Hi, I normally find myself in the wristwatch forum but today have a question for the clock folk of the world.

My wifes step-mother recently passed away and before hand she gave me a clock that she has had for many years and was hoping to find some information on it. It was a gift to her from an old friend.

I would appreciate any information about its age, origin and value.

The clock movement itself doesn't seem to have any markings<img src but the porcelain/ceramic casing does. See photos. The clock does work and keeps good time.

Stephen,

Your clock has to be one of the nicest examples I've seen of this type in a long time.

I would stick my neck out and say it's French, and the period, early 1900's.
It's fitted with a movement typically found in everything from this type mantle clock, through alarm and car clocks.

The case could be variously described as Itallianate, Baroque or even Louis Quinze at a push, but certainly not of that period.
Ceramics such as this were possibly made in Limoges (France) or maybe even Dresden before it was destroyed in WWII, but this is one area way way out of my field of knowledge.
It may be worth you doing some trawling of European trade mark sites and forums.

The movement itself is most likely of German origin, and typically this stuff was made by firms such as Kienzle, Kieninger and Mauthe to name just a few.
I've taken a quick shuftie through my Flume pattern books, and although there are some similar plate styles, none match your clock unfortunately.

The movement is a pin pallet type and has conical pivots on the staff which is adjustable from under the dial - the type is mainly listed as a '1 day clock' but it isn't clear if this is 8 or 24 hours!
Certainly the mainsprings aren't big!

Although folks generally and rather unkindly slate these clock movements as being of 'cheapo' manufacture, they did actually bring within financial reach, useable and (dare I say) 'stylish' clocks to the masses in an era when most homes didn't even have the luxury of hot and cold running water let alone TV and Radio!
Food for thought there!

I have to say though that some of these types of clock range from being downright pug ugly to totally bizarre and are frequently found gathering dust in most junk shops here - minus movements.

Your clock movement incidentally has lantern pinions on the arbours rather than milled teeth, and although regarded as a cheapo method of manufacture, is very hard wearing as a rule.
The trundles are hardened steel pins staked into drilled hubs - and are a total pig to repair when worn.
Sometimes it's possible to shift wheels on their arbours a tad so they work on unworn sections of pin rather than fiddling about repairing pins.
I have a similar clock here which has milled pinion leaves, so variations exist.

Value???? how long is a piece of string?
I would guess in the UK anything from £50GBP in a reasonable provincial town centre antique shop to possibly hundreds in a London city shop.
If it had been produced with something like a Japy or Le Roy movement in it, it really would be a killer!

Take care of it, it's a jem anyway in my book.

Best regards

John.