Helpful clock information about grandfather clock types, whether researching antique grandfather clocks, or trying to get on a great deal and understand which are the best deals, most reliable clock brands, and even understand the basic information of grandfather clock types and features, there are precious few reliable grandfather clock shopping and discount resources to which to look.

At 1-800-4CLOCKS.com, whether in one of our stores, or a toll-free phone call to us, we spend a lot of time talking with our customers to help them understand the types of grandfather clocks available, different grandfather clock styles, the many optional features of grandfather clocks, not to mention the difference between a Howard Miller grandfather clock and a Hermle Grandfather Clock or Ridgeway Floor Clock, or one of our own Museum Clocks™ Grandfather Clocks.

The choice between a new Ridgeway Grandfather Clock, or one of the newer Americana Grandfather Clocks, or one of the Kieninger Tubular Chime grandfather clocks, and an Antique Grandfather Clock, can be quite daunting.  To whom do you turn?  What are the pros and cons of each type of grandfather clocks?  What about the grandfather clock styles? The quality?  The mechanical grandfather clock movements and the differences between them.  The differences between a grandfather clock and a grandmother clock. The different grandfather clock chimes?  the differences between mechanical grandfather clock movements and quartz-driven grandfather clocks.  It’s a long checklist of questions a smart grandfather clock shopper would be want to be sure to ponder, separate from looking for that special grandfather clock on sale or discount grandfather clocks.

Our clocks blogs are also special resources that we have put many thousands of hours into to help online grandfather clock shoppers.  We encourage you to visit each of our blogs on clocks, as well as our main website which features posts or clock articles we feel may be most likely of interest to grandfather clock shoppers and researchers, and those deciding between a new and antique grandfather clocks.

Any special subjects you might like us to cover?  A special post on Ty Pennington and Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks, or Hermle’s upcoming new line of Grandfather Clocks Made in America, or more features on our own Museum™ Grandfather Clock Collection.

We also focus on wall clocks and mantle clocks, by all the highest end makers, including Howard Miller Clocks, Ridgeway Clocks, Hermle Clocks and many more.

Let us know how we can Add Time to Your Life™.

Grandfather Clock Information and Advice

The history of grandfather clocks is something we have written a lot about, both in this Blog and on our main website 1-800-4CLOCKS.com.  The grandfather clock, or back in 1650 around the time and in later years was better known as a Floor Clock or Tallcase Clock or Longcase Clock, was first made by abc, based on the principles of xyz, spread throughout Europe, generally from West to East in horological history.  The free-standing weights in a standalone grandfather clock, or Floor Clock, were another identifying feature separating grandfather clocks wall wall clocks and regulators, and mantel clocks, and what many still refer too, incorrectly by the way, as grandfather wall clocks (if the clock hangs on a wall, it is by definition not a grandfather clock or a grandmother clock, even if it still resembles one with its overall look and features).

So when grandfather clock shoppers are scouting about for new grandfather clocks discounts and trying to compare grandfather clocks by brand and features, what are the relevant parts of grandfather clocks history.

It’s really the innovations over the last 20 years that most grandfather clock shoppers, with the exception of those looking only at antique grandfather clocks, will need to understand to contrast and compare.

Here we will highlight some of the key points for focus when doing grandfather clock comparison shopping:

1. Quality – Easily the most important point a clocks shopper may get confused about is whether the grandfather clock brands they are comparing are of comparable quality and worksmanship.  This is especially true over the last decade or two as there has been an increasing tide of cheaply made imports flooding the USA and worldwide grandfather clocks marketplace.  Some of these cheap brands, which not so coincidentally have names that make them sound unusually similar to brands or established makers in general, arrive at the customer’s doorstep if not DOA – dead on arrival – either on life support or requiring much labor on the part of the purchaser to actually put the thing together.  Guess what?  Many of these same brands will have no instruction or assembly manual, and the customer has no idea with whom to follow up.  We know because we get many calls from individuals who have bought these so-called grandfather clocks and are practically begging for help.  Worse yet, many of these purchases have taken place at some of the biggest most well-known and respected department stores — and apparently in many cases, for whatever reason, these customers are not able to get help or refunds there (perhaps it’s because they have already opened the box and started working on it, or too much time has elapsed)?

