“Hello, I am very interested in purchasing the Howard Miller J.H. Miller II Grandfather Clock Model 611-031 (611031) with tubular chimes, or perhaps the Howard Miller J.H. Miller Grandfather Clock Model 611-030 (611030), which looks identical, but is several thousand dollars less expensive.  I would ideally like to see any grandfather clock I purchase in person.  May I stop by one of your stores to compare these clocks, and perhaps some other Howard Miller, Ridgeway, and Hermle Grandfather Clocks I have also found quite intriguing”.

The above grandfather clock sale inquiry is not at all unusual.  People, especially in an ideal world, want to see and hear and even touch all the choices before them in person.  Some grandfather clocks shoppers come carrying an array of wood samples, others carrying paint color chips, some bring along a friend for a second opinion, and some simply want to see and hear how each grandfather clock might sound, and the differences and similarities between and among different grandfather clock makers.

I know if I was considering spending several thousand dollars on a grandfather clock or floor clock, I would surely want to see it and hear it in person before I bought it, even id I knew it was made by a quality maker with an excellent reputation.  Having said that, there are literally hundreds of grandfather clock models to choose from, and at least in the New York tri-state area, which includes New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, it is difficult to find any place that will have even a significant number of new grandfather clocks on display.  We had in our Grand Central Station Store for many years, until we were forced to close it after the entire floor on which we were located was taken over and occupied by the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority, maybe 3-4 grandfather clocks on display at any one time, and as far as we knew, that was the largest selection in the New York City area.  The economics of selling grandfather clocks, and mantle clocks and wall clocks etc. has led over the years to a continuing and ongoing reduction in the number of brick and mortar stores selling both new and antique grandfather clocks.

We still make sure to keep some grandfather clocks on display in one or more of our locations, but when one adds in space for wristwatches and pocket watches, not to mention space for repair of mechanical cable driven and chain driven grandfather clocks, keywound wall clocks, antique mantel clocks and much more, it takes up space.  We try to keep much inventory in antique clocks and antique pocket watches (and like to purchase collections of old pocketwatches and wristwatches, and even clocksmith tools, whether the timepieces are working or not).

We frequently have to ask our clock customers to make a leap of faith, that yes, the grandfather clock will look as good and sound as good, or maybe better, in person.  We look for ways to help people deal with this legitimate desire to see a clock before plunking down thousands of dollars.

The good news is that when we get feedback from customers who buy without first seeing the grandfather clock in person, the feedback is almost universally that the grandfather clock was MUCH NICER overall than they expected.  A satisfied grandfather clocks customer and owner makes it all worthwhile!

Howard Miller J.H. Miller Grandfather Clock Model 611-030 (611030) (on left)

Howard Miller J.H. Miller II Grandfather Clock Model 611-031 (611031) (on right)

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.

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

Now that the Super Bowl is over, and many households may be heading back to some semblance of normalcy, it may be the time of the year for the hot dog and peanut and beer salespeople to start peddling grandfather clocks.  Can you hear it resonating throughout the football stadium; “Get your grandfather clocks here”, “Grandfather Clock Sale here”, “Grandfather Clock Discounts and Sales … gert them now while they last”.

Interestingly, a segue that had not occurred to this author as the post was first being written.  We are asked an average of at least once a day if we would appraise a grandfather clock, wall clock, mantle clock, pocket watch collection, or entire clock and watch collection.  We say no almost all of the time, with some notable exceptions.  We will also need to explain why we generally say no to clock and watch appraisals.  But back to the segue – one group for whom we did literally hundreds of appraisals for was individuals who lost their clocks, especially grandfather clocks, to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Home of the newest Super Bowl Champions! (whomever one was rooting for, I would like to think every American took some pride in this Super Bowl Win as Katrina is still a Phoenix rising from the ashes, but with even more pride, and still some way to go.  Especially Ward 9, which can and never should be forgotten or given short shrift!!!

So when Hurricane Katrina victims called us “needing” appraisals for their ruined antique and new grandfather clocks, and special wall and mantle clocks, we felt a duty to respond.  We did many many appraisals, and never charged a penny for any of them!

We also make exception for fire, hurricane, and smaller flood situations where the owners are sometimes literally grasping for straws by the time they get to us with their clocks or watches collection.

Here is why we are so wary of timepiece appraisers and doing clock and watch and pocket watch  appraisals.  In our experience, we encounter appraisals most often when an individual is looking to sell a timepiece, and they bring along the associated Appraisal.  In our experience and opinion, and even setting aside current market realities, the sour economy, and many luxury items being seen as ever more discretionary, we find Appraisals, in our opinion, to be GROSSLY OVERSTATING the value of the item which is being appraised.  Now why might this be?  Adjusting for changing markets, and general market swings from time-to-time in Antique timepieces, which are very real, we still see a wide gap in our view of value and the Appraisers view of value.

