Each of the following additions to my clock collection will eventually include, in addition to the graphic representation enclosed in a frame, a set of details specifically related to each clock as illustrated in the following list.
[1] Code : X-00
[2] Purchase Date :
[3] Place of Purchase :
[4] Purchase Price : ? euros
[5] Production Company:
[6] Estimated Year of Production:
[7] Approximate Resale Value:
[8] Weight :
[9] State of Mechanics:
[10] Additional Information:
- Zachar Laskewicz
X Month 20XX, Place
*Please note that this list was updated on the 18th of June 2016; information below referring to individual clocks could be out of date.
EXPLANATORY NOTE:
Since the clocks are usually without date or production company name, I have to guess at their origin and possible value. If you disagree or have information as to the true nature of any given clock, your advice would certainly be appreciated. Note also that the approximate resale value is currently still considered outside of Belgium, as they are very unpopular here and are much more sort after in neighbouring countries such as The Netherlands and particularly Germany.
[1] The first letter in the code refers to the type of clock:
A – Full Art-Deco Marble Mantelpiece Set : deriving from a mantle-piece clock set popular in Belgium which consisted of the central clock and two symmetrical or matching candlesticks. As Art Deco influenced clock design, the candlestick function was gradually lost and late Art Deco clocks are entirely decorational; one can imagine a family gathered around the mantle decorated with the three-part set to listen to the radio.
B – Central Marble Clock : possibly missing left and right paired mantle additions.
C – Wooden ‘Windsor’ Art-Deco Chiming Model : these clocks were single piece wooden constructions that chimed every hour with the number of hours; more complex models precede the chiming of the hours with a melody, and some even play sections of the melody at quarter past, half past and quarter to the hour.
D – Wall Hanging Clocks with a Pendulum
E – All other types of clocks designed for the wall
F – Pre-Art Deco Antique Clocks
G – Modern Clocks : from the fifties until today.
H – Absent Clocks: Clocks that alas are no longer in my collection because I broke them beyond repair or lost them.
I – Imaginary clocks : made for use in films, on the internet or in art-works/sculptures.
J – Adjusted or Reinvented Clocks: Clocks that have been adjusted to perform different functions, to participate in films, inventions, or sculptures, such as an Art-Deco Windsor Toilet-Roll holder (one of my favourite creations).
K– Art-Deco Related Items: This includes other items that are art-deco or faux art-deco which may not be clocks but which I still consider part of my collection. At the moment this includes art-deco tea sets, tea-pots which resemble clocks and fine-looking art-deco serving dishes for miniature snacks.
[7] Approximate Resale Value: This refers to the possible increase in value as time passes or the decrease in value as I consistently continue to damage my clocks.
[9] State of Mechanics: This refers primarily to the way the clock works, i.e. if it is a wind-up clock with chimes, has a pendulum, requires batteries or is electrical. In addition, the functionality of these mechanics is described, i.e. whether or not I can get it ticking and if it keeps good time. Also the possible presence or absence of accessories.
[10] Additional Information: Any information which makes this clock unique. This includes damage that time, bad storage and accidents have brought to the clock prior to purchase, but is also kept up to date as I regularly damage my own clocks either on purpose in changing them into something new or by accident because of natural clumsiness on my part. Examples include descriptions of how many times I’ve needed to repair the clock since I purchased it including descriptions of the hours I spent repairing it with glue, support pieces and various other tools after I dropped it and it shattered into hundreds of pieces.
THE COLLECTION
Index
A: Full Art-Deco Marble Mantlepiece Clocks
B: Central Marble Clock
A: Full Art-Deco Marble Mantlepiece Clocks
A-01
[1] Code: A01
[2] Purchase Price: 12 Euros
[3] Restorations Necessary: 1
[4] State of Mechanics: untested...
[5] Weight: 6 kilos
[6] Survival Ratio: 90% - it's most likely I'll survive...
[7] Approximate Sale Value: minimal
[8] Personal Value: relatively high considering unusual shape
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
This beautiful little clock was picked up at a flea market; I've had to glue some bits back on and if there ever was a glass cover it's missing now.