2.  Buy a well respected brand – the best way by far to ensure that one is purchasing a quality grandfather clock is too stick with known brand names, and ideally also to purchase from stores that actually specialize in grandfather clocks, so that they can be there when questions inevitably arise, and can advise you on the pros and cons of different specific grandfather clock brands, specific Floor Clock models, and different types of grandfather clock movements and the many features which have proliferated in recent decades.

3.  Movements – there are essentially 4 categories of movements for grandfather clocks, in order of popularity and availability -

a. Cable driven mechanical grandfather clock movements – these grandfather clocks are the type that are wound in the dial or face, and generally wound in a circular motion with a winding crank key.  Most all of these movements are 8 days.  Most all nowadays also have three weights and a pendulum in the body of  the clock, and not coincidentally, 3 winding holes in the dial or face above, with winding in each of the holes bringing up each one of the three weights.  Generally the center weight is for time only.

b. Chain driven mechanical grandfather clock movements – while the top quality makers make fewer grandfather clock models with chain-driven grandfather clock movements, these clocks have maintained their popularity for a number of reasons.  The movements tend to be smaller, and the clocks are generally therefore in smaller grandfather clock bases, from a depth, width and even height perspective.  These clocks almost always will have a single grandfather clock chime, generally the Westminster Chime.  They will also have a chime-silence option, and that is usually about the extent of the features on chain driven grandfather clocks.  Many will have a faux (or fake) moondial, meaning it doesn’t revolve and is there purely for decorative purposes.  One of many reasons, aside from the generally lower price points of chain-driven clocks compared to cable-driven clocks, is that so many people have grown up with chain-driven clocks that sentimentality is frequently part of the buying equation.  Additionally, most grandfather clocks corporate gifts or promotional or retirement gifts are of the chain-driven grandfather clock variety.  That is simply a fact.

c.  Quartz-driven or battery operated grandfather clocks are relatively new, but many have been sold, and some are an excellent value.  There are pros and cons to a quartz grandfather clock.  The advantages can, but do not always necessarily include, a much lower price, volume control, auto-night shut-off, less depth, easy set-up, and no need to wind the grandfather clock (let the batteries do the work).  The disadvantages include a shorter movement life, less quality in the sound of any chime or chimes (because one is listening to a recording sound chip on a quartz grandfather clock instead of a real mechanical grandfather clock movement being struck with hammers with the others), and the fact that any somewhat serious clock collector would likely not view any quartz movement clock as a real and collectible clock.

d. Tubular chime grandfather clocks – we hesitate to even include this amazing type of grandfather clock, because generally only those who really know grandfather clocks and are connoisseurs of them, not to mention also having fairly deep pockets, would generally either even know what they are or be in a position to purchase one.  They are generally quite expensive, and even most clock shops do not know how to repair or necessarily even service a grandfather clock of this type.  Tubular chimes grandfather clocks have been around for well over a century, and most have either 5, or more usually 9, tubular chimes, which look like pipes, and are of varying sizes, and they hang int eh back of the case just behind the pendulum.  They usually but not always have cable-driven vs. chain-driven movements.  They usually play a choice of chimes, including Westminster, Whitington and St Michaels, and some play the Canterbury Chimes.  The BIG difference, other than price, is that these clocks have a truly rich and LOUD sound that can be heard far and wide within a house or home.  It is a deep sounding grandfather clock chime!

e.  Newer features – newer features NOT found on antique grandfather clocks, and introduced more recently and referenced in the appropriate context above, include automatic night shutoff options, illuminated grandfather clock dials, illuminated interiors of the grandfather clock when the door is glass, more chime options including the Beethoven Ave Maria grandfather clock chime and the Schubert Ode to Joy Chime, battery or quartz driven grandfather clock movements,  crystal pendulums, curio grandfather clocks, corner grandfather clocks, working moonphase or moondials on the grandfather clocks (there are some antique grandfather clocks with this feature), autowind mechanical grandfather clocks, 21st century and late 19th century contemporary case designs for grandfather clocks, atomic time or radio-controlled grandfather clocks, and other features that we are sure our grandfather clock blog readers will want to point out.

