Our little mid century modern house in Granite Bay and my home office.
I love antique clocks; reading about them, repairing them, listening to them work. Eventually, I will get around to putting pictures of my clocks on this page. Here are just a few. You can also read about antique alarm clocks. If you like clocks, check out the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors. The have the best monthly magazine/newsletter I have ever seen. Our local Chapter 71 meets at the Garden Arts Building in McKinley Park approximately every 6 -8 weeks. We also have workshops where folks will help you get that old clock running.
2021 Mid Century Modern Bathroom Model at my house
Latest Clocks Acquisitions
May 2023 tattoo based on a wooden clock kit escapement movement I put together.
1976 Seth Thomas No. 2. Special production of 4000 made. Originals stopped being made in 1949.
12 inch dial face of the 1976 Seth Thomas No. 2 regulator reissue.Number 61 movement in the 1976 reissue of the Seth Thomas No. 2 regulator showing weight and wooden rod of pendulum.Number 61 movement in the 1976 Seth Thomas No. 2.Certificate of authenticity for the 1976 reissue of the Seth Thomas No. 2, serial number 2702 of 4000.1911 advertisement for the Seth Thomas No. 2 regulator.
German open well tall case clock, art nouveau
Art nouveau inspired tall case or grandfather clock.
Adjustable pallets on the anchor that interacts with the escape wheel. This design is not often seen in tall case clocks.Top of the clock movement shows the thick plates of the clock. It was design to be an accurate time keeper and last several decades.Solid clock movement, thick plates and pillars, but no embellishments or makers mark.Pendulum bob symbol, similar to the dial, but may convey water and growing plants.Dial center looks like it might be a symbol for a secret society of clock makers.Solid brass hour and minute hands display characteristic art nouveau whiplash design elements.Three color dial, bronze center, silvered outer ring, and black wax numerals.The wavy tablet on the dial door of leaves, vines, and dogwood bloom.The dial door is like the petals (tepals) that surround blooming flower (corona) that would be the dial.Rosette of leaves on each side of the clock.Art nouveau inspired vines and flowers carved into oak on the front of the tall case clock.Undulating lines representing water, three vertical lines become the stems of vines and flowers on the tablet of the clock well.
Clock face center dial tattoo inspired by a German tall case clock in my collection.
1907 Gustav Becker Vienna Regulator
I purchased 2 Vienna regulators at an estate sale in Sacramento in the summer of 2018. Both had reconditioned movements. One of the clocks had a broken support post. The second clock was in great shape, a 1907 Gustav Becker Vienna Regulator. With the help of fellow members of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, we were able to date the clock to 1907 based on the serial number stamped on the plate and makers stamp indicating the manufacturing facility and city.
The style of this clock is considered Jugendstil which was a simpler design Vienna Regulator from approximately 1880 to 1920. It is free of any pillars and scrolls or other design elements of earlier periods. The beveled glass design is a nod to the influence of the Art Nouveau design elements that were popular at the turn of the 20th century in Europe. I like the clean simple lines of this antique, but for its time, modern clock. It’s keeping great time.
1907 Gustav Becker Vienna regulator with beveled glass on the door.
Howard Miller Model 557
This George Nelson designed clock is affectionately known as the coffin clock. Nelson designed many mid-century modern wall clocks for Howard Miller. This coffin clock, model 557, seems to be strongly influenced by the emerging suburban dark wood themes of the late 1960s and early 70s. It it not particularly handsome and the German movement has a distinct ting-tang to the tick-tock escape release. But I do like how the clock dial seems to float within the coffin of the clock case itself. I purchased off of eBay for $240. You never know what you will get when buying vintage or antique clocks on eBay. This clock was in surprisingly good shape. I think the original owners might have run it for a year and then stuck it in a closet. The movement is in great shape.
Coffin Clock, designed by George Nelson for Howard Miller of Zeeland, Michigan, model 557
George Nelson designed floating dial in the Howard Miller model 557 coffin clock.
Instruction for adjusting the model 557 Howard Miller George Nelson design Coffin Clock.
Front of the Howard Miller clock movement, time only, approximate 27 inch pendulum drop.
Howard Miller clock movement for model 557, Made in Germany. Excellent condition after 40 years. UW21/5
Atmos LeCoultre Model 528-8, Serial No. 220650
I picked up this Atmos clock at Fontaine’s Auctions back in Pittsfield, MA, during a 2017 summer visit. As near as I can tell from the serial number sequence the clock was manufactured in 1966. It has a hermetically sealed chambered filled with ethyl chloride. The gas is very sensitive to changes in temperature and atmospheric pressure. The chamber expands and contracts in response to temperature and pressure changes that winds the main spring. The rotating pendulum slowly rotates back and forth every 15 seconds. All I did, once I received the clock back in California, was to clean the outside glass and metal frame. I unlocked the pendulum and it started keeping nearly perfect time.
Atmos LeCoultre Clock Model 528-8, Serial No. 220658, ca. 1966
Important instructions to repairers and watchmakers about Atmos clocks. Published by Vacheron & Constantin-LeCoultre Watches Inc, 1952, with line drawings.
