Identify My Old French Clock
Below are only a few of the most common trademarks you may find on an old clock. We'll be adding more as time goes on. Click the trademark to see the maker's name and country. If you are trying to identify a trademark that you don't see here, you can submit it to the Member Forum and we'll try to ID it. French mantel clocks were often ornately decorated, with later art deco-era clocks being made from marble or granite. Compare Your Clock An antique clock is at least 100 years old.
There are two methods of adjusting the time regulation on your pendulum clock1. Adjustment nut on the pendulum, if your clock has a small nut on the bottom or another place on of the pendulum, then use this method. To adjust the regulation, the pendulum rating nut must be turned, and the amount depends on how much time the clock is in error. If your clock is off less than five minutes a week, you may only need to turn the nut a revolution or less.
If the clock is off more, you may need to turn it more. To accurately adjust the clock, make the adjustments once a week when the clock is wound. If you do this and keep a record of how much it is turned each week, you should be able to adjust the clock’s accuracy to within a minute or two a week. Use the following rules to adjust the PENDULUM NUT; If the clock is running slow, turn the pendulum nut clockwise to increase the rate. If the clock is running fast, turn the pendulum nut counterclockwise to decrease the rate.2.
Adjustment on the dial, if your clock has a small arbor protruding the dial near the “12” or the “6” or perhaps in the center of the dial, then use this method. You will need smaller key to turn the rating arbor. Some clocks will have a “S or F” by this arbor.
For a ‘S-F’ mark, turn the arbor clockwise for faster and counter-clockwise for a slower rate. With a ‘F-S’ marking, adjust the arbor opposite as stated above. If there are no ‘S or F’ markings near the arbor, then use the trial and error method to determine the correction direction to make the time adjustment.
Some times this adjustment can be turned too far; so do not force the adjustment if it tightens. Hello: I have purchased a Morbier clock for around 1870.
Once I got it set up it gains about 30 minutes a week. If I let the thumb screw out more the “bob” falls below the lyre pendulum rod, making it unstable or askew.
It also makes a loud drop sound when it goes to strike the hour and then again in 5 minutes when it strikes a second time as are customary to this type of clock. If you are familliar with this type of clock, is that drop sound normal? This is the first of these kinds of clocks that I have owned, I have several pendulum clocks, Seth Thomas regulators mostly and a french Verdette. In regards to the Morbier, do you think that I should take it in for service or is there something that I can do to service it my self. It came through a reputable dealer in Amsterdam Holland. So returning to him would not be the best choice. I do have a great clock man here in Oakland California but I don’t want to be over reacting if its something I can fix or live with as just a function of the clock.
What do you say? Thanks in advance for taking my question.
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Identify My Old French Clocks
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Dating Antique Clocks
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