Howard Miller J. H. Miller II Grandfather Clock
List: $25,650.00

J H Miller II Howard Miller Tubular Chime Grandfather Clock 611-031  611031

Should a prospective grandfather clocks shopper who is considering purchasing either a new grandfather clocks or perhaps a special antique grandfather clock spotted at a local antique clock or general antiquities store treat them as equivalent purchases.  Not at all.  An antique grandfather clock can have certain advantages, including perhaps a rich provenance, a likely much louder gong or strike sound on the hour or half-hour, perhaps greater investment potential, and maybe even some unique design, or less likely special grandfather clock feature, which would make it especially endearing to a floor clocks shopper.

At the same time, when one is buying an antique grandfather clock, the first phrase that comes to the mind of this experienced grandfather clock shopper is caveat emptor.  Two of the biggest and very real risks are, first, and perhaps most likely, that one will end up purchasing a grandfather clock that ends up becoming a project clock, and at the same time a money pit, and may not ever work as well as the way a brand new grandfather clock would work.  In these circumstances, it can not only be harder and much more expensive to find a qualified repair person to fix the clock, but then the risk of parts not being available, or need to be custom-made at some real expense and likely time delay, starts to come into play.

The second biggest risk when considering the purchase of an antique grandfather clock is that the clock may in horological terminology be known as what is called a marriage.  Now while in our civil society “a marriage” is generally considered a good thing adding value to society-at-large, in serious clock collecting and investing nomenclature, a “clock marriage” is a “dirty term”.  It means that the case and the movement, and/or perhaps other parts as well, were not together when the clock was first made, but were put together at some point more recently.  While there can be many good reasons to do this, such as if a clock is in a fire and is rebuilt in a new grandfather clock case or fitted to an older one, it will not be considered a “genuine clock” by serious collectors, and any investment value may essentially be lost.  While many marriages can be skillfully hidden, most real expert clockmakers will be able to spot a marriage if they take apart the clock and look inside.

Antique grandfather clocks will also likely not have the same great chime selection, the vast majority being time and strike only, not will the have what we refer to as the “bells and whistles” that many of the new clocks have, such as automatic nightime shutoff, chime-silent option, lower volumes overall, more of a choice or perhaps any actual chimes, and working right out of the container, just to name some of the highlights.

New clocks, such as those made by Howard Miller grandfather clocks and Hermle Clocks, and Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks, Bulova Grandfather Clocks,  the Kieninger grandfather clock collection, and the soon-to-be-unveiled Americana Grandfather clock collection (which we are very excited about).  Most all of the mechanical grandfather clocks have German 8 day movements, and are highly reliable, and have solid wood cases.  What you pay for is what you get, and a grandfather clock customer knows what he or she is getting.  Other options can include illuminated dials, chimes including in addition to the most popular westminster chime, also the Ave Maria and Ode to Joy chimes, which were only even introduced on grandfather clocks in recent years.

When purchasing a new clock, there is also the possibility of purchasing a Limited Edition Grandfather Clocks, many of which are quite spectacular, and even Howard Miller’s Limited Edition Tubular Chime Clock known as the JH Miller II Grandfather Clock.  The Howard Miller Presidential Grandfather Clock Series and the Ambassador Collection made by Howard Miller also offer the highest-end grandfather clocks they make available, and are probably the most highly sought after brand of grandfather clock today.

The reasonably recent introduction of grandfather clocks, wall clocks, and mantel clocks designed by Ty Pennington for Howard Miller as certainly added to the cache of the brand.

New grandfather clock vs. antique grandfather clocks – it’s a combination of personal preferences and a role of the dice.   In any event, first do your grandfather clock research, ideally with the help of an experienced professional.

