Antique Clock Restoration (some typical problems and information)
Long case clock restoration ... grandfather clocks
We have been restoring antique clocks for 35 years and are members of BAFRA and the Antiquarian Horological society.
Our movement and casework is second to none and we are often employed by museums and societies to undertake restoration of important clock cases and movements.
Long case or grandfather clock movement restoration
Long case or grandfather clock movements have often been changed in many ways or have been previously poorly
repaired. I have seen superglue and epoxy glues used, I have seen soft
solder (commonly used in the 1930's and 40's) and metals which you just
don't expect to find in an old clock (such as aluminium) used. We
remove this solder and replace parts in a proper fashion for the
period.
Sometimes the way the clock movement works has been changed this often applies to the escapement. Restoring the clock movement properly can be a very delicate and time consuming conservation project.
There are obvious repairs such as wear on pivots and bushes. Worn brass bushes were often "repaired" by taking up the wear by stretching the bush with a centre punch therefore pushing the brass to the required size, this works for a short time until it wears again and the brass gets thinner and thinner. We remove this damaged area and fit a brass bush such as originally would have been fitted.
We sometimes receive grandfather or long case clocks which have fallen over or quite simply have been neglected over the years, it's not at all uncommon for us to receive a black bin bag containing the contents of what was once a fine long case clock.
The movements may require such work as re-making any broken movement parts, often dial restoration is required. Nearly always the cases will require some restoration such as the making of new mouldings, re-veneering from contemporary timber and generally restoring and cleaning.
Many long case clocks were cut down, perhaps to fit into a cottage with a very low ceiling space, so they might require new feet to be made to match the original period concept exactly using period timber.
Long case or grandfather clock case restoration
A lot of the case restoration work we undertake is known as Dutch marquetry restoration. This type of marquetry is extremely attractive and is very time-consuming to renovate in a proper and correct fashion. I stress the proper and correct fashion as we have found repairs of Dutch marquetry that have been undertaken where car filler has been used to fill damaged areas under the marquetry. A proper and correct restoration would involve killing any woodworm or infestation, and replacing any base structure with like for like materials (usually oak).
If we find inappropriate repairs we suggest that the marquetry be removed, the car filler removed and the base structure repaired in a proper fashion, using period oak and the marquetry re-laid as it would have been originally.
Our aim in the clock restoration of long case clock cases is that even an expert will find it hard or impossible to know which item has been replaced.
Please contact us regarding any clock
restoration
project you might have. We would be quite pleased to receive
photographs of your damaged clock.
Looking for an experienced antique clock restorer - contact Malcolm Green on …
Tel : 01462 790646 or E-mail : Malcolm
Green