A-02
A-03
A-04
A-05
A-06
A-07
A-08
A-09
A-10
A-11
A-12
A-13
A-14
A-15
A-16
A-17
A-18
[1] CODE : A18
[2] Purchase Date : 6 December 2013
[3] Place of Purchase : TWEEDEHANDS, Afrikalaan 40, 9000 Ghent
[4] Estimated Production Year : 1934
[5] Production Company : unlisted
[6] Purchase Price : 17.50 euros (reduced 30%) euros
[7] Current Condition : still completely undamaged and the original glass screen is intact.
[8] State of Mechanics: Clock has to be wound with a key; although I was not provided with the exact key, one in my possession got it ticking in minutes. It's been keeping good time as well.
[9] Presence of Accessories: glass intact and with matching abstract pylons.
[10] Weight: 10 kg
[11] Dimensions: width - 45 cm, height - 24cm
[12] Survival Ratio: 60%
[13] Approximate Sale Value: 50 euros
[14] Personal Value: 50 euros
[15] Additional Information: Pleasant example of what appears to be a mid-period art-deco style marble clock. Although the pylons do appear to match, they were in fact bought seperately but could actually well belong to the clock considering the same colour of the base and the jade colour of the marble. It has a crane in a naturalistic pose and is an attractive addition to my collection; I'd like to add that this clock used to be numbered B04 which has been replaced with a more recently purchased clock.
- Zachar Laskewicz
18 July 2014, Ghent
A-19
[1] CODE : A19
[2] Purchase Date : unknown
[3] Place of Purchase : Kringloopwinkel Ghent [Tarbotstraat]
[4] Estimated Production Year : 1940
[5] Production Company : unlisted
[6] Purchase Price : unknown
[7] Current Condition : Because it forms part of a larger art-work, it’s unfortunately been damaged; in any case the original golden screws that held the missing glass pane have been replaced with ordinary metal screws.
[8] State of Mechanics: Later style where clock has key attached at the reverse side; the clock itself works.
[9] Presence of Accessories: The two pylons which make it into a three-piece mantle clock have been dubiously connected to the original clock. Although probably bought from the same place, it occurred at different times. The green marble, however, matches but the main reason the suggests they have nothing to do with one another is the style of the clock itself which suggests it may not have even been made in Belgium and was probably sold as an individual item.
[10] Weight: less than 3kg
[11] Survival Ratio: 86%
[12] Approximate Sale Value: 0 euros
[13] Personal Value: 0 euros
[14] Additional Information: An example of a style more prevalent in the United States, although of course it could well be an imitation of that style.
- Zachar Laskewicz
29 November 2014, Ghent
A-20
A-21
A-22
[1] CODE : A22
[2] Purchase Date : October 2013
[3] Place of Purchase : TWEEDE HANDS, Afrikalaan, 9000 Ghent
[4] Estimated Production Year : 1938
[5] Production Company : unlisted
[6] Purchase Price : 38.75 euros
[7] Current Condition : still completely undamaged although the clock mechanics may be rusty.
[8] State of Mechanics: later style where clock has key attached at the reverse side; although it winds I can't get it to start ticking yet.
[9] Presence of Accessories: glass intact and with matching abstract pylons.
[10] Weight: clock - 10 kg, mantle pylons - 2.5 kg x 2, total: 15 kg
[11] Survival Ratio: 50%
[12] Approximate Sale Value: 50 euros
[13] Personal Value: 50 euros
[14] Additional Information: Not entirely remarkable example of the late art-deco style with two pheasants pecking in front of the intact glass cover.
A-23
A-24
A-25
[1] CODE : A25
[2] Purchase Date : December 12, 2014
[3] Place of Purchase : TWEEDEHANDSSHOP, Afrikalaan, 9000 Ghent
[4] Estimated Production Year : 1930
[5] Production Company : unlisted.
[6] Purchase Price : 45 euros.
[7] Current Condition : excellent.
[8] State of Mechanics: unknown.
[9] Presence of Accessories: Matching key and 2 mantle pylons.
[10] Weight:
[11] Survival Ratio: 50%; large heavy clock – it’d be a touch and go thing.
