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The Antique Detective   The Antique Detective Getting to know your clock names   By Anne Gilbert As any clock collector will tell you, clocks do more than just keep time. They can entertain you as well.   Their names can be just as entertaining. Some examples are mystery clocks, blinking-eye clocks and wag-on-the-wall. As for entertainment, how about a clock with the figure of Napoleon on top that walks back and forth and in and out of his tent? Or, consider the blinking-eye-clock. The eyes, connected to the escarpment of a human or animal figure, move with each unlocking of the lever.   The mystery clock lives up to its name. The works are completely hidden and it appears to work “mysteriously,” often with human figures that move without apparent impulse. Wall clocks resembling the shape of a banjo, and so named, were first made by Simon Willard, c. 1802.   During the reign of Louis XVI, the elegance of clock making reached its peak. The most precious materials were used to frame the clock face. This included tortoiseshell with brass inlay and horn mounts or lacquer combined with bronze.   It became fashionable for clocks to be used within pieces of furniture. The great ebenistes of the era made desks, cabinets and over-mantels with inset clocks.   Always one of the most beautiful and expensive mantel clocks is the Louis XVI lyre clock with “garniture.” The lyre form was topped with a gilt bronze or ormolu “sun king.” Paste brilliants encircled the dial. The “garniture” consisted usually of matching urns.   By the late 19th century, there were many makers of clocks including Tiffany and Co. Their turn-of-the-century mantel clocks were designed to match the interior fashions of the times. For example, when the Japanese influence on design was in vogue, Tiffany and Co. sold a three-piece gilt-bronze and cloisonné enamel clock and garniture. The pieces were decorated with Japanese symbols of bats, cranes and crabs.   Also very popular at the time were gilt-bronze mantel clocks with figures of poets and Caesar reclining on a marble base. They tied in with the trendy bronze sculptures of the time.   Clocks made during the Art Nouveau, Arts and Crafts and Art Deco eras and the more recent ‘50s also reflected designs, motifs and materials of their decades. Many cases were designed by a famous artist or an important porcelain maker. For example, Limoges made a few porcelain pieces in the Art Nouveau style. Even René Lalique created a frosted glass clock with intaglio-molded female figures in the Art Deco style. Art Deco examples combined such unusual materials as copper, rock quartz, chromed metal and Bakelite on mantel clocks.   Reproductions of the Louis XV and XVI have never stopped being made. They can sell at auction for $10,000 or more. Banjo clocks have been reproduced since their introduction.   It’s a whole new clock collecting world for today’s collectors who look for examples made in the ‘60s and ‘70s. When they were introduced with their odd names and shapes they were not only practical but fit in with the “swan and egg” chairs.   Good examples are the table clocks made by George Nelson, with names like “watermelon” and “kite” with shapes to match. They were made of such materials as enameled aluminum combined with wood.   Names and terms that identify clock oddities: Atmos - French shelf clock invented in 1913. Constant changes in atmospheric temperature keep the mainspring fully wound. Banjo - Wall clocks resembling the shape of a banjo. First introduced in America as the “improved timepiece,” patented by Simon Willard in 1802. So popular it has never stopped being copied.   Beehive - Small, Connecticut shelf clock, also known as a “flatiron” because of its form. Made 1850-60.   Black Forest - Areas where it was made include several German provinces and the Northern border of Switzerland. Most commonly with cases of dark, heavily carved wood. Popular as 19th and 20th century “cuckoo” clock, with weights resembling pine cones.   Blinking Eye - Eyes connected to the escarpment or a human or animal figure, move with each unlocking of the lever. Originally made in Germany in the 17th century. Made in America mid-19th century.   Cartel - Originally popular in 18th century France, then England. Rococo cases were usually carved wood when English. Cast brass or gilt bronze when French.   Gothic - Developed in the 16th, 17th centuries in Gothic church form. In Connecticut in 1845, shelf clocks were known as “sharp Gothic” because of their pointed tops. Now they are known as “Steeple” clocks.   Mystery Clock - So named because with the works completely hidden, it appears to work “mysteriously”. Often with human figures that move without apparent impulse.   Wag-on-the-Wall - Any clock with weights and pendulum not enclosed in a case.   Wall Regulator - Having a large pendulum with massive weights. Most found today are late 19th century.   Photo 1 - Black Forest garniture clock   Photo 2 - Victorian jigsaw-worked wall clock with fretwork   Photo 3 - George Nelson Watermelon clock   Anne Gilbert has been self-syndicating her column "The Antique Detective" and special art and antique features since 1983. She has authored nine books on the subject. "The Antique Detective" appears in the Chicago Sun Times, Palm Beach Post, Patriot Ledger and many other newspapers. Over the years, she has appeared on network television and has also been an appraiser for major museums and private individuals.       Return to top of page   This Is Livin' Publishing © 2010 581 8th Line West, RR1 Hastings, ON, K0L 1Y0 Phone/Fax: 705-696-1833   webmaster