Simply put, our experience and resulting opinion is that because Appraisers generally charge hefty fees (which is of course subjective), they want their “clients” to feel good about having paid a large amount for an Appraisal.  Therefore, there is an inherent bias in making the Appraisal number so large that the customer will be thrilled both with the Appraisal and the Appraiser.  In fairness, it should also be noted that many Appraisers employ many methodologies in establishing a value for a new or antique grandmother clock or grandfather clocks, and there are many legitimate “market value prices” for, say, a particularly special antique grandfather clock where it to sell at Sotheby’s, vs. sitting in a high-end antique store for a year, vs. sitting for a year in a decent general antique store, vs. a quick sale approach, vs. a well-placed eBay auction, vs. a non-trusted or not well listed eBay auction (again, the timing length can be critical), vs. word-of-mouth, vs. Dealer consignment, vs. Craigslist, and on and on.  Not to mention that the same identical item could  reasonably sell for widely divergent prices depending upon the dynamics and participants in an auction on any given day.

One point not to forget – any Dealer who gives an Appraisal has an inherent conflict of interest in that the Dealer may well be either interested in purchasing parts or all of a collection, and/or may be offered that very opportunity.

Now this post started about grandfather clocks discounts, and has moved on to grandfather clocks appraisals and some of the limitations that may well be inherent.

Grandfather Clocks discounts rule.  In the midst (hopefully rapidly fading, especially in the dark employment picture) of the Great Recession, grandfather clock shoppers are more proactive than ever in seeking out discounts.  We welcome that and are pleased when people call us to see what the best deals are that we may offer on a particular clock.

So go for the discount!  Just don’t ask anyone for an Clocks Appraisal until after your new or antique grandfather clock has been in your home for some time.

We are very pleased to announce that we will soon be adding the famous My Grandfather Clock Song sung by a great group, which will be posted for your listening pleasure on our website 1-800-4CLOCKS.com.  This song, written by Henry Work Clay in 1876, is responsible for popularizing the term grandfather clocks starting from then and increasing through to the present time.

It was not until some time after 1876 when Henry Clay Work wrote “My Grandfather’s Clock” – and known by many as The Grandfather Clocks Song – which became extremely popular especially in the USA, and gradually replaced the names of long case and tall case clocks to grandfather clocks to most people. The Chorus of the Grandfather Clock Song is perhaps the part that will look and sound most familiar to people.

The Chorus is:

Ninety years without slumbering,

His life’s seconds numbering,

It stopped, short, never to go again, when the old man died.

First Verse:

My grandfather’s clock was too large for the shelf,

so it stood ninety years on the floor.

It was taller by half than the old man himself,

though it weighed not a pennyweight more.

It was bought on the morn of the day he was born,

and was always his treasure and pride.

But it stopped, short, never to go again, when the old man died.

Second Verse:

In watching its pendulum swing to and fro,

many hours had he spent while a boy.

And in childhood and manhood the clock seemed to know,

and to share both his grief and his joy.

For it struck twenty four when he entered at the door,

with a blooming and beautiful bride,

But it stopped, short, never to go again, when the old man died.

Third Verse:

My grandfather said that of those he could hire,

not a servant so faithful he found.

For it wasted no time and had but one desire,

at the close of each week to be wound.

And it kept in its place, not a frown upon its face,

and its hands never hung by its side.

But it stopped, short, never to go again, when the old man died.

Fourth and Last Verse:

It rang an alarm in the dead of the night,

an alarm that for years had been dumb,

And we knew that his spirit was pluming for flight,

that his hour of departure had come.

Still the clock kept the time, with a soft muffled chime,

as we silently stood by his side.

But it stopped, short, never to go again, when the old man died.

When I asked a customer today who was clearly looking for the best grandfather clock sale prices and grandfather clocks discount, what might be a good subject for a blog post for this blog, he gave a ready answer.  I was shocked and impressed both by the clocks topic and the firmness and swiftness with which he responded: “Imagine a world without grandfather clocks, or a world where wall clocks and mantel clocks had never been invented”.  Now those are 2 big points packed into one concise statement.  But it did get me thinking …..

Upon reflecting on some of the most significant advances in the 1600s and 1700s, and before the industrial revolution, timekeepers and clocks in general may well have helped paved the way for both the Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution.  When thinking about standardization, globalization, precision engineering and manufacturing, thinking about uncharted territories both on the Earth and in the Skies, not to mention industrial engineering and design, timepieces do stand out as perhaps one of the greatest leaps forward during this these Centuries.

Long case and tallcase clocks, which later came to be known as grandfather clocks, we prized and used by those that could afford them in their residences, those that could use them as an anchor or feature in their establishment, and in many cases used by those who worked for the most wealthy and had somewhat less sophisticated models of the very same devices their owners so treasured.  Farmers also used grandfather clock moondials to help them predict when the next full moon would appear (every 29 1/2 days) and plan and plant their work schedules and crop management accordingly.

There was a time in England, separate from the handy timekeeping of Big Ben in London’s Parliament, where by law public clocks had to be placed in selected Establishments and Places so that everyone could have equal access to the most available correct time.  Seems somewhat akin to the discussions in recent years of equal access to all for the internet and for wireless wifi or broadband connections being available to all.