Below is a picture of a Hershcede Antique grandfather clock in a Gothic style that stood in a large Church in New York City for probably at least the last 80+ years.  We will soon be putting this clock up for sale, but here is a sneak preview:

Hershcede Antique Grandfather Clock Gothic from NYC Church Westminster Chimes

Howard Miller Reagan Presidential Grandfather Clock

When trying to both understand and name the visible parts of a grandfather clock, many individuals do not know where to begin.

Most people know that grandfather clocks have a pendulum, and weights, and are in a free-standing case, but when one gets beyond that point, may people, grandfather clock discount shoppers included, become at a loss for words as to how to describe the different parts.  Even having said the above, many people confuse the weights with the pendulum and vice versa.

We came across one excellent diagram, with credit given below, for the various parts of a grandfather clock:

HOME :: SCIENCE :: MEASURING DEVICES :: MEASURE OF TIME :: GRANDFATHER CLOCK

grandfather clock

Grandfather Clocks Diagram

Clock with a pendulum that is operated by weights and housed in a tall (usually over 2 m high) straight body, which stands upright on the floor.

http://visual.merriam-webster.com/science/measuring-devices/measure-time/grandfather-clock.php

The in this case split pediment or swans neck is shown at the top, with the finial sticking out at the very top center of the clock.  The working moondial, although sometimes they are stationary, rotates ones every 29 1/2 days in keeping with the lunar calendar cycle of a full moon.  The dial, hour and minute hands, and in this case a subsidiary seconds dial are also shown.

This particular grandfather clock is a chain-driven model, not a cable driven grandfather clock, and is therefore wound by pulling down on each of the 3 chains, one at a time, to bring up each of the 3 weights to the top of the weight case.  Because this clock has 3 weights, we know that it must be a chiming grandfather clock.  The pendulum swings back and forth as the weights gradually do down over time, most likely over an 8 day period.  And the plinth of the grandfather clock can be seen at the bottom of the case.

We like this grandfather clock diagram, and it’s great to see referenced sources like this available online to grandfather clocks shoppers, whether or not they are looking for a brand name like a Howard Miller grandfather clocks or Ridgeway or Hermle grandfather clock, or so they can just be more informed shoppers when looking for high-quality grandfather clocks on sale.

Should one purchase a new grandfather clock?  What about a so-called used antique grandfather clock.  Antique grandfather clocks are used grandfather clocks, are they not?  Are the floor clocks made in the last 20 or 30 or 50 years as good as the new grandfather clocks made today, by such makers as Howard Miller Clocks, Ridgeway Clocks, and Hermle Clocks.   Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks, Ridgeway Floor Clocks, and Hermle Grandfather Clocks and Grandmother Clocks are among the most popular high-end brands on the market today.  Interestingly, these same grandfather clock makers have each been manufacturing grandfather clocks for nearly a century or more.

So what is an educated grandfather clock shopper looking for the best selection and savings to do?  When considering new vs. used grandfather clocks, we think it is best to compare “apples to apples”, meaning to compare for example a new howard miller grandfather clock to a pre-owned or used howard miller grandfather clock, or a new hermle grandfather clock to a pre-owned hermle grandfather clock.  Given the many thousands of makers of antique grandfather clocks and antique grandmother clocks, trying to compare a new or used howard miller grandfather clock to an antique grandfather clock would require the comparison of a dizzying array of details which would be at best difficult to compare.

So should one seriously consider buying a pre-owned or used grandfather clock, such as a howard miller grandfather clock.  We would suggest the same caution a smart shopper would or should use when considering shopping for a new or pre-owned automobile.  The most basic tenet being sure one knows what one is purchasing, and ideally also getting a “no lemon” guarantee or a guarantee that lasts for a meaningful amount of time.

The risk is that one buys a money pit, and throws good money after bad in trying to get one’s grandfather clock, whether made my howard miller or ridgeway or hermle or kieninger, to run as well as it did when it was new, and to have the longevity that would come with a new grandfather clock.  Also like automobiles, if a grandfather clock is not well cared for, one will end up paying a lot more over time in grandfather clock maintenance and for grandfather clock repairs.

