This week we're going to look at something that it seemed like every den had when I was growing up, but that now has gone the way of the dodo. I am, of course, talking about the coo-coo!
I remember as a kid waiting for that little bird to pop out of the clock and loving that coo-coo sound! I was easily amused, I guess. Still, it's such a nice memory that a few years ago I turned to eBay to get my own!
The one I got was not expensive. It only has the one bird function (no It's a Small World theatrics) and is a 24 hour clock. Oh look- here it is!
Hanging in it's place on our paneled den wall!
Most coo-coo clocks are made in the Black Forest region of Germany. They haven't changed the design in a couple of centuries. This one, however, we can date fairly easily. On the back it says, "Made in Germany- US Zone." That means it was after WWII, but before the United States had transferred authority back to Germany. That dates it between 1945 and 1955. Pretty neat!
This is on one side. I tgink the movable panel slides over the bellows to mute the sound- some. But I could be wrong.
Here's the star of the show! His beak is jointed so it moves as he goes in and out. The wire over the door can be swung down so the door won't open and the bird won't sound. Pretty nice, really. By the way, please excuse the dust!
A closeup of the dial. The bottom of the dial reads "Made in Germany." Note that there's no "West" yet. I think that might date it to around 1946 to 1948 since Germany was split in 1949.
By the way, if you want to know how to adjust a coo-coo clock here's how! The "leaf" on the pendulum slides up and down. Down- the clock runs slower. Up- the clock runs faster! That's all there is to it!
I've had my clock for a few years now and really enjoy it! It makes me happy and that's what stuff in your house should do.
Until next time, keep searching for treasure!
I have both an aunt and a friend who collect Black Forest clocks. I don't think I could handle the upkeep of having several in the house and making sure they were all synchronized.
ReplyDeleteThat's also a heck of a lot of racket every hour or so!
DeleteStill, I bet they have some really neat ones!
I love cuckoo clocks! My dad was stationed in Berlin when he was in the army (from 1958-1960), and my mom worked for the U.S. army, on the same military base. That is how they met. According to my mom, the American dollar was so strong at that time, so they bought tons of souvenirs for themselves and for their families back home in the U.S. And everyone got a cuckoo clock mailed to them!
ReplyDeleteOver time, with the passing of my great-grandmothers and my grandparents, these clocks eventually found their way into my possession. I have four of them now. Three of them have the same decorations as yours, but the leaves and birds are painted with colors. Also, they are "double door" versions, with a second door that opens to reveal a little man, while playing music. That occurs only on the hour, and after the bird finishes "cuckooing." There is one of the clocks that has a different design than the others. It has a couple rifles, and what I assume are supposed to be a dead bird, rabbit and deer. It looks like something that should be hanging in Gaston's (from Beauty and the Beast) home. And that one has only the one door, with just the cuckoo and no music.
It's interesting that yours has just one vent for the bellows and that it is on the back of the clock. The clocks that I inherited all have two bellows/vents, and they are on either side of the clock. One of them is for the first "coo" and the other one is for the second "coo." They go off one right after the other to give the complete "coo-coo" sound. I guess there are many variations of these clocks out there. Thanks for sharing yours, Stu!
Wow, I think I've been completely out coo-cooed! Lol! You know, it makes sense that so many of those clocks found their way to veterans' (and veterans' families) homes in the 50s and 60s! Thanks for the insight!
DeleteI had an Aunt Francis that had a coo coo clock. It had 2 metal acorns on a chain that you could pull to wind the clock. I was always getting into trouble messing with those dangling acorns.
ReplyDeleteShe was a good Aunt and the clock got passed to my cousin, who I think still has it. She had a player piano too that I really wanted but the cousin got that too.
Thanks Stu.
I had some friends growing up that had a player piano. It was an incredible machine (especially to a 6 year old boy!) We used to pretend we were playing it. Great, original comedians we were, lol!
DeleteThe first piano I learned on was a player piano, but the "player" part hadn't worked in years.
DeleteStu, I have a white coo-coo clock that my dad bought in WDW (inside a gift shop inside the castle) for my mom, on our 1972 trip. It's boxed away now, sadly. I'll have to find it and hang it up. That thing drove me crazy, when I lived at home, as I'm a light sleeper. But I'll have to try it, again...with the coo-coo silenced. It's too sad to leave it boxed away.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing about the leaf "adjustment" - I didn't know that.
Thanks, Stu, for another fun post.
I have to silence mine at night for exactly that reason! I'm a VERY light sleeper! A white one sounds cool! Yeah, it needs to be hanging up!
DeleteYou're welcome!