Sunday 11 March 2012

Time to Spring Forward

 Time to turn the clocks forward once more. Does that mean that Spring is here? In my house, I have to start this task early.

First.... wind and adjust the clock the living room.
Mantel clock by Ingraham Co, Bristol, Connecticut, U.S.A.  c. 1890
 This one keeps time perfectly, and strikes on the hour. It's not in the greatest condition, and some of the numbers on the paper dial have disappeared.

Regulator School clock, possibly from 1940s.
Next stop..... the entrance hall.

 This Regulator school clock isn't completely original and has been assembled from parts from various school clocks. But it works although it's a little quirky. If I wind it up too tight, it dings until it runs out of steam. I've heard it ding 56 times! I don't keep count any more when it goes bezerk.

Many years ago OlderSon and YoungerSon were wrestling and knocked the clock off the wall and it fell into a thousand pieces.... well, maybe not quite a thousand, but a lot! I'm amazed that we got it back together and it's always worked.



Long Case clock with painted dial c.1850
Now to the hallway. This is William. I blogged about him and his maker's history previously here.

William is a long case clock in a polished mahogany case, more often known as a Grandfather Clock. He was built by Willam Rippon in South Shields, County Durham, England around 1850, hence his name... William.

When I moved, he wasn't working properly, but a clock repairing friend had a look at William's innards, gave him a few squirts of oil and some kind words, and he seems to be completely recovered.




Cast iron mantel clock c.1910
And now to the kitchen.....

This clock is very heavy, and is made of cast iron by the New Haven Clock Company, New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.A.. It keeps good time when it's wound up, but won't keep going for more than a day. The face and the bezel are loose and I think I have to take this one for some TLC at the clock hospital.

It strikes both the hour and the half hour and has a lovely full throaty sound that resonates in the cast iron case..
Mantel Clock by Sessions Clock Co, Forestville, Connectict, U.S.A. c.1890
The Sessions clock is on the mantel in the family room. It keeps good time, and strikes the hour with a loud "DONG!" and the half hour with a musical high pitched "DING!" All these antique clocks came from auctions or yard sales and I'm rather fond of them. They should all strike at the same time, but that never happens, they all run on their own time. This is not a quiet house at the top of the hour!
If anyone comes to stay, I have to stop them (the clocks, that is)... the ticking and striking drives guests wild! But I don't even hear them any more. 

 One more clock to adjust, but this one doesn't need to be wound up. My retirement gift to remind me of my years spent working at the local natural gas distribution company. As if I could forget!!!!
Clock or gas meter.... you decide!
Well.... that's the clocks adjusted. Now I'm heading to adjust the time on the coffee maker, the microwave, the DVD player, the stove, the 3 bedside clock radios, my watch, the car..... it's never ending!! Time marches on.

Hilary has awarded me POTW! Thanks so much, Hilary. What a lovely surprise.

21 comments:

  1. I'm guessing that when someone asks you the time you say you haven't a clue! lol.

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  2. Great clocks! You obviously are never late for anything. Then again.....!

    Love the meter one. Just got a smart meter installed here so MR's are the way of the Dodo.

    Of course, we go backwards but not until 1 April. Foolish to leave it so late. :-)

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  3. I love your clocks. You must never be late, I would assume.

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  4. A very interesting collection. It is worth your time to it.ditir

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  5. What a FABULOUS post from beginning to end, Sham. Pure delight! Our time changes 2 weekends from now, so I'll think of you when we change our miserly few time-pieces!

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  6. First, I was surprised to see so many clocks you have!! Then I started counting of how many clocks we have in our house. There were five wall clocks.I did not notice that until now!! Thank you for reminding me of that.Your clocks are so beautiful!!

    Happy birthday for your father!

    Thank you for your kind words on my post again today.One year has past since that big earth quake,tsunami and radioactive contamination.Japan has been recovering step by step. I appreciate your warm heart.
    Tomoko

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  7. Wow.. you're a time junkie! ;) Beautiful pieces, Shammie and fun post.

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  8. All the Antique clocks are really wonderful...I don't think I have ever known anyone with so many beautiful clocks...But...at 'time change' time, it sounds like you have a BIG BIG Job to do...lol!
    I have three clocks that need changing, and that's pretty much it! (I'm happt to say...)

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  9. that's a great collection of clocks, they are all extremely beautiful. I have a fondness for clocks, though I don't collect them. I used to collect and wear a lot of different styles of watches, but not anymore.

    I think the only clocks that we've changed the time on since Saturday night/Sunday morning are our night table clocks. all other clocks are still an hour behind. it's a task i don't like doing for some reason.

    PS: these new captcha words are a pain, I agree! They're hard to read. is that an h or a b? an m or an n and an r? argh!

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  10. I love your collection of clocks - I think my favourite is the grandfather clock. What a task tho' to change them all! I look forward to the lighter nights - our clocks change at the end of the month

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  11. I love your collection of clocks - I think my favourite is the grandfather clock. What a task tho' to change them all! I look forward to the lighter nights - our clocks change at the end of the month

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  12. Replying to you all:
    thanks for your comments, actually it's easy to change the clocks in the spring, just move the hour hand ahead one hour. In the fall, when we have to lose an hour, it's a pain. It means I have to move the hour hand on each clock ahead eleven times, and listen to the chiming for every hour! Dong! then dong dong dong! Then dong dong dong! etc etc

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  13. Wow! You have some seriously lovely clocks. Ours are all LED atrocities. If I had works of art such as yours, I probably wouldn't mind the idiocy of changing the clocks as much as I do.

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  14. You have a lovely collection of clocks. I used to collect clocks when I had a friend who would repair them. He passed away. I don’t know how many I have – just in the den I have six or seven. That gives me an idea for a post – someday. Thanks for coming to my blog. I answered your question. So now you’ll understand when I say I’ll start a document on clocks….

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  15. This is such an interesting post about your fascinating antique clocks and DST. I’ve just learned DST begins at 2 a.m. on the second Monday in March and the expression “spring forth” and “fall back”. Still I wonder why the date is not Vernal Equinox Day when the daytime gets longer from the next day. What a fun sight to see people hustling to adjust time of clocks and electrical home appliances. I like your ending words.

    Yoko

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  16. I forgot to thank you for the warm thoughts on our March 11th disaster last year. I was born three days later than your father, of course in a different year. Stay safe and peace.

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  17. So many face clocks! They look so much better to me than digitals. Sadly, I do not think we have even one face clock in my house. As pretty as they are, I do not like to hear the ticking. Sensitive ears are a blessing and a curse.

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  18. Hi, it's the Duckie.. I'm not blogging anymore, no time! I am in London Ont studying to be a Piano Technician. Very exciting new career!

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  19. Now I thought my mother had the WORST clock fetish ever, but I was wrong.
    Congrats on POTW.

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  20. What a lovely collection. You could possibly find someone to paint the number back on the 1st clock.

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  21. What a familiar story, as one clock person to another. I have over 2o decorative clocks that must be wound and/or set periodically. And yes, spring is easy; fall is horrid! I'm afraid I'm behind right now (no pun intended.) I'm temporarily in a wheelchair and my husband is not about to go around the house setting clocks forward an hour. So I live with wrong times and 12 bongs at 1:00 and some whose hands are frozen in time...until I can wind them myself and catch up with the world.
    Congrats on POTW!

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