At 1-800-4CLOCKS.com, we have to date resisted the temptation of offering pre-owned or used howard miller grandfather clocks that would also come with a warranty we would offer, as but one example of offering used grandfather clocks.

But as with most things in life, we are keeping our grandfather clock options open.

When one thinks about buying one the best types of grandfather clocks available, the term black forest grandfather clocks frequently leaps to mind.  The Black Forest region of Germany has for centuries been known as a center for high quality clocks of all kinds, including wall clocks and mantle clocks, but probably best known overall for black forest cuckoo clocks.

The wood harvested from trees is the black forest region of Germany is especially well suited for carving, and many many thousands of craftsmen have become expert in carving spectacular clock cases, most notably for Vienna regulators and German cuckoo clocks.

Interestingly, Germany, perhaps not coincidentally, became a center for some of the finest clock movements and mechanism makers, including companies like Gustav Becker Clocks, Winterhalder Hoffmeier, Franz Hermle Grandfather Clocks, Schneider Cuckoo Clocks, Kieninger clocks, Junghans clock company and many others.

Today, there are really only two makers of high-end mechanical grandfather clocks that manufacture movements in any quantity.  One is the Hermle Clock company, which also makes its own line of grandfather clocks, which can legitimately be thought of as Black Forest Grandfather Clocks, and the other which is Kieninger Clocks, which are used today in Howard Miller’s mechanical grandfather clocks, as they are in Ridgeway grandfather and grandmother clocks and Kieninger Floor Clocks.

Interestingly, before Howard Miller Clocks purchased Kieninger Clocks several years ago, they used to have only German made Hermle movements in their mechanical grandfather clocks.  After purchasing Kieninger, Howard Miller gradually began swapping out their grandfather clock models with German Kieninger grandfather clock movements instead of the German Hermle grandfather clocks movements.

And they can all be considered Black Forest Grandfather Clocks, at least as it relates to their mechanical grandfather clock movements.

Which grandfather clocks are the best? Who is considered the highest-end manufacturer of grandfather clocks?  Is there a big difference between brands?  What about German mechanical grandfather clocks with movements made by Kieninger or Hermle — is one better than the other?  What about the difference between grandmother clock and grandfather clocks?  And cable driven floor clocks vs. chain driven grandfather clocks?

These are all great questions, and by far the lions share of questions come in about Howard Miller grandfather clocks, or is it Herman Miller grandfather clock the name – this is a question we still get almost daily.  Grandfather Clocks by Howard Miller Clocks are by far the best known grandfather clock name out there, and generally speaking have enjoyed the reputation as being the highest end of any grandfather clock makers who produce grandfather clocks in any quantity.  Certainly not far behind, and logically on a par, are Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks, which was an independent grandfather clock company, but was purchased by Howard Miller Clocks about 8 years ago, and in recent years have had both the cases and movements made in the same places and have used the same German Kieninger grandfather clock movements for comparable models.  Essentially these Ridgeway Flooor Clocks are simply different models of the same clocks made by Howard Miller, but with the Ridgeway Clocks name on the dial instead of the Howard Miller Clock name on the face of the clock.

Hermle grandfather clocks are, we believe, on a par with the quality and worksmanship of Howard Miller and Ridgeway Clocks.  All of their higher-end models use cable-driven mechanical movements made in Germany, with Hermle Grandfather Clocks having their own German Hermle mechanical movements inside.  Hermle and Kieninger mechanical grandfather clock movements are extremely comparable.  Kieninger Clocks is nowadays owned by Howard Miller Clocks, while interestingly, Howard Miller used to have only Hermle mechanical movements in their own grandfather clocks.  Sligh grandfather clocks and Bulova Grandfather Clocks have also has the German made Hermle mechanical movements in their grandfather clocks.

Chiming mechanical grandfather clock movements are also comparable whether one is comparing Hermle Grandfather Clocks, Ridgeway Floor Clocks, or the Howard Miller Grandfather Clock selection.

