I acquired this old clock on the weekend.An old man that recently passed away had this in his house.It was offered to me and i thought it was kind of cool but probaly not much value to it.I now see it has a little more value than i thought, mine is much like this but lacking the lights and mine is working too which i did not expect.
Have others seen a clock like this before?
I saw one just like this on Ruby Lane Antiques website, were asking 290 and reduced to 250.

Kevin West
IHC Member 261
Chapter 111,Ottawa

These are not that uncommon. They show up at antique shops and shows fairly regularly. There is a wide difference in condition, and prices fluctuate accordingly.

The clock was made by United. They made a variety of novelty electric clocks.

The picture below is from Erhardt's "Clocks 3", printed in 1983.

Tom Seymour
NAWCC# 41293
IHC Executive V.P.

Thanks for the extra information on the clock Tom, would these have been made in the 1950,s?I do not know if mine has lights in the port holes, i see no other wires only what is going to the clock motor.

Kevin West
IHC Member 261
Chapter 111,Ottawa

Kevin,
Your are right about the date. The lower part of the page has a logo for United's fiftieth anniversary - 1905 - 1955. So, this ad was from 1955. Dig around in it and let us know if you find lights.

Tom Seymour
NAWCC# 41293
IHC Executive V.P.

Kevin,
I saw your ship clock in an antique store today. The tag on it was $125. The Mastercrafter version was also there with a price of $75.

Tom Seymour
NAWCC# 41293
IHC Executive V.P.

Mine Tom, does not have the lights on it, do you know if the Master Crafter has them?
Cool clock.

Kevin West
IHC Member 261
Chapter 111,Ottawa

Kevin,
If yours were a Mastercrafters, it would have that name on the dial. The design is slightly different. Maybe they made some without the lights, or maybe they made the ad before they finished the actual piece and decided to deep six the lights idea. Maybe someone out there with one can "shed some light" on the subject. I did not notice if the one in the shop has lights or not. I will go back and check when I get a chance.

Tom Seymour
NAWCC# 41293
IHC Executive V.P.

This one is marked: "Oxford Self Starting, Gibralter Mfg. Co., Inc. Jersey City, NJ., No. 7" It is lighted. Mine was from my grandparent's estate. I don't know when they got it.

Does anyone have the Mastercrafter version to show the difference?

Kevin, in the black and white picture, it looks like there were 2 holes on the top of the ship where the lights set down in. Your's does not have these holes, so maybe they were available both ways.


Andy

Andy that is a very nice clock also, one like that would look good next to my ship clcok.
I got my clock finished and i ran into a few problems.First this is my first time working with lacquer finish.I used a brush and i guess went too heavy as there are runs on it.I may redo it sometime later but for now i will just look at it and admire it.
It still needs another sail added to the bow and the stern.
Not bad i guess but could be better.

Lookin' good Kevin! Since you post yours I have seen about a half dozen variations on the ship theme. Each time I muttered something about not having my camera with me.

...my ship/boat sails out of the port of Kingsville on Lake Erie (here pictured after sailing in from the Lake thru the window)...mine is named 'Snider' after the Snider Clock Company (Toronto) and dates to the early fifties...believe the electric movements and hull/rigging were supplied to Snider in the early 50s by Gibraltar Mfg...btw: she's rigged w/lights for night running...

Very nice Jim and similar to mine, big bonus she can be lit up also.
Very cool.

Kevin,

I saw one of these today (just like your's) that has the lights. It has what looks like a red glass lens with metal rings above both lights. Also on the part of the deck that drops down lowest, there is a trap door where the wires to the lights connect. On the one I saw, they had messed with the dial and put in a quartz movement, and the sails were messed up. On ebay today, I saw this Sessions model.

Andy.

Pictures of the Mastercrafters ship clock (borrowed picture). The "Yankee Clipper".

Andy

Picture of a Sessions ship clock (borrowed picture).

Andy

Andy they are all nice ship clocks, great pictures and a wood clock is always nice.
Maybe I need one with working lights too.

Kevin,
I just got one this week like yours, with the lights as shown in the page from the book above. Mine has model #811 on the movement. I saw one on ebay without lights that is model #810. It will take me a while to put the pictures on here. Mine is missing a few small trim pieces, but is mostly complete and pretty good. I notice the Sessions and Mastercrafters clocks that I just added the pictures of look the same. I wonder if someone changed the movement in one over the years, or if they were originally this way? The two companies may be connected, I have never read up on them.

Andy

Borrowed picture of another model by Oxford.

Another model by United, borrowed picture.

A different one by United that can be hung on the wall, borrowed picture.

Andy

Snider of Canada (borrowed picture).

Smaller model by Oxford (borrowed picture).

The are also available here in the Midwest, far far from the oceans.