Hobbies And Interests
Tallcase Clock
The tall clock often identified as a grandfather clock is also known as a tallcase or longcase clock. Primary woods used for these antique clocks that achieved prominence in the early-to-mid-1700s are walnut, maple and mahogany. Most of the earliest tallcase clocks will have had some kind of restoration by now, but value should not be affected unless the process marred the original production in some way. Value is also affected by the prominence of gothic-style angular columns, pointed case doors and arched dials.
Mantel Clocks
The most common type of clock made by French designers was the mantel clock, according to the editors of “The Illustrated History of Antiques". These small clocks were first introduced during the reign of King Louis XV and despite their name were originally designed to rest on furniture rather than fireplace mantels. The primary identifying characteristic of most mantel clocks is the circular enamel dial. Movement of the clock is housed in a drum canister that is itself the aesthetic centerpiece of the clock. Decorative flourishes on mantel clocks range from intricate carvings to bronze figures.
Banjo Clock
Simon Willard invented the banjo clock in 1802. The name derives from the similarity between the clock’s tapered trunk and box-shaped base beneath a circular dial. An interesting feature about banjo clocks is that most of them did not strike upon the hour. According to the “Price Guide to Country Antiques and American Primitives,” this lacking feature means the banjo clock is actually a timepiece rather than a true clock.
Carriage Clock
Carriage clocks are notable for their boxy shape and handle. What carriage clocks lack in non-conformity spirit of design, they gain from the addition of features like complicated movements that reveal the day and phases of the moon alongside the time. The style of the case is influential in determining the value of a carriage clock. Grooved cases tend to be more valuable than corniche-style cases. Collectors are also advised to look for carriage clocks that retain their original traveling case and key.
Mystery Clocks
The design of antique mystery clocks revolved around hiding the connection between the hands on the dial and the hardware that caused those hands to move. The mystery was created in a variety of ways. Transparent dials often featured a hand that was brought around by use of a rotating inner sheet of glass. Another mystery clock design located the dial at the base of a pendulum in the outstretched hands of a figure on the clock that oscillated just enough to hide the driving mechanism of the clock hands.