Ty Pennington, whom was born as Gary Tygert Bruton Pennington, has recently released a whole new line of clocks and furniture with the Howard Miller Clocks company. While well known by much of America as the host of the ABC TV Show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, he is known in the United Kingdom as well for his television show Ty’s Great British Adventure, which Airs on UKTV.  He first found fame in the TV Reality Show Trading Spaces on the TLC network.

With Howard Miller Clocks, Ty Pennington has designed not only a great line of grandfather clocks, but also wall clocks, and very large or oversize wall clocks known as gallery clocks.  Some of the grandfather clocks are of a size that is small enough that they could also be considered grandmother clocks or grandmother floor clocks.  One of the clocks which we are classifying as a grandfather clock is actually a standing floor clock with a waterfall known as the Cascade Model and shown just below:

Howard Miller Cascade Waterfall Grandfather Clock by Ty Pennington, Model 615-058 615058

We are hopeful that Ty Pennington may soon design some mantle clocks.  Ty Pennington inspired mantel clocks could be a great seller, and Ty, we hope you are out there reading this and will make this happen, please.

One of our favorite more traditional Howard Miller grandfather clocks designed by Ty Pennington is the Joslin Grandfather Clock Shown below:

Howard Miller Joslin Grandfather Clock by Ty Pennington, Model 611-156 611156

We at 1-800-4CLOCKS are very excited about the partnership between Ty Penington and Howard Miller, and what it has and will mean for many lines of Howard Millers products already in the marketplace and on their way, we’re sure.

Thomas Tompion, an exceptionally well regarded clocksmith and watchsmith  and contributor to the field of horology, he was a British clocks and watch maker who lived in England during the 1600s through his death in the early 1700s.

His influence is still felt today, and the early bracket mantel clocks he helped to pioneer became the gold standard for British Bracket Clocks and mantle clocks for centuries to follow.   Tompion’s excellence was based on the sound design of his productions as well as the high quality of the materials used. This together with the outstanding skills of the workmen he employed gave him an unrivaled reputation throughout the known world.

His clock apprentices included George Allett, Edward Banger, Henry Carlowe, Daniel Delander, Ricard Ems, Ambrose Gardner, Obadiah Gardner, William Graham (nephew of George Graham), George Harrison, Whitestone Littlemore, Jerimiah Martin, Charles Molins, William Mourlay, Charles Murray, Robert Pattison, William Sherwood, Richard Street, Charles Sypson, William Thompson, James Tunn and Thomas White many of whom became important clockmakers in their own right.  Everything from grandfather clocks to miniature clocks.

Tompion’s clocks and watches command extremely high prices when they come up for auction, which is relatively rarely. Clocks made honoring Thomas Tompion’s legacy, quality and worksmanship have been reproduced by several makers over the years, including but certainly but not limited to Ridgeway Clocks and the Howard Miller Clocks Company.

Howard Miller Thomas Tompion Mantle Clock

In 1711, Tompion joined in partnership with the famous innovator George Graham (known especially for the Graham Deadbeat Escapement, still used today in fine grandather clocks and mantle clocks and wall clocks), who later developed the spring escapement further after Tompion’s death.

The Howard Miller Thomas Tompion Mantle Mantel Clock, by Howard Miller Clocks, has a German made Kieninger triple-chime movement (playing Westminster, Whittington & St Michaels chimes), and is in an absolutely stunning case, with the keywound clock’s mechanism visible from each side of the clock

“I would like to buy a Herman Miller grandfather clock, or do I mean one of the Howard Miller grandfather clocks?  I am sorry, I know the two names don’t have anything to do with one another, one, Herman Miller, making high quality furniture mostly for offices, and the other, Howard Miller, known mostly for their grandfather clocks, mantle clocks and wall clocks.  Sorry I confused the two, now which is which again.”

The above dramatization between Herman Miller Clocks and Howard Miller Clocks may seem a bit exaggerated, but not by much, and we have had thousands of similar or derivative conversations with grandfather clocks shoppers in particular.

