Summer Plans II

[filter-flo_rob]

P.S.

This is a dying art. The Jeweler's Building in Boston had; just 20 years ago, more than 30 clockmakers and 25 other companies that would supply the clockmaker with tools and materials. Now, I think there is only one clockmaker left and a few assorted suppliers.

One time I was in there and a yuppy-looking guy came picking up his solid gold Longines watch. After he left, the watchmaker told me the story: his watch had a beautiful hand-made movement and every pivot hole was jeweled. He didn't want to be bothered winding it so he had the watchmaker replace it with a quartz movement ... like the 25 cent variety ... and the watchmaker kept the original movement. He offered the movement to the customer and the customer replied "what would I do with that."

sheesola ...

Rob.

 

[filter-flo_rob]

P.P.S.

Ok, I'll shut up after a fashion, but what came into mind is the clock repairer. I consider it a avocation rather than a profession these days as people freak out when you charge them a couple of hundred dollars to clean and do minor repairs on mechanical clock movements. Believe me, one could make more money as a counter person at McDonalds!

Try finding a clock repairer these days.

The worse thing is that the standard mass production American clocks made from the 1860s to the 1910s aren't worth very much; on occasion the repair bill is higher than the value of the clock!

 

[oldhouseman]

Yes Rob

I agree with you. I started to learn the work some years back but realized the money end of it was not lucrative. We have only one certified clock maker I am aware of in Atlanta.

About 10 years ago I took an 1830's mantel clock in to be repaired. Mr Bauman, the clock repair fellow, was in his late 80's and had got out of Nazi Germany just in time before they began rounding up the jewish community. He asked me what was wrong with the clock and for lack of a better way to describe the problem I told him "it ticks but it won't toc". Mr Bauman picked up a flashlight and put it up at the clock's face and said "We have ways to make you Toc".

My Marland tall case clock is not running right now, I need to find weights for and take it in to be put in shape. Mr. Bauman is no longer at the shop sadly enough but his great grandson has taken over and is still running the place.

I believe those mass produced clocks like the one's Sears sold in the late 19th and early 20th century are the perfect example of what you mentioned.

 

[filter-flo_rob]

Clocks, etc.

Greg,
An 1830s clock? Tell me more? Wood or brass works? weight driven? American in manufacture?

About your Maryland clock: rule of thumb: always, ALWAYS use the minimum amount of weight to get the clock ticking and stay ticking, and enough weight to start the, and maintain the strike sequence. Question: How do you wind it? Is is a 1 day or and 8 day? It probably needs cleaning so more weight may be needed to keep it in order. Danger: this will wear the pivots and gears, so if you have company and want it to work -- stuff like that, then no problemo. Just don't keep it running.

Thanks to the Jerome brothers ca. 1935, their invention, rolled brass stamped gears, revolutionized the mass production clock market. Of course it was really Ely Terry and his invention in 1814 of the one day wood movement was the biggest revolution in the clock making industry. Clocks that would cost 75.00 for the movement ONLY, prior to 1800 (tall case clocks) could be had for 15.00 in 1814 (shelf clocks), and by the 1840s, clocks were going for a couple of bucks! The concept of springs as motivation power for mass production was a later thing, as the steel (previously brass) was not "there" yet. Some of those English and French clocks in the 18th century were powered by springs (fusee style), but these springs were hand made ... not an easy task, believe me! Some of the experiments in drive power are fascinating, especially things like cantilever and wagon springs.

Your Chippendale style English clock is peaking my curiosity, especially since you mentioned it had a brass face ... it may be older than I first thought.

So, you started in the clock making profession. Tell me more???? Were you an apprentice? That type of apprentice is a really valuable way to learn, as you can watch and learn from the master -- sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Unfortunately not all master/apprentice relationships were ... healthy. On one particular American tall case clock was found an inscription "master is a bastard." And you're a librarian too???

Just tell me to shut up as I could go on. I'm at my pt job and I've got a 16th century Greek philosophy book (in Greek) I'm cataloging and it's driving me crazy ... it was rebound in the 19th century and the signatures are not all whole and in place. So any determent from that is a good thing ... heh heh heh.

Rob.

 

[filter-flo_rob]

UGGH

... Thanks to the Jerome brothers ca. 1935

That's 1835. Mea culpa.

 

[oldhouseman]

The 1830's

clock was the typical mantel clock for it's time period, two panes of glass in the front door, the bottom glass fancy painted. Brass works, I think it was made in Conn. 8 day movement. Weight driven. I ended up selling it a couple of years ago when we started work on the house. A friend offered me a good price for it and I was raising funds to work on the house so...

We have not pulled the works out of the moving box for the Maryland tall case yet. Since it needs to be taken in and cleaned anyway I didn't see any reason to unpack it just to have to pack it up again.

I have worked in some very widely different areas after I got out of the Army (infantry). I worked in a dental lab making caps, crowns and dentures for a few years, was a buyer at a hospital and finally the Archives. On the side I also worked in a cabinet shop for little pay because I wanted to learn cabinet making skills.Same with the clock repair. I spent a year working pt in a shop to learn the craft. The guy that owned the shop passed away and I just never took it any further. Life went another direction.

And it is about to again. We are having staff cuts here because of the looming state budget crisis. We have been told anybody hired two years ago or less is being let go and the second wave will be anyone under 13 years. I have 9 years in so I will be in the second wave. In my time here I learned book and paper conservation and repair, have served as a historian, manuscript curator, worked in the library and document reading area.

And now life is once again taking me in another direction. I've gotten pretty good at portrait and landscape/still life painting, had a few shows (sold about 200 paintings so far) so I think I will see where that can lead me after I find another "job". I hate working for a living, it really cuts into my day. I would rather be at home in Sparta enjoying the house and painting again.

 

[filter-flo_rob]

... I also worked in a cabinet shop for little pay because I

HAH ... I can relate to some of what you say ... I worked at C.B. Fisk, the organ builder in Gloucester for a very short time in the late 70s. I was an apprentice making minimum wage. I thought "what the heck, I am an organist and wanted to get an additional aspect. Left after a few months for reasons I will not mention online. I did get to work on the meantone organ at Wellesley College. That was great fun!

My problem is that I have too many interests and tiresome things like work effect (heh heh heh, affect!) them all!

Rob.

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