# American clock from the bootsale!



## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

Hi all

I went to a bootsale not too far from me today, This bootsale only opens on bank holiday mondays!!, It's out in the sticks and usually produces some good stuff, I once bought a broken gold inscribed watch for 20p, I weighed it in with some other gold but that case, The gent behind the counter told me was £40 :huh:

Anyhow, On to the clock!

It's an American pendulum movement, The type with the brass plates that are almost skeletalised to save the raw stuff, The pendulum I thought was the wrong one as it was dragging on the case bottom, It turned out that it was on another piece of wire that's something to do with chiming, It chimes OK on the hour but nothing in between!

I had to remove the dial and hands to see what was going on, The dial screw on the right side was in the bottom of the case, The screwhole in the wood was oversized so I glued a matchstick in and cut it flush to take the screw again!

When I wound the clock before hanging the pendulum I got the very rapid 'tica tica tica tica tica' so I knew the pendulum wasn't on the hanger!!, When I fitted it, It was clearing the case bottom!, Had to keep lengthening the weight by unscrewing the stopper

It's been running for a few hours not too badly now, I'll check the rate tomorrow and make finer adjustments for the regulation..

The clock was only £13 (Should have been £15!!) and the lady told my wife she was an antiques dealer and bought the clock as part of a lot at auction..



































Have to say, I'm glad the wife noticed it now, I would probably have walked straight by it!! :tongue:

By the way, I have another mantel clock with a different style of case but an exact same movement, Wish i'd taken a pic whilst the dial was off 

John


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## vinn (Jun 14, 2015)

johnbaz said:


> Hi all
> 
> I went to a bootsale not too far from me today, This bootsale only opens on bank holiday mondays!!, It's out in the sticks and usually produces some good stuff, I once bought a broken gold inscribed watch for 20p, I weighed it in with some other gold but that case, The gent behind the counter told me was £40 :huh:
> 
> ...


 I don't think that clock was made in the U.S..


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## barrywatch (Apr 8, 2017)

Hi

Did you notice crossed arrows on th movement? It looks very much like HAC ( Hamburg America Clock) from Germany. I think they were bought out by Junghans

Barry


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## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

barrywatch said:


> Hi
> 
> Did you notice crossed arrows on th movement? It looks very much like HAC ( Hamburg America Clock) from Germany. I think they were bought out by Junghans
> 
> Barry


 Sorry Barry, I didn't take a close look at it, It just looked similar to the other one that I have put away somewhere in the house!

John 



vinn said:


> I don't think that clock was made in the U.S..


 Hi Vinn

I have another clock with a different style of case but the same type of movement, It was my mums clock, She took it to a repairer as it wouldn't chime, He said the snail was missing and that it was an American movement within!

The case does look more European to me though I have to admit to knowing very little about clocks!!

John :thumbsup:


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## vinn (Jun 14, 2015)

John; I am glad to hear you are enjoying acquiring clocks. there is more fun ahead, when you work on them. vinn


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Alas :sadwalk: Mrs Mel doesn't like big clocks that tick and bong - - and I know my place - - she might even withdraw access to cuddles and stuff - - so I know my place!

:tumbleweed:


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## Phil G4SPZ (Feb 16, 2017)

That's a lovely clock! I like this style and I have restored several like it. I understand that the term 'American Clock' refers to the American method of construction, one of the earliest assembly lines where individual workers undertook the same process on batches of clocks then passed them to the next worker for the next stage.

They seem to go on running despite considerable wear. I have seen a few with an alarm function (once every 12 hours) but none with a striking function. Some HAC clocks date back to the 1860s.


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## RoddyJB (May 11, 2008)

It looks to me like you have what is referred to as a cottage clock. They were made by many American clock makers.

I'm guessing it is about 14 maybe 15" high?

There could be a label on the back wall, under that green backing which I am almost certain is not original.

I know Welch made some similar ones, but so did Seth Thomas, Ingraham, Gilbert, Sessions etc. Here is a pic of a similar styled Welch. The shape is the same, the dial is the same and the hands were the same if you compare the hour hands, this one has a replacement minute hand that is wrong, it's minute hand should be the same as yours. The pendulum is different as well but they made various models as did the other makers.


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