Howard Miller was the son of Herman Miller.  Howard Miller joined the Herman Miller company, and as we understand it, was drawn early on into fusing the beauty of fine wood furniture and clock mechanisms.  We have seen Herman Miller Grandfather Clocks, Herman Miller Mantle Clocks, and Herman Miller Wall Clocks. The Herman Miller Clocks were made with electric, early battery, and winding mechanisms.  We have one special very early Herman Miller Mantle Clock and Barometer and a thermometer, in a highly unusual wood case that was likely made in the 1920s.  We have in the inventory of our retail stores Herman Miller Mantel Clocks and Wall Clocks, including a Herman Miller Banjo Clock.

As a young man, Howard Miller left his father’s well known and then well established Herman Miller Company, and opened up the Howard Miller Clock Company with a headquarters and manufacturing facility literally just across the street in Zeeland, Michigan, where the two companies are still headquartered and located today.  Both individuals have passed on, but family involvement and ownership has continued at Howard Miller Clocks.  And Howard Miller, while sticking to its core competencies in mechanical grandfather clocks, both cable and chain driven, and keywound chiming wall clocks and mantel clocks, and many clocks with quartz alternatives, they have also ventured more into furniture, including collections by Ty Pennington, and many curio cabinets, wine cabinets and bars, bar stools, and more recently, Howard Miller Home Furniture of many many different types, including bedroom furnishings and furniture.

So now you know — Herman Miller was Howard Miller’s father!

In the days of now antique grandfather clocks over 100 years ago, the vast majority of grandfather clocks were time and strike.  The grandfather clocks would gong on each hour for the number of hours (e.g. 4 for 4 o’clock), and once on each half -hour.

Precious few grandfather clocks also played chimes, e.g. the grandfather clock westminster chimes which requires five notes, or perhaps the well-known bim-bam chime, which plays a ting-tang two note chime on every half-hour and on each hour for the number of hours.  Some very special antique clocks, such as one we now have for sale that was made in the 1700s in France, has a string that one can pull and the grandmother clock will then gong first for the hour with the number of hours, and then on 2 notes to signify each quarter hour.  This grandmother clock, or small grandfather clock, has what has since become known as a repeater function, which is prized both in clocks of all vintages, as well as in pocket watches.

Modern day grandfather clocks, at least the higher-end ones, come generally with at least one chime, with the westminster chime being the most popular.  They also come with with choices of chimes and grandfather clock sounds including the whittington chime, the saint michaels chime, the ave maria chime, and the ode to joy chime.  many of these grandfather clock sounds can be heard on our website at 1-800-4clocks.com.

Special features nowadays can include auto-night shutoff features with the chime stopping at 10pm and starting up at 7am, for example, or with quartz grandfather clocks, even volume control of the grandfather clocks sound.

These same features can be found frequently on howard miller mantle clocks, ridgeway wall clocks, and hermle mantel clocks.

We have focused some attention in past grandfather clocks blog posts about how we see a booming trend toward giving grandfather clocks as special wedding gifts, especially as spectacular wedding presents from parents or grandparents of the bride and groom to be.

A quick aside, in these times of war for our Nation, we do see many family of loved ones serving in the military, and even members of our Armed Forces serving overseas purchasing grandfather clocks to be delivered shortly after their planned return, or sometimes for special anniversaries while they are still serving in the Army, Navy, Marines, and other special forces, as well as some military contractors working overseas in support of the USA and its allies’ efforts.

Well, back to everyday civilian life customs and traditions for gift-giving and wedding anniversary celebrations.  More and more parents of “children” in their 20s and 30s whom are getting married are finding grandfather clocks to be the perfect wedding gift for their loved ones.  We also see this grandfather clock gift trend for special and milestone anniversaries, as well as the kids giving their parents the perfect anniversary gift of a grandfather clock for, say, 25th and 50th wedding anniversary gifts, as examples.  The gifts come in all tastes, shapes and sizes,  In addition, many choose to give mechanical mantel clocks, such as howard miller keywound chiming mantel clocks, sometimes with triple chimes including the Westminster Chime.  Grandfather clocks and high-end Mantle clocks are by far the most popular wedding gifts and anniversary present for those looking for that special clock gift for their loved one.

Below is a table, for which we would like to acknowledge and thank the website www.chiff.com, for showing what are considered the traditional or customary gifts for each anniversary rule.  While we feel no rules such as this should really apply, and when tradition coincides with desire, so much the better.

The writer of this blog post has always been a sucker for a clock with a moonphase dial, sometimes also referred to as moondials, whether moonphase grandfather clocks, moonphase mantel clock or bracket clock, or moonphase wall clock.  And watches too!

