# Benson Grandfather Clock



## barrywatch (Apr 8, 2017)

Hi

Just finished restoring a J. W.Benson of London grandfather clock. The movement was in bad condition when I bought it and the case was in need of TLC. I am now very happy and it gives a nice satifying tic/toc with a chime on the hour. I guess it is late 19C although it is difficult to date as Benson did not make too may grandfathers concentrating on watches and mantle clocks.



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Barry



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## MyrridinEmrys (Sep 27, 2017)

You've done a class restore job on that. Is the pediment original?

Any pics of the innards?


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## barrywatch (Apr 8, 2017)

Hi

Many thanks for the compliment.

I do not know about the pediment, but there is nothing to indicate that it is not original. The movement is engraved J.W.Benson, Ludgate Hill, London. Serial number is 10277. It is great working on these old movement such care taken in the manufacture, it still keeps perfect time after all these years. After strip, clean and oil the only thing I needed to replace were the gut weight lines, I think it was neccessary, the strike weight is 11Kgs :swoon: The dials were re-waxed and silvered. Here are a couple of pictures of the movement.



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Barry


Hi

Oh yes I forgot, I had to make a new pendulum suspension as well.

Barry


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## MyrridinEmrys (Sep 27, 2017)

Beautiful - one wonders what sort of a journey it has been on to reach France from London.

I have a Victorian longcase that has spent most of its life in Wales until I brought it home to Lancashire. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find a maker. UV examination of the dial has revealed nothing either:

















The brass plaque reads: Presented to Miss M A Hughes by the members of Llangorwen Church on the occasion of her marriage. In recognition of her faithful service in presiding at the harmonium for the last 15 years. June 1892.

I wrote to the incumbant vicar of the church and gained enough information to plot the young ladies family history - unfortunately, her 2 sons died unmarried and childless.


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## barrywatch (Apr 8, 2017)

Hi

That is lovely, I guess it would have been new in 1892. Have you taken it apart or is that as found. Many small clockmakers made clocks in the country and I guess many of them never signed their work not knowing that 125 years later someone might be interested. I do like painted moonface dials.

Way back at the end of the 18th century in France a lot of rich nobility would furnish their chateaux with items that were intended to impress their friends so that might have been how it arrived from London. I found it languishing in a brocante near Bordeaux. The French tend to go for the balloon type highly decorated Comtois clock rather than the straight lace British grandfather so I was able to negotiate a reasonable price together with the fact it was not in working order. I am lucky that both the dial and the movement are signed.

Are you a clock collector?

Barry


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## MyrridinEmrys (Sep 27, 2017)

I just did a quick inspection, clean and oil on the longcase and it needed new gut and weight hooks - massive cast iron weights! It runs like a dream now, and surprisingly accurate!

I love clocks: longcase, wall and mantle. I'm working on a Victorian Vienna twin weighter at present.

















It's missing its pediment and finials but I've sourced a suitable repalcement pediment from a Polish guy on Ebay who makes them. There is an ornament missing top right so I've used one of those silicone cake mould kits to take a cast and make a copy in plaster - stained up you wouldn't know it's not original.


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## barrywatch (Apr 8, 2017)

Hi

Yes it is amazing how accurate they are, once regulated they perform within seconds per week. Here are some of my clocks. Brocantes here are great for picking up clocks for restoration. I am also interested in brass carriage clocks which I also collect.



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Barry


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## Always"watching" (Sep 21, 2013)

Marvellous thread. What a joy to see some good old clocks here on the Forum. And thanks so much dear barrywatch for letting us in to see your Benson grandfather clock and the work you have put into it. :biggrin:


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## MyrridinEmrys (Sep 27, 2017)

Neat collection. Is the round clock a Fusee?

I do like carriage clocks but I only have the one, a brass filigree banded Couaillet Freres from about 1900.

















Keeps lovely time - just wish I had the carrying case.


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## barrywatch (Apr 8, 2017)

Hi

That is outstanding, Couaillet Freres were a top carriage clock maker well sought after. No the round one is not a fusee. Your clock puts mine to shame, here's a couple.



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Barry


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## dobra (Aug 20, 2009)

Super examples of loved timepieces. Are dial silvering kits easy to use?

mike


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## Robden (Apr 2, 2016)

dobra said:


> Super examples of loved timepieces. Are dial silvering kits easy to use?
> 
> mike


 Yes they are, I've done quite a few in the past. Just make sure everything is clean before you start and take your time. If you're waxing in the numerals first, make sure any excess wax is removed before silvering or the compound won't stick.

Did you know that in the days of yore they used to use cyanide in the silvering compound?.........Not these days though.


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## barrywatch (Apr 8, 2017)

Hi Mike

It's well worth a practice first before tackling that rare clock dial. Start with a less expensive dial and as Tourbillon says take time and keep it clean.

Barry


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## MyrridinEmrys (Sep 27, 2017)




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