While it would on the one hand be easy to make light of the above, the more one thinks about it, the more one may well be able to convincingly make the argument that the clock and pocket watch revolution went hand-in-hand with the industrial revolution and the giant steps forward in manufacturing.

Only yesterday I was holding a 110 year old pocket watch in my hand, and remarking to a family member that it looked as if it were made yesterday and was as in good, which was excellent, operating condition as it had been over 100 years ago when it was manufactured.

Too bad they don’t make anything quite like they used to!

With the advent of consumer electronics and the industrial age, many quite valuable mechanical grandfather clocks, as well as wall clocks and mantel clocks, had their works replaced when they broke down, with battery operated movements.  In most of these instances, the mechanical movements were simply tossed into the garbage as broken worthless remnants of a bygone era.  And many of these movements were simply replaced with new “state of the art” battery operated quartz movements.

This was as true for mechanical watches as it was for antique grandfather clocks and mantle clocks and wall clocks.  The reality, as many discovered years later, is that essentially threw away, or allowed to be gutted, the very core of the mechanical clock or watch, and with a critical component of the value of the timepiece.  As most all serious clock collectors know, a mismatched case and movement, whether for a grandfather clock or a pocket watch, are known, rather ironically, as a “marriage”.  Serious collectors as a general rule will not even collect a marriage, and Dealers who try to pass of a “marriage” as all original would be frowned upon as untrustworthy.

Some forward thinking individuals, perhaps with the help of their grandfather clocks repair person, suggested that individuals keep the movement even when it was broken, but just store it separately.  This was a very wise move indeed.

In this post we have focused on replacing movements in antique grandfather clocks, wall clocks, and mantel clocks.  We will soon also post here on this Grandfather Clocks Blog what the considerations are when deciding whether or not to replace vs. repair a movement on a more modern clock.  Different thinking and logic frequently applied.  But that is what people thought when they replacing Rolex mechanical movements with quartz battery driven ones.  Anyway, stay tuned for our advice on more recent clocks, to discuss our current wisdom.

Oh, but if we only knew we and our ancestors would have held on to our old Model Ts, Packards, and Studebakers.  And do not forget the many many thousands of baseball card collections that were thrown out by parents during home clean-ups.

Big Ben, as the iconic clock sitting atop the Houses of Parliament in London, turned 150 years old today, May 31.  The clock still runs mechanically as it did and with most all of the same parts as it did when it began ticking away in 1859.  The clock still also plays the Westminster Chimes, which as most clocks enthusiasts know, is the favored chime for grandfather clocks, wall clocks, mantel clocks and more.

As we have noted before and many know, Big Ben actually refers to the bell that is struck, but the name has come into common usage as the name for the clock tower as a whole. We go into more detail on this and other aspects of this wonder timepiece on our website which can be found at the following link: http://www.1-800-4clocks.com/tour-big-ben-clock-tower.html.

July 11th will bring another 150th Anniversary, as that is the date Big Ben actually first struck its bell, telling time with sound and with Westminster chimes.  The clock is generally wound three times a week, and the very minor time adjustments that are made are done by adding weight to the weights equivalent to the size of USA pennies.

The 4 sided timepiece masterpiece has always captured the imagination of legions around the world.  One of the more amusing ways the Big Ben Clock has been in the news in recent generations has been by ongoing rumors that the British Government has decided to turn Big Ben digital.  As far as we know, this first dates back to a 1980 broadcast by the BBC on April Fools Day where they announced that Parliament had made this decision, and phone lines were opened to sell parts of the famous clocks facade, including the hands.  Calls came in with offers from as far away as Japan, and this April Fools Joke has gone down in the annals of history as one of the greatest, perhaps in the Top 100, April Fools jokes of all time!

We have seen postings in Blogs at other times, and we have to say that frankly some of them seem to think the news is real and new, or perhaps they are only hoping others will pick it up.  Below are some “actual pictures” of the Digital Big Ben Clock”:

But SERIOUSLY, HAPPY 150th BIRTHDAY DEAR BIG BEN CLOCK, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

1-800-4CLOCKS will in early 2008 be adding several lines of new wristwatches to its already existing assortment of timepieces, which currently include grandfather clocks, wall clocks, matel clocks, atomic clocks and many more by makers including Howard Miller Clocks, Hermle Clocks, Bulova Clocks and watches, Ridgeway, Kieninger, Movado and many more.

Antique grandfather clocks, as well as new ones by Howard Miller, Hermle, Ridgeway and others have been a staple of the offerings by 1-800-4CLOCKS.com.  On eBay, and on the web, the Company has also sold many antique clocks including grandfather, wall and mantle clocks.  Antique pocket watches have also been a consistent source of offerings, from the many American brands such as Waltham, Elgin, Hamilton to the European including Vacheron, Patek, Audemars, Movado and many others.  Repeaters have been one of many timepiece specialties, including clocks and watches.

Slowly but surely, new brands of wristwatches and pocket watches will be added to offerings.

Visit early and often to see the progress achieved over time.