Gilbert Regulator No. 11 Restoration

 This Gilbert regulator was manufactured in 1891.  It came heavily caked with dirt.  The dial has been eaten by bugs. The case was falling apart and much of the top cornice was missing.  Naturally, it didn't run.

A catalog drawing of how the clock originally appeared.

The clock is now restored to its original beauty. The cornice has been rebuilt using walnut and cherry and stained to match the rest of the case.

The faux perch has been cleaned, restored and reattached. Gouges have been removed and the finish brightened to it original luster.  The broken door latch has been rebuilt.

The bug-eaten dial has been replaced with a custom dial that has the same manufacturer's mark as the original.

Now as when it was first made, it keeps good time and has a beautiful chime.


   

Gilbert 1891 Mantel Restoration

This Gilbert mantel clock, made in 1891, is an imitation marble clock. Most of its agate columns were missing and the case was spattered with paint. Attempts at repairs of some of the gouges and chips had been attempted as you can see in the brown patch on the front lower-left corner of the case.  The works (removed in this picture) needed to be overhauled, which is not unusual for a clock of this age.

Here is the same clock restored and in working condition.  The splattered paint has been removed and the gouges and chips have been repaired.  Column capitals and plinths were cast and painted to replace the ones that were missing.  Because manufacturing agate columns was going to be cost prohibitive, the columns were replaced with a spalted hardwood. The columns were stained amber and lacquered to resemble marble and complement the gold leaf in the case.  The remaining agate columns were set aside to be returned to the owner.

Before & After

Sometimes, fixing a movement (the inside mechanical part of your clock) is the easy part of clock repair. Many times we see clocks that have been left in attics, garages, basements, or storage buildings. These clocks may have the finish pealing off. The finish is often fused with dust, turning it nearly black. It may be missing veneer or the case may be falling apart.

Our approach to case restoration is to make the clock look like it has been well-cared-for but not restored. We never want to make the clock look like it just came off the assembly line at the clock factory. That would ruin its historical value; plus it has earned that patina and deserves to keep it.

before

That said, some clocks are in such desperate condition that their historical value has already been compromised. If part of a case has to be manufactured in order to complete the clock, we can handle that. We always make every effort to “do no harm” and keep your clock as historically accurate as possible.

This is a Sessions Home No. 1 clock, manufactured in 1919. The finished was dirty and pealing off. The clock’s perch was missing. The crown had been removed and placed underneath to form a base of sorts. The movement was very dirty and it did not run.

after

In restoring this clock, we put the crown back on top, manufactured a new perch, put a period decal on the glass door, replaced the dial, and restored the finish. Of course, we cleaned and regulated the movement, and now it tirelessly serves the purpose for which it was made.

This is an example of a clock at the extreme end of restoration. Hopefully, all your clock needs is a cleaning and a waxing. In any case, we will always consult you, provide our opinion, and give you options before any restoration.

Lenzkirch Regulator

This is a Lenzkirch regulator (like a Vienna regulator but from Germany).  We estimate it was manufactured in the 1880’s.  Most of the work is this project was on the case.  The left and right top cornices were missing and it had a lot of damage to its paint and finish

The enamel dial was cleaned and hands straightened.

The rococo corner, though still cracked from age, now has fresh black paint.

The bottom finial was missing most of its paint as well as some of it wood. Now completely restored and painted.

Much of the rococo was missing paint. Fresh black enamel is missing sections improved the clock’s appearance.

The left and right cornices were missing. This is the new one, stained to matched the original finish.

A replacement of the left missing cornice.

The Clocks of Rippavilla

The Army of Tennessee encamped at the Rippavilla Plantation the night before the Battle of Franklin.  The plan was to capture the Federal Army of the Ohio as they tried to escape Columbia and make their way to Nashville.  Though command failures and misunderstandings, the Union army was allowed to slip past the Confederates in the night.  By the next day the Union army had established defensive breastworks in Franklin.

The clocks and watches at Rippavilla are wonderful examples of late 19th century timepieces.  For many years they sat silent.  Now they are running every day and may be seen during tours of the mansion.

A Seth Thomas Arch Top clock, circa 1860-1865. This is an 8 day spring-driven clock.

The painted metal dial of the Seth Thomas was flaking horribly. A treatment using Liquitex Solvar arrested the problem.

A detail showing the bell and gong of the Seth Thomas clock.

The movement of the Seth Thomas clock.

A New Haven Octagon Prize clock. This is an 8 day spring-driven clock.

Inside the New Haven clock.

The movement of the New Haven Octagon Prize clock.

A detail showing the bell of the New Haven clock.

The New Haven case was falling apart.

The Cheairs family Kundo 400-day clock on display at the Rippavilla Plantation gift shop.

Hamilton pocket watch that still ran.

Elgin pocket watch

Elgin movement

Back of Elgin case with initials "PT".

Columbia pocket watch

Columbia movement

Carter House 30-hr Seth Thomas Clock

On November 30, 1864, the Carter House was at the epicenter of one of most horrific battles of the Civil War.  This clock belonged to the eldest son of the family, Lt. Colonel Moscow Branch Carter.  Moscow Branch, who had been taken prisoner earlier in the war, was home on parole at the time of the battle.  This clock was in his downstairs room.

A overall before shot. The Ogee style case is in good condition, though some veneer is missing or loose.

A tighter shot of the dial and tablet.

Detail of the dial. There is a single ring outside the dot minute markers on an embossed zinc plate. There is no tapering of any numerals and the winding holes are about 9.8mm to 10mm in diameter. All this places the date of the dial to be probably 1852.

The bottom part of the label which would have the printers name is gone. This would have helped us narrow the date of the case. However, the label clearly states “Thomaston” as the city of manufacture. This means that the case was made no earlier than 1865. This clock is looking like a “marriage”. Seth Thomas made Ogee style tall case clocks as late as 1913. However, I doubt that the case is anywhere near that late.

Here you can easily read “Thomaston”. The wire supporting the movement bracket is a post-manufacture enhancement. Perhaps the original case was shot apart during the battle.

First shot of the movement before cleaning.

Strike and time weights.

“PLYMOUTH, CONN” stamped on the movements means it was manufactured before 1865. I am going the guess that the movement is the same age as the dial.

First shot of the movement out of the case. No obvious damage or bad wear. Finish nails in place of tapered pins holding the front plate on.

Way too much nylon twist cord tangled on the time-side arbor.

A bit of rust on the posts. Some navel jelly will bring that under control.

A tangle of nylon on the strike-side winding arbor.

Back plate. No surprises.

Looking between the plates on the strike side.

The movement is mounted to its base using round, not square, threaded nuts.

Detail of time side.

Details of escapement wheel.

Details under the movement after removing the base.

Front plate removed.

Time side center wheel in the foreground.

Top end of movement

Strike side center wheel.

Back side of top place. The count wheel is still attached.

Bottom end view of movement.

First picture of cleaned parts. This is the time side first wheel disassembled.

Lot of cleaned movement parts in a basket.

First picture of the cleaned movement reassembled. Taped pins used instead of finish nails. I will trim the pointed ends a little later.

A cleaned view of the front plate.

Replacing twisted white nylon with a braided nylon. The braid is stained using a black dye to make it less noticeable.

The pallets had pits from years of contact with the escapement wheel. These were sanded out, polished, tempered, and then polished again. Now you can see the reflection of a pencil in the pallet.

The pallets had pits from years of contact with the escapement wheel. These were sanded out, polished, tempered, and then polished again. Now you can see the reflection of a pencil in the pallet.