It might be rare and valuable. It might be important to your family.
You might even learn an interesting new hobby by fixing it yourself.
But the chances are that it's now in a pitiful state, restoration will
cost a fortune, and you'll be left with something worth $20 tops. |
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| Andy Dingley |
| Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2005 10:13 am |
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It was somewhere outside Barstow when Colonel Blink The Short Sighted
Gink <anon@[127.0.1.1]> wrote:
Quote: I am not sure that any 19th century wall clock (and in the absence of
any information to the contrary we have to accept the original posters
estimate) fully restored will be worth only twenty dollars tops. .
I wouldn't argue. But the restoration costs are likely to be huge and
the value afterwards probably isn't too high, unless it is a rarity.
Fortunately it's a wall clock - weights will survive damp better than
springs would (assuming it does use weights) |
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| Andy Dingley |
| Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2005 12:00 pm |
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It was somewhere outside Barstow when Colonel Blink The Short Sighted
Gink <anon@[127.0.1.1]> wrote:
Quote: BTW. Does anyone know if it is it true that properly speaking a 'clock'
that does not strike or chime is called a time piece rather than a
clock?
I believe so - but this is so esoteric a distinction as to have
entirely fallen from use. |
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| Ronnie McKinley |
| Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2005 10:00 pm |
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In rec.antiques Andy Dingley <dingbat@codesmiths.com> wrote:
Quote: It was somewhere outside Barstow when Colonel Blink The Short Sighted
Gink <anon@[127.0.1.1]> wrote:
BTW. Does anyone know if it is it true that properly speaking a 'clock'
that does not strike or chime is called a time piece rather than a
clock?
I believe so - but this is so esoteric a distinction as to have
entirely fallen from use.
Nonsense. Within the general antiques trade and most certainly used
widely by the clock trade, a piece (movement) which does not strike (has
a going side only) is referred to as 'timepiece' and further, a wall
clock, which is a true regulator, is generally a timepiece only, ie: has
no strike side. Check your auction clock listings before posting crap,
Andy.
--
Ronnie |
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| Ronnie McKinley |
| Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 6:00 am |
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In rec.antiques Colonel Blink The Short Sighted Gink <anon@[127.0.1.1]>
wrote:
Quote: In message <g77v219i6jju9qnvm4au1g47ks7uvr2hu5@4ax.com>, Ronnie McKinley
newsreader@IFYOUREALLYMUSTfsmail.net> writes
Nonsense. Within the general antiques trade and most certainly used
widely by the clock trade, a piece (movement) which does not strike (has
a going side only) is referred to as 'timepiece' and further, a wall
clock, which is a true regulator, is generally a timepiece only, ie: has
no strike side. Check your auction clock listings before posting crap,
Andy
Hi Ronnie. I thought that would get you out. Are you OK?
Tickety-boo.
... and further to this. I can't imagine any other way to describe a
clock (movement) which doesn't strike other than referring to it as a
"timepiece" - it has nothing to do with 'secret speak' amongst the
informed only, or some form of CRS for that matter, but to do with
everyday common reference terms. I know of no other way for a dealer,
who is selling a non-striking clock when asked by the potential
customer, "does this clock strike?" replying other than, "no, Sir, it
doesn't strike as it's a timepiece only."
... and how one can value a clock without actually seeing it or at
least knowing what it might be is not just a clever trick, but a feckin'
miracle.
--
Yours empirically,
Ronnie |
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