With antique clocks, dials with a moonphase were especially prized, and were found most often, when they were found, on grandfather clocks or floor clocks.  The lunar cycle is 29 1/2 days, which is one full revolution of the moondial on the moonphase clock.  When there is a full moon outside, the clock is supposed to show a full moon at the top center of the moonphase dial.  It will take another 29 1/2 days to be in the exact same position again.  In the olden days, these days were actually used by farmers to help to know when to plant crops.  They were also of use for people traversing the oceans, although a movement that would work on a clock with enough reliability was invented later and also had multiple uses for navigation and charting voyages.

In more recent years, moondials are seen on many types of clocks.  They are also on wristwatches too, as well as some antique pocket watches. Many clocks, particular in the relatively lower price ranges, and generally with all chain-driven mechanical grandfather clocks, the moonphase dials are faux dials (the nice, and French, word for fake), and are stationary and do not move.  hey are for decorative purposes only.  Most higher-end cable driven grandfather clocks, particular by makers such as Howard Miller Clocks, Hermle Clocks, and Ridgeway Clocks, have working moonphase moondials on their grandfather clocks.

A working moonphase dial on a new or antique grandfather clock is a great feature, if one can afford a clock in that generally somewhat higher grandfather clocks price range.  Keep an eye out for grandfather clock discounts and individual grandfather clocks for sale that have this feature.  You very likely will not be disappointed, whether a grandfather clocks enthusiast or not.

Howard Miller Stewart Grandfather Clock Model 610-948 with working moonphase dial

Increasingly we are seeing a trend towards people, usually very close relatives, buying really high quality grandfather clocks and grandmother clocks as housewarming gifts or homewarming gifts either for their loved ones, such as children getting married, a special anniversary, parents relocating, or simply as gifts to themselves when moving to anew home or a second home.

The gift of a grandfather clock can be highly personalized and a wonderfully creative gift idea.  Grandfather clocks have become almost traditional gifts both for couples themselves as well as present for loved ones on special wedding anniversaries or milestone birthdays when looking for the perfect birthday present or perfect wedding anniversary present.

We see the gifting of grandfather clocks becoming a new housewarming tradition, and many of our customers are also calling it a homewarming gift – a term to which we have taken a liking.

Personalized plaques commemorating special dates and occasions are just one way to make a grandfather clock or a grandmother clock be meaningful housewarming gifts to people.  Frequently, picking out a traditional grandfather clock design or contemporary grandfather clock that may be reminiscent of a clock that one of the gift recipients grew up with can be an important element in choosing a specific clock.  Many people will choice either a chain driven mechanical clock or a cable driven mechanical clock because it was the type they grew up with and made them feel most comfortable.

We find that the most popular makers of grandfather clocks for housewarming gifts are Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks, Hermle Floor Clocks, and the Ridgeway Grandfather Clock collection.  Howard Miller clocks, Ridgeway Clocks, and Hermle clocks, in addition to Bulova Clocks and others we sell are also very popular as less expensive but still very much appreciated housewarming gifts.  Grandfather clocks, wall clocks, mantel clocks, atomic clocks, grandmother clocks, and mantle clocks all make wonderful housewarming gifts, homewarming gifts, and special wedding anniversary presents and special birthday presents.

Clocks make great gifts for almost all occasions!

When purchasing or shopping for grandfather clocks, how important is it for you to have a visible pendulum that is visibly swinging back and forth inside the tower or waist of the clock.

Is this a “must-have” feature to you when thinking about purchasing a grandfather clock.

Remember that many grandfather clocks have solid wood doors where the pendulum and weights are not visible, even when they are present.  Some consumers obviously prefer the solid wood door covering the entire waist or tower of the grandfather clock.  In addition, some grandfather clocks are sprint driven instead of weight driven, and they will not have the visible weights working in the case even when the pendulum is there.  If the grandfather clock also has a platform escapement, there will be no working pendulum visible at all.

Nowadays, there are other options and therefore more considerations when shopping for a grandfather clock.  One is the advent of the decorative grandfather clock, generally quartz or battery driven, where when when opens the door to the grandfather clock, one may find storage shelves or even a bookshelf.   Another reasonably new technology is Quartz or battery operated grandfather clocks where the pendulum is moving back and forth, yet generally powered by magnets rather than the mechanical grandfather clock movement.  In these clocks, the visible weights, while reproducing the general look of a mechanical grandfather clock, will be stationary, and will therefore not move either up or down but will always stay in the same position.  The grandfather clocks weights therefore are decorative only in these cases.

