South African Empire-style Anniversary Clock Examination: Unveiling the Timepiece's Elegant Features
Hey there! I received a wonderful email from D in South Africa about an Empire-style anniversary clock that's been in his family for ages. He's gonna let me feature this family treasure on my blog. Here's his message:
D writes:
Hey, thanks for listening! My family has this awesome anniversary clock that I think is rare, and I need help finding out more about it. I'm looking into its age, maker, and backstory. A local clock expert guessed it might be German, made in the early 1900s, but a guy named Martin Haller said it wasn't theirs.
I believe J Muller, a jeweler who came from the Black Forest in Germany and had a family of optometrists in Cape Town, might have imported it here before World War 1. If you know anything, I'd be ever so grateful. Take it easy, D
I got all excited about this clock and decided to scratch around a bit
Here's my reply:
Hey D, appreciate your email! This clock looks pretty solid, and it seems rare. Memories wasted is a bummer, and it's nice to know yours has been hanging around for so long in your fam. I don't have heaps of history on mine, but it's pretty neat that you can trace some of yours.
The clock's face is a bit fuzzy, but usually, there are names on the dial of a shelf clock like yours that suggest the retailer or a dedication to someone. No maker's stamp on the movement, though.
A Haller clock could've been a good guess, but I reckon not in this case.
Found your clock's plate image in the Horolovar manual. That's a must-have resource for torsion clock repairs and collections.
Attached are a couple of pics from the Horolovar manual. They might help you figure out your clock. It appears to be Jahresuhrenfabrik, dated c1902, plate 1471. "Angemeldet" means declared; a "declared patent".
Turns out the clock was designed by Andreas Huber.
The patent's date is 1902, so your clock was likely made not long after that. While the clock's case oozes elegance, it's the pendulum that's the real eye-catcher. It's twin-loop temperature-compensating, a rarity in anniversary clocks.
Two companies bought movements from Andreas Huber, the Badische Uhrenfabrik and the more famous Kienzle, both Germans. It's possible that Huber sold to other firms like Schatz or Gustav Becker, but I ain't found proof.
You've got a unique clock, mate! Who knows, a reader might come across some more info on it.
Insights:
The Jahresuhrenfabrik 400-day anniversary clock is a type of torsion pendulum clock meant to run about 400 days on a single winding, often manufactured in Germany. The term "Jahresuhrenfabrik" refers to several German companies known for producing these 400-day clocks, with Schatz being a renowned clockmaker associated with this designation. The plate number 1471 most likely points to a specific movement model or series used by the factory. These clocks are known for their precision and long running duration. The clock imported into South Africa by J Muller was probably distributed worldwide by European clockmakers through local importers or dealers.
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