Hi Everybody,

I received an old clock over the holiday and know nothing about it. I am a pocket watch man. Anyway, I am posting several pictures. If anybody can help direct me on how to identify when it was made and the manufacturer and any other info about the timepiece I would appreciate it. It does work and keep time, although it is clearly in need a clean and oil. The bong or chime tries to work, but doesn't make a sound. That is to say there is a winding hole for the chime and there is gear motion at the half-hours but no "bong".

Thanks, John

Inside picture of the front...

Back side ...

Close-up of the dial ...

Best shot I can get of the movement without disassembly ...

Hi John; It is very easy to remove the dial ,just unscrew the two knurled knobs behind and below the dial ,one on each side. Then the whole movement should slide out. These are usually marked as to maker,if they're marked at all, on the back plate,which will be visible then

Hi John,
your clock is probably a german Junghans spring driven wall "R-A" regulator clock from the beginning of 1900., if the pedulum is still original to the clock.
Look here ... Junghans

Regards

Thanks Tom and Werner. I did get the movement out and inspected it for any markings ... nothing. Not anywhere on the movement or back side of the dial. It does indeed have the look of some of the Junghans clocks in your link Werner. I have seen earlier pictures of this clock and it had a nice wooden carving of a horse on the top in a similar fashion to those at your web site. It has been lost.

Here is a picture of the movment ...

The other side of the movement ...

Can someone explain what the "R-A" stands for???

Thanks, John

I love the clocks on your website Werner. Very handsome indeed.

"retard-advance" for the Europeans,or in English,"Slow-Fast" if you turn the adjustment nut on the pendulum in one direction or the other it either slows or speeds up the clock

Those click springs are different from any that I have ever seen. That should be a good clue for anyone that has seen them before.
Usually Junghans are marked pretty well. It will be interesting to see if anyone identifies it. Was there a top piece on the case or slot for one? It would maybe be similar to the one on the bottom. You will notice most of the clocks on Werners site have the top piece.
Its a nice clock and the movement looks OK.

Hi Bill. Yes, there was a top piece. However, it has been lost. Probably will never be found. I am told it was a wood engraving of a horse.

John, you can adjust the hammer that produces the "Bong" at the 1/2 hour and on the hour by slightly bending the hammer arm down slightly, not much, just slightly until it strikes the music rod at the prescribed timing....

You have a beautiful wall clock, and too bad part of it is missing....you are probably correct also, the part, or one like it will never be found....unless you get lucky....

Regards,

Jerry

On second thought, maybe our own Eric Unselt can make you one...! you never know....

I bet Werner has some good insight, but I would add that it may even go before 1900. The click springs, and other features point me to the earlier time frame. Don't let anybody talk you into replacing the movement with a new updated one. Cleaning, -perhaps some bushing- and it will be like new again, complete with the designs like the click spring will make it all the more nostalgic and valuable. It is nice! Would be very nice if you could get it id'd closely and have someone copy the horse etc. on top!

I have a Kienzel 8 day movement that has that same type of click spring.I may be wrong but it has a between the plates count wheel that would date it after 1850.It's definetly not a Kienzel as it doesn't have their trademark.

Hello again John,
I´ve a feeling that you may have missed a hidden mark on the clockwork, see if it hasn´t crossed arrows on it somewhere, because I have a feeling it´s a Pfeilkreutz mech (which was also used by Junghans)...
Look here mech
and here mech
and here pfeilkreutz

and this may have been the place of origin http://www.dieselmuseum.de/fabrik/finbild.html
and here´s the amalgamation of junghans with pfeilkreutz...In 1930!!!
Founded in 1874, 1930 merged with Junghans. Paul Landsberger sen. (* 1848, +1939) was a skilled businessman. He entered 1869 with the company Junghans Schramberg that built at the time with about 70 workers, the Americans watch works. Landsberger worked for Junghans as general manager and would have after the unexpected death of young Hans gladly accepted the company's management because he was married to the daughter Frieda. This was denied to him.

Landsberger thereapon left and established in 1874 with borrowed capital the firm Landenberger & Lang. His main investor wanted his money back in 1882, which overthrew the young company into bankruptcy. Only the greatest efforts by Landsberger kept the company going, especially since Arthur Junghans was buying up shares, and wanted to take the company over .
Main source of funding was the trading company Deurer & Kaufmann in Hamburg. In 1883 a settlement was reached which transformed the company into a joint-stock company . From this connection the name "Hamburg-American Clock Factory emerged. For tax reasons, the firm was in Hamburg until 1901, then was moved back to Schramberg.

The company's history is marked by constant disputes with the neighboring company Junghans.

The company HAU delivered their clocks mainly abroad and was able to achieve some greater market share than Junghans. By 1925, orders went back massively. It was because of falling sales In 1927, a community of interest between Junghans, HAU, Lenzkirch and Gustav Becker was created.

Initially, the company still Lenzkirch, Becker, however, were soon closed down by Junghans. 1930 HAU was taken over by Junghans.

Kind Regards