Hermle Floor Pendulum Clocks and mantel clocks and wall clocks is a company and name with a tremendously long and rich history, making clocks since the mid-1800s.  Many antique grandfather clocks still around today were made by Hermle.  Today,  Hermle grandfather clocks are a choice and serious grandfather clock or grandmother clock shopper should look at when considering alternatives.  When looking at grandfather clocks on sale, and at discount grandfather clocks, it’s always a good idea to see what specials are going on for each of these brands.  The good news is that one really cannot make a bad choice when choosing any of a Howard Miller, Hermle or Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks.  On other grandfather clock makers, stay tuned for further developments.

When shopping for a grandfather clock, most grandfather clocks shoppers look only at brand new floor clocks, recognizing that if they purchase a high quality grandfather clock, such as those made by Howard Miller Clocks and Hermle Clocks and the Ridgeway Clock Company, the grandfather clock will have all of the features they might reasonably want, and there should be immediately be a working grandfather clock which will peform all of its functions, including timekeeping and chiming, with little chance of breakdown for many years.

When one is considering an antique grandfather clock, one has to be both very knowledgeable about not only the authenticity of the grandfather clock, but also its inner workings, functionality, and restoration or maintenance that may be required.  Buying an antique grandfather clock without the benefit of expert input can be compared legitimately to buying a used car when one knows nothing about cars and their inner mechanisms or how to spot signs of previous accidents, changed engines, and more.

While we love antique clocks, and have sold many hundreds if not many thousands of them, a respectable honest clock dealer should be very up-front about all the issues that currently do or soon may accompany the grandfather clock.  There are two big risks.  One is that the antique grandfather clock or antique grandmother clock that you are buying may not be all original, known in the clocks trade as a marriage, and therefore may be relatively worthless as a collectors item.  The second biggest risk is that one may be finding themselves being the proud owner of a grandfather clock project, which may not only be a money pit, but also a time pit as well.

If one goes into purchasing antique grandfather clocks with the right kind of knowledge and eyes wide open, it can be a tremendously rewarding experience.  The same holds true for antique wall clocks, and mantle clocks antique as well.  But no what you are getting yourself into.

The other trade-off to consider between antique grandfather clocks and a new, say, Howard Miller grandfather clock, is that at the same price point, one will get an infinitely more fancy case and wordwork, and many more features such as auto night shut-off, a working moonphase or moondial on the clock, westminster chimes or even triple chimes, and perhaps a lit dial or lit cabinet.  If all of these features existed on a comparable antique grandfather clock, the cost would likely be 10 times as much as the price for the new Howard Miller Clock or Ridgeway Grandfather Clock.  Many antique grandfather clocks and simply time and strike only, with the grandfather clock gonging on each hour for the number of hours representing the time.  One important difference in this regard is that most antique grandfather clocks will have a strike volume that may well be five to ten to twenty plus times higher than modern day cost.  The other factor to consider is resale value, with antique clocks, while requiring much more due diligence and perhaps investment of time and money, they are generally speaking, if one gets a good deal, more likely to be a good financial investment.  This is simply our opinion based on historical observations, and any single case may be different now, and most certainly so in the future.

Press Release.  We have some exciting grandfather clocks news to report.  As background, the Sligh Furniture Company stopped making Sligh Grandfather Clocks perhaps 6 to 8 years ago.  Then about 5 years ago, the Bulova Grandfather Clocks Company, a division of Bul0va Clocks, bought the design rights to the Sligh Grandfather Clocks, and continued to make many of the same grandfather clock models made by Sligh, only with the Bulova name.  Now stick with this, because it gets complicated and is quite interesting.  When Bulova began introducing many of the same Sligh Grandfather Clocks models with the Bulova clock name, the clocks were identical, and made by the very same people in the very same place with the very same materials in the very same location.  These Bulova grandfather clocks, in addition to being identical to the Sligh grandfather clocks as described above, also used the identical German-made Hermle movements that had been used in the comparable Sligh Clocks.  Then, about 6 months ago, Bulova clocks itself decided to exit the grandfather clocks market place.  Currently, we at 1-800-4CLOCKS.com have only a handful of the Bulova grandfather clocks in stock.

