November 04, 2004, 21:24
Joseph T. CollinsWhat is Your Favorite Clock & Why
My favorite clock is a Boston tandem wind mantle clock. From late 1968 and up until late 1975 I was a Tech Rep for a local company and spent most of my time on the road. Frequently a trip would last more than a week. On these lay over weekends I would prowl the local flea markets and antique stores for clocks. In the fall of 72 I was in a small shop in central New Hampshire when I ran across a Boston clock in a slate case. The case was in excellent condition and the clock would run for a few minutes. I felt that a good cleaning would solve all its problems. As I recall the price was $40 or just over a dollar a pound!
This movement, having a platform escapement, would run in any position but I didn’t give that any thought. I carried a let down key and always let down my purchases prior to bringing them home. Just seemed to me to be the thing to do. However….letting down a tandem wind is not quite as easy as most other clocks. I decided to skip the let down.
I always took the clocks as carry on baggage since I wanted them still in one piece when I got them home.
I packed the Boston in a box with two weeks of dirty laundry and fashioned a rope handle for carrying. I boarded a plane in Boston headed for home in St. Louis. About 10 minutes into the flight the clock decided to start running. There I was with a thirty plus pound package ticking merrily along. It doesn’t tick very loudly but in this situation it sounded like someone beating a bass drum. Since this was not long after D.B. Cooper invented sky-jacking and several flights had made unscheduled stops in Havana I was sure I would be in BIG trouble if anyone else heard the ticking. Luckily no one else did and I got home with no problem other than being a nervous wreck.
I still have this clock. Wind it once a week and it just keeps on ticking!
Joe Collins
