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SESSIONS WESTMINSTER CHIME TAMBOUR CASE MANTLE CLOCK |
 | Buy, Bid or See more options |
Curent Price | 239.27 USD |
Item # | 320321492424 |
Status | Completed |
Age | 1900-1940 |
Primary Material | Brass |
Type | Clocks |
Original/Repro | Original |
End time | 12/6/2008 12:05:00 PM (EST)
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Ships From | Longview, WA |
Category | Antiques > Decorative Arts > Clocks |
Offered for sale in this No Reserve Auction is a nice Sessions Tambour style Westminster Chime mantle clock. The clock is in very nice condition with a nice face and well fitting bezel, the original hands and the original pendulum. Case dimensions are 21.5 inches wide by 10.25 inches tall by 5.75 inches deep. The case finish is in good shape with nice inlay around the face of the clock. As a person who has repaired just about every type of American made Westminster Chime clock that there is, I have to admit to having a real fondness for the Sessions Westminster chime clocks. They are a prime example of the joining of art and engineering. Because the winding springs in this clock are fairly large and strong, I always include an