[12] Approximate Sale Value: 100 euros
[13] Personal Value: 100 euros
[14] Additional Information: This could well be a very early example of the style; it has mantle pylons which still suggest the possible use of candles although it wouldn’t be very practical to put them there. The design is typically jagged according to the style although the letter design is more typical of clocks from the turn of the century until the twenties.
A-26
A-27
[1] CODE : A27
[2] Purchase Date : 5 February 2014
[3] Place of Purchase : Kringloopwinkel Brugsepoort, Haspelstraat (Pierkestroate*) 49, 9000 Ghent
[4] Estimated Production Year : 1939
[5] Production Company : unlisted
[6] Purchase Price : 12 euros [matching pylons previously purchased for 6 euros] = 18 euros
[7] Current Condition : The central clock is in immaculate condition with a completely intact glass face held to the front with iron studs. One of the pylons was purchased missing the small rectangular marble piece, which I've since replaced with an object that is shaped and looks the same. I'll eventually attempt to get a piece of marble cut and glued into position.
[8] State of Mechanics: Later style where the clock has key attached at the reverse side; although it winds I can't get it to start ticking yet.
[9] Presence of Accessories: The glass at the front is globular and held in place by the presence of four metal pins rather than a frame; you can't get at the handles without removing the pins and the glass which means at least that part of the clock has been protected. The style of clock does not require a key.
[10] Weight: clock - 4 kg, mantle pylons - 1 kg x 2, total: 6 kg
[11] Dimensions: clock - 220mm high (base 20cm), 272mm wide,
mantle pylons - 138mm high (base 19mm), 140mm wide
[12] Survival Ratio: 85%
[13] Approximate Sale Value: 75 euros
[14] Personal Value: 200 euros
[15] Additional Information: Interestingly, the matching pylons (one of which is missing the original marble rectangle that should be in its centre) were sold to me at the same shop a couple of weeks on the beforehand without a sign of the clock; finding the clock on its own was remarkable luck as the shape and the presence of the marble blocks clearly indicate and the irregular pentagon shape clearly indicate the same origin.
A-28
A-29
Stylized deco marble mantle clock with symmetrical pylons
[1] Code : A-29
[2] Purchase Date : Sunday 14 August
[3] Place of Purchase : ‘Patershol’ Rommelmarkt, Ghent
[4] Purchase Price : 15 euros
[5] Production Company: unlisted
[6] Estimated Year of Production: circa 1930
[7] Approximate Resale Value: 75 euros
[8] Weight: still unweighed
[9] State of Mechanics: Still unchecked.
[10] Additional Information: this clock seems to be in pristine condition. It still has its original glass cover which is removable in a single movement rather on a hinge. The two pylons matching the clock still suggest some kind of function which is abstracted in later clocks, this suggests earlier production date.
B: Central Marble Clock
B-01
B-02
B-03
[1] CODE : B03
[2] Purchase Date : 6 December, 2013
[3] Place of Purchase : ECOSHOP, Afrikalaan, 9000 Ghent
[4] Estimated Production Year : 1940
[5] Production Company : unlisted
[6] Purchase Price : 20 euros
[7] Current Condition : One of the diagonal marble plates at the top are replaced by cardboard; of course this can be replaced by real black marble which is is easy to come by.
[8] State of Mechanics: later style where clock has key attached at the reverse side; although it winds I can't get it to start ticking yet.
[9] Presence of Accessories: glass intact and with matching abstract pylons.
[10] Weight & Dimensions: less than 5 kilos,
[11] Survival Ratio: 76%
[12] Approximate Sale Value: (before repair) 20 euros, after repair perhaps 50 euros.
[13] Personal Value: 50 euros
[14] Additional Information: Unusually petite form or the blocky geometric clocks from this period; it probably had at one time two additional abstracted pylons.
- Zachar Laskewicz
25 December 2013, Ghent
B-04
B-05
*New ART-DECO CLOCK added to PROJECT Collection page.
