Hello Atticites!
This week we're featuring an item that has been in the family almost a hundred years!
In function, it is a seven day clock, meaning a wind a week will do it. It strikes the hour and once on the half hour. And until this week, it totally did not work. Oh, you could wind it snd it would tick along for a minute or so, then the "tick-tock" would become a "tock-tick," and then a "tock-tock-tick-tock." Then it would just give up.
Fortunately, we have a clock repair shop in town that is highly reputable. In fact, they've been around since 1969 and have fixed thousands of antique clocks. Unfortunately, the price of fixing those clocks ain't cheap. So, I put it off and put it off some more. For years, in fact. Finally, I got up the nerve to take it in.
Upon getting an estimate that was just south of $400.00, I hesitated. But my wonderful wife pointed out that it had been my great grandmother's clock and so it would be worth it. So, I bit the bullet and went for it.
In about three weeks I got the text that it was ready. It was, in fact, not "just south of $400.00," having made the trip all the way there. I picked it up, placed it on the mantle and fired it up. I got a steady "tick-tock-tick-tock-tick-tock," and it didn't give up!
As it turns out, the clock shop replaced a lot of the worn cogs, straightened a couple of warped parts, replaced the brushings, polished everything, and gave us a one year warranty, so it was actually worth it.
Now it's sitting on the mantle, happily ticking away. I hope that somewhere my great grandmother (whom I never met) is smiling.
Until next time, keep searching for treasure!
I'm sure the repair bill was worth it, assuming the clock doesn't stop tick-tocking any time soon (unless you forget to wind it). Any idea what the clock is worth now? Seth Thomas is/was a reputable brand.
ReplyDeleteI thought maybe you would try to repair it yourself, but it sounds like the repair shop did a lot of refurbishing that you might not have been able to do on your own. Plus, it probably would've cost about the same to get replacment gears, etc., and no guarantee that it would work.
Is that 'buckling' on the front, part of the original design? Or did the adamantine just decide it wasn't going to lay flat anymore?
It must be satisfying to have your great grandmother's clock still in the family and still ticking away. Thanks, Stu.