So if you are looking for an “old-fashioned” mechanical weight driven grandfather clock, it comes down to a simpler question.  Do you want a grandfather clock with a glass door, or not?

Let us know your clocks preferences.

Which is the best maker of grandfather clocks?  This is a question we are asked almost daily.  It is a difficult question to answer, both because there is so much cross-ownership in the world of grandfatherclocks, and because there are so many criteria to take into account when comparing both within single grandfather clock brands as well as between the various grandfather clocks brands.

One “fact” seems simple, and least in the opinion of the writer of this blog post.  Based on overall perception and awareness by consumers and organizational buyers of grandfather clocks, Howard Miller grandfather clocks have the most overall awareness, and are perceived by most — the large majority, is our sense — as being the highest end grandfather clocks maker.

We should point out that the mechanical grandfather clocks we sell all currently have high-end German movements, made either by Hermle (whose grandfather clocks movements were used by Howard Miller Clocks exclusively before they purchased Kieninger about seven years ago) or Kieninger (which also makes its own branded Kieninger Grandfather Clocks).  To complicate matters of comparison further, Ridgeway Clocks (which is owned by Howard Miller Clocks) also currently use Kieninger Clocks movements in their Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks.  And just when you thought you had a grasp on the high-end grandfather clocks market, one should be aware that Bulova Grandfather Clocks have been using high-end Hermle Clocks movements, and not surprisingly, Hermle Grandfather Clocks use Hermle grandfather clock movements.  Also, Bulova Clocks, in recent years, has been making grandfather clocks using the Sligh grandfather clocks designs with Hermle grandfather clocks movements, as Sligh Furniture used to do before they exited the grandfather clocks marketplace.

All of these grandfather clocks makers use solid wood cases, at least for their wooden vs.wrought iron or stone waterfall grandfather clocks.

If you know think you understand the high-end grandfather clocks market, just wait 2-3 months.  It will no doubt continue to be a somewhat wild grandfather clocks ride.

Many people growing up over the last couple of hundreds years, particularly in Western Civilization, have grown up with a grandfather clock as almost a member of the family.  If nothing else, the look and sounds that these wondrous timepieces called grandfather clocks remind many of their childhood at home, or perhaps visiting their grandparents or the homes of other friends and loved ones.  Way back when, as is still the case in much of Western Europe, these clocks are and were  more commonly referred to as longcase clocks, or long case clocks, and tallcase clocks, or tall case clocks.

Customers of our who are discount grandfather clocks shoppers will frequently begin their discussions with us by mentioning a grandfather clock that in one form or another grew up with, and they are hoping to recreate that memory, including look, sound, and overall grandfather clock feeling, as much as possible.  Interestingly, people who grew up with chain-driven clocks tend to be drawn to them, at least initially, because of the unusual yet memorable way these grandfather clocks are wound, by pulling down on each of the three chains to bring up each of the three weights.

Chain driven grandfather clocks frequently have a nostalgic appeal, and they also are the least expensive of the different types of grandfather clocks movements.  Partly because the movements are smaller, the grandfather clock manufacturers tend to make these among their smallest models, from a height, width, and depth dimension.

While cable driven grandfather clocks are more expensive, the movement will generally last, based on our opinion and experience, about twice as long as a chain-driven movement.  With proper care, a cable driven movement, we believe, will generally last 25-50 years.  This makes sense when you think about it in that these clocks have much more wear and tear on the clocks mechanisms or clock movements because the chain is sliding through the movement each time the clock is wound.  Cable-driven grandfather clocks can truly be heirloom quality treasures.

A cable driven grandfather clock will not only be larger and generally last much longer with proper care, these clocks also come with more extras or options, including automatic night shut-off, working moon phase dials, triple chimes, lit interiors, and some even have lit dials.  These clocks tend to also have much more heft and weight to them, in cases which can be carved quite intricately.

While the old adage “you get what you pay for” largely applies in this instance, one needs to be an informed grandfather clocks shopper to be an intelligent grandfather clock shopper.

All the mechanical grandfather clocks we sell currently have 8 day movements.