[1] CODE : B05
[2] Purchase Date : 12 November 2014
[3] Place of Purchase : TWEEDEHANDSSHOP, Afrikalaan 40, 9000 Ghent
[4] Estimated Production Year : 1945
[5] Production Company : unlisted
[6] Purchase Price : 27.30 euros
[7] Current Condition : completely undamaged
[8] State of Mechanics: later style where clock has key attached at the reverse side; although it winds I can't get it to start ticking yet.
[9] Presence of Accessories: none.
[10] Weight:
[11] Survival Ratio: 50%
[12] Approximate Sale Value: 50 euros
[13] Personal Value: 50 euros
[14] Additional Information: Not a particularly striking - but otherwise entirely pleasant - example of typical style, although the animal motif is replaced with a boat, perhaps atypical suggesting possible later date.
B-06
[1] Code : B-06
[2] Purchase Date : 4 June 2016
[3] Place of Purchase : Kringloopwinkel, Tarbotstraat, Gent
[4] Purchase Price : 15 euros
[5] Production Company: unkown
[6] Estimated Year of Production: unknown
[7] Approximate Resale Value: unknown
[8] Weight: untested
[9] State of Mechanics: untested
[10] Additional Information: This unusually heavy marble clock defies rules for existing art-deco clocks by being defined by primarily what appear to be Ancient Greek images and columns, far less abstract than the art-deco style. The wind-up style clock shows it certainly wasn’t recently made in China, and the fact that it is made out of marble suggests it is a product of Belgium, but the exact origin, purpose and age is difficult to tell.
- Zachar Laskewicz
29 June 2016, Ghent
[1] CODE : C03
[2] Purchase Date : 6 December 2013
[3] Place of Purchase : 'Tweede Hands', Afrikalaan 40, 9000 Ghent
[4] Estimated Production Year : 1954
[5] Production Company : unlisted
[6] Purchase Price : 14 euros
[7] Current Condition : good condition with a pendulum that can be brought into motion in this smaller type of Windsor clock that grew out of the Art-Deco era, but evidently took new strives in angular design that distanced them from the clear elegance of the Art Deco. This is why I think this clock could be dated to the fifties.
[8] State of Mechanics: Pendulum is present, and the clock can be wound up; the mechanics seem to work quite well including the chimes.
[9] Presence of Accessories: glass intact and with both pendulum and matching key; note these smaller models only ring on the hour and do not leave a melody like their earlier pre-art deco and early art-deco representations..
[10] Weight: less than 4 kilos
[11] Dimensions: 50cm x 25cm at highest and widest points.
[12] Survival Ratio: 96%
[13] Approximate Sale Value: 20 euros
[14] Personal Value: 20 euros
- Zachar Laskewicz
16 January 2014, Ghent
[1] Code : G03
[2] Purchase Date : December 2013
[3] Place of Purchase : TWEEDEHANDSSHOP, 9000 Gent
[4] Exact Production Year : 1955
[5] Production Company: Goblin
[6] Purchase Price : Price unknown (received as gift).
[7] Current Condition : Reasonable after a complete cleaning and a repair of the chipped ceramic pot.
[8] State of Mechanics : This is an antique ‘goblin’ alarm clock which were sold for a surprisingly long time and saw remarkable development and variation. Basically, it functions as an alarm clock which will essentially make you a pot of tea a half hour before waking. It works on a system of weights; the boiling function stops when the pot has poured a sufficient amount of water. Apparently the alarm function is so loud that you are woken up by the tea making function far sooner than the actual alarm (which in itself is enough to wake the dead). In addition to the bomb-shelter warning type alarm, there are places for two optional light bulbs. This is quite a unique piece of weird nostalgia which actually still works.
[9] Presence of Accessories : This Goblin pot came with an electric cable, a ceramic pot and lid where the tea is poured to and a metallic pot in which it is boiled. In addition, it still has the original serving tray. Unfortunately, it was missing the metallic screw on lid, although a convincing replacement for it has been found. As soon as I’m able to locate the two old fashioned ‘push and turn’ light bulbs which are small enough to fit in the space between the front of the clock and the two pots behond it, it’ll be complete and I’ll be able to use it.
[10] Weight : less than 2 kilos.
[11] Survival Ratio : n.a.
[12] Approximate Sale Value : 50 euros
[13] Personal Value : 75 euros