The latest clock I stumbled upon is a Boston ship bell clock and barometer set. Produced by the Chelsea Clock Company, the Boston ship bell clock has a West German platform escapement and movement. Not the really high quality movement in the Chelsea ship clocks. The cases on the clock and barometer look to be yellow brass. The clock works great and strikes ship bells throughout each of the four-hour watches. I estimate the set was produced in the 1980’s, not antique, but very handsome. I found them at an estate sale for the very reasonable price of $160 for the set. So far all I’ve done to them is clean the outside with a paper towel and glass cleaner.
Boston ship bell clock and matching barometer. Produced in the 1980’s (?), West German platform escapement. Runs great and strikes ship bells through each four hour duration.
New Haven School House Clock
Another recent acquisition is a 32 inch tall New Haven office clock manufactured around the turn of the 20th century. Click on the image to enlarge.
Late 19th, early 20th century, New Haven 8-Day, Time only, wall clock labeled Regulator. 32 inches tall, 18 inches in width with 12″ dial. Pendulum drop is 11 inches. 6 o’clock winding arbor. The veneer is in great shape. A nice estate sale find for $125.
New Haven 8-day, Time Only, 6 o’clock winding arbor, with 11″ pendulum, from Regulator wall clock.
Label: No. 1 Time-Piece New Haven Clock
Some Granite Bay homeowners smothered the grass and went drought tolerant.
Our little mid century modern house in Granite Bay and my home office.
George Nelson clock built into bamboo cabinet.
Mission style arts and crafts tall case clock
Reproduction George Nelson Eye clock
Parabola alarm clock with curved dial hands, notice how the dial looks like the interior of a head lamp.
Back of parabola clock showing the winding for clock and alarm. Nice would case. Notice the loop handle on top, used to move the clock to window to capture day light.
Interior of parabola showing parabolic dial, motion works and alarm.
Arts & Crafts Wall Clock, first clock I restored, 8 day time and strike.
Arts and Crafts Wall Clock Pendulum View
Arts & Crafts wall clock, back view, showing motion works, I had to fabricate a few pieces, but I don’t think I broke anything. Runs great and sounds good.
Ansonia novelty clock I think was the top to a bank. The dial has a bad smudge. A little cleaning and the movement fired right up. The seconds bit hand is what sold me. Sounds and looks great.
TV Clock, produced by Designers Products. Case and base are cut from a continuous extruded length of aluminum.
TV Clock Mechanical, the clock movement is patterned after a traditional main spring powered movement with balance wheel and hair spring. Only this movement powers the balance wheel through impulses from a battery. Really too cool.
Jefferson Golden Hour mystery clock, dated 1956. While it is electric, it is still a fun clock from the atomic era. The mystery is ‘How do the hands turn to show the current time?’
Bamboo Kitchen Remodel, entry way, the cab doors lift up, horizontal glass back splash.
Bamboo Kitchen Remodel, Clock side, I had an original George Nelson built-in wall clock fitted for the upper cab.
Bamboo Kitchen Remodel, dining side, finished 2008. Miele oven, stove top, pull out range hood and dishwasher.
Mid century modern home built by Streng Brothers, also known as a ‘double wide’.
2005 New Years Eve Flood, backyard, only a couple more inches and then into the house. After this event I bought flood insurance.
2005 New Years Eve Flood street side into the backyard. Granite Bay, CA
2005 New Years Eve Flood side yard view from the street into the backyard. Granite Bay, CA
Landscape lighting on the Arizona flag stone path and wall wash makes our little mid century modern home look more contemporary.
Pictured above is the remodel of the kitchen. The cabinets are solid bamboo doors and frames of CFC Douglas Fir. Horizontal glass tile back splash with under cabinet fluorescent lighting. Peninsula black concrete counter top with exposed aggregate embedded. Miele dishwasher, oven, stove top and range hood. Cabinets designed by AlterECO in Sausalito, Ca. The blog post on our kitchen remodel after five years of use – Bamboo Kitchen Remodel Five Years Later
Our front yard after re-landscaping with drought tolerant plans.
Parabola Alarm Clock
Parabola alarm clock with curved dial hands, notice how the dial looks like the interior of a head lamp.
A cool clock I found on Ebay is the parabola alarm clock. I had read an article about in the the NAWCC Bulletin by Snowden Taylor. When I say the clock of ‘unknown’ origin I was able to snap it up with out much competition.
The clock was the brain child of Archibald Bannatyne in the late 1880’s. The clock dial, instead of being flat, is more like the of old car head lamps and shaped like a parabola. The entire interior of the dial was coated in a radioactive phosphorescent material that would abosrb sunlight during the day and glow at night to illuminate the clock hands. The parabolic shape was used to increase the surface area of the reflective material and also because of the properties of light rays not being easily reflected out of the parabola.
I removed the thick coating of the phosphorescent material, which would still glow blue in the dark, because I did not know how radioactive the material was. This particular clock dates to about 1907 -1910. The seller said it was his grandfathers who was employed by a railroad company.
I was able to get the clock movement and alarm in working order and painted the dial white. It was a fun project.