Now for the exciting new grandfather clock news.  The company and individuals that actually made the clocks both for Sligh Gramdfather Clocks and later Bulova Grandfather Clocks has just shared with us that they will very soon be introducing many of the same grandfather clock models made earlier by Sligh and Bulova.  Not only that – they will also be offering new designs of grandfather clocks, and some of the same previous designs but also for the first time in a choice of wood and finish.  These grandfather clocks will still have the same German Hermle mechanical grandfather clock movements, and will still be made by the same people in the same place that the Bulova and Sligh grandfather clocks were made.

We presume that many of the grandfather clock models, especially when the same grandfather clock model is offered in, say, oak or cherry or walnut, will in some cases require a special order with some lead time for grandfather clock construction and delivery.

Some of the nicest floor clocks made by Bulova are of the size that they can be considered grandmother clocks or grandfather clocks.  Tallcase and Long case clocks that straddle roughly the 80 inch size in height are what we use as the defining characteristics of free standing weight driven pendulum clocks that can be termed grandmother clocks or grandfather clocks.  Floor clocks is another common term used to describe both, as is Hall Clocks.

These clocks will also offer an excellent alternative when grandfather clock shopping to Howard Miller grandfather clocks, Hermle grandfather clocks, the Ridgeway grandfather clock collection, and the special order Kieninger grandfather clocks.  For those that may be wondering, and we get this question quite frequently, Seth Thomas is no longer making grandfather clocks, and new Seth Thomas grandfather clocks have not been made or sold for well over a decade.

Another wonder feature of many of the old Sligh grandfather clock designs is that many were reproductions of antique grandfather clocks.  Some of them had pretty incredible and historic grandfather clock designs.

We can also expect these grandfather clocks to be offered with both the Westminster Chime, as well as many models also having the traditional grandfather clock triple chimes, which also include the Whittington and St Michaels option built in.  This sometimes confuses customers, but the triple chime grandfather clock means that the individual clock purchaser can listen at any one time to any of the three grandfather clock chimes.  The grandfather clock comes built in with all 3 clock chimes (NOTE: one has to be careful about when and how to switch from one chime to another, following the owners manual carefully and never ever switching a chime, or even moving a grandfather clock hand, when the clock is about to or is or just finished chiming its grandfather clock melody or gongs counting the hour or hours).

We look forward to bringing you new information on these new grandfather clocks for sale, as soon as we know more that is worth sharing.  We also expect to be able to offer grandfather clock discounts on these clocks, with greater grandfather clocks discounts than usual, because we will be selling these clocks to you direct from the manufacturer.

Perhaps you have read over the last day or two about a Baby Grand Piano that was mysteriously found floating but grounded on a sandbar in Key Biscayne Bay in Florida.

Now would not it have been as cool or more so if a grandfather clock or grandmother clock were found sitting on that same sandbar, or perhaps, and I am getting inspired here, having multiple grandfather clocks each on its own tiny raft, and providing the time and chimes and gongs to passing boats and passerby’s. Maybe sometime soon, and remember you read it here first. I can see a cluster of grandfather clocks such as a Howard Miller Grandfather Clock, one of the Ridgeway grandfather clock collection choices, an autowind Hermle Floor Clock, and, after all, at least 1 time and tide clock, an atomic wall clock suitably mounted, and 1 nautical ships bell clock.

Interesting thing about taking credit for a creative idea, whether a piano in the middle of a Bay, or almost anything. Interestingly, a baby grand piano is very much the same type of item a person who buys a grandfather clock might also own, or considering owning. Same holds true for a person buying grandfather clocks being a similar demographic to piano shoppers (some stores, of which this writer knows of none currently in existence, carried on their floor both grandfather clocks and pianos in their showrooms). Once the piano caper, as I will call it, started to get a lot of national publicity, see piano not a grandfather clock by clicking here , others started claiming credit for it as their idea.  It was not.  Finally, a 16 year old boy, who at least now if not before is calling himself an artist, said he placed it out there as a statement of his creativity.  He hopes it will help him get into a college of his choice.

While it most probably will work, a grandfather clock on a sandbar would have made him an absolute shoe-in at any institution of higher learning.