Has anyone ever heard of the Hammond Instrument Co. of Chicago, Ill.? I picked up a nice electric alarm clock made by this company at a yard sale this weekend. It's a non-self starter type, where you have to give a knob a spin to get the motor to run should there be a power outage. It's in great shape (a bit of paint off the metal back casing, but the plastic front and dial are perfect), and is called a "Hammond Syncronizer" on the dial, with 'Hammond Instrument Co., Chicago, Ill.' at the bottom of the dial. It's running and keeping perfect time on my TV set as we speak. This company a new one on me. Any info would be appreciated.
Regards! Mark

Spittler and Bailey say:

Hammond Instrument Co., Chicago, Ill. cir 1960s.
Made alternating current time circuits.

Have a picture of that new addition?

I think I have seen them from the 1930s. Sounds like the one you have is an early one.

Andy

Spittler and Bailey lists Hammond Clock Co. from 1936, also Chicago. Hammond Instrument Co. they list as being from the 60s.

That starting knob doesn't sound like 60s does it!

I have one and will post a picture tomorrow. I think the original case is long gone; all that remains is a black metal cylinder with a chrome bezel around the dial. The top of the dial says "Made in USA by the Hammond Clock Co Chicago, Ill. It has an alarm and a day of the month, day of the week calendar. Manufactured under pats no. 1,719,805-1,797,912 - RE,17,779. Is there any connection between the clocks and the manufacturer of Hammond organs and pianos?

Laurens Hammond started out in 1928 in Evanston, Ill. He invented an electric motor that ran on 60 cycles. He was also working on the electric organ and made clocks. He was almost bankrupt during the depression. He was a genius and invented many things during his life. The most well known is the Hammond electric organ which he patented April 24, 1934. In 1937 he opened an additional plant in Chicago and changed the name to Hammond Instrument Co. A most interesting man. You can read his biography on one of the Hammond sites on the net.

I had done research on this as I have Synchronous Clermont White Model in Bakelite made by Hammond Instrument Co. in Chicago. It has an alarm and a calendar. I had to work on it to get the calendar and alarm working right.

If you want to see some of the many type clocks he made, go to http://www.organhouse.com then to Hammond products. I love mine, but after seeing the ones in onyx and marble.... WOW!

Marilyn, Thank you so much for the information about Hammond clocks. It was very interesting. The link to the website was also very interesting. I love the deco style of the bakelite clocks, but as you said, when you get to the onyx clocks - WOW!
Thanks for the post. I am putting the link to the website in our technical reference section for anyone down the road interested in Hammond Clocks.

In the section on wood clocks, the grandfather clocks were a bit strange, but I, if you enjoy deco styling, check out the hands on the Dayton model.

Thanks again for the great post.

Here are a couple pictures of the Hammond movement I have. The elderly woman who gave it to me said the case had been broken a long time ago. I haven't plugged it in to see if it works; the cord is very frayed where it enters the case and it doesn't look safe to me.

Here's the back with patent numbers etc on it. The alarm is set from the back, there's a starting knob for when the power fails.

Sorry Tom, I don't have a camera at hand to take a photo, but John's photo above is a dead ringer for the back of my new clock. I also believe the case is bakelite. What really shakes me is that I am an organist, and never even drew the name 'Hammond' from my memory banks as possibly being connected!!! I've played several of them in my time (usually housed in funeral homes...the infamous 'drawbar' Hammond!). This information is NOT what I expected to find!! Man, this is NEAT information!! Thank you VERY much!!!

I just took a look at the link to Hammond products above, and apparently mine is an 'Asbury', but with a white case instead of the black case that's shown, same dial and hands. WOW! Thank you for THAT one, Marilyn!

High regards! Mark

Mark, since you are an organist, you might be interested in reading the history of Laurens Hammond at http://www.mosweb.com/knowledgebase/hammond when you have some time. It was most interesting. Hmmm, wonder if I could hook up a motor to my old Victorian pump organ. I can only pick out a few hymns, but I love it. It is beautiful!

Now back to clocks. Mine runs fine in the summer, but in an unheated room in the winter, it stops. I suppose this is due to the thickening of the oil. It seems like I remember reading about this problem when I was researching and a remedy was to drill a hole, add more oil and reseal. Don't think I will do that, it will just have to be my summer clock. Another problem with these old electric clocks is the deterioration of the cord. Probably best to replace them, but I'm not an electrician either. Aren't clocks and the internet great?

Yes, Marilyn, they are, and I have NO idea why I seem to be drawn to them when visiting antique stores! My cord is the original, I'm sure, as the cord is cast at an angle into the plug itself, art deco styled, and yet appears to be as new as the clock. This thing HAD to have NEVER been used. I bet it was put away once the self starters were available, and never pulled out again.

Oh, I've played my share of Hammonds over the years as a part time organist at a funeral home (fun fun fun), as well as church chapels. I never had opportunity to play many of the larger versions, spending the majority of my time at large console 3 and 4 bank pipe organs. But, as you say, I digress....(grins)

Thank you all again for the insight on my Hammond. I count myself VERY fortunate to have found this treasure, as well as having access to this vast source of knowledge here at the chapter!

High regards! Mark

Marilyn,
Many years ago there was an article in "Popular Mechanics" which showed how to electrify an old pump organ by installing a vacuum cleaner motor. Seems to me that a light bulb was used to reduce the current going to the motor in order to keep the vacuum from destroying the reeds. The sounds in these organs were produced by air moving through the reeds into a vacuum created by the motion of the pedals just opposite to a pipe organ where the sound is produced by blowing air through the reeds. You probably can find the page/issue reference to the article in "Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature" at your local library, I think it was published during the late 1940's early 1950's. I once owned two of those organs, sold the last one 4-5 years ago.

John, thanks for the information on the organ, but I was just kidding. I am afraid that would be like painting a walnut Vienna regulator purple or putting a souped-up engine in one of the Ford T-Models I have. I love antiques and like to keep them as original as possible. I do have a motor that can be put on the wheel of a treadle Singer sewing machine. But I digress again......sorry.

Marilyn,

You CAN electify your old pump organ safely (I used to rebuild them in the 70's, it is how I paid for college). Go to http://www.player-care.com/ppco.html for the Player Piano Company website. They have everything for the repair of players and pump organs.

Bruce,
I really do not want to electrify my pump organ. I do have a key that sticks and would really like to have it fixed, but no one around here repairs them. It had been completely redone before I bought it at an auction. It is in perfect shape and very beautiful with ornate carvings. Is the sticking key something I could fix myself? I have tried to look for the problem, but could not see the moving parts that open and close the notes.

I know this question is not clock related so if the monitors of this message board want to delete it, I will understand. If so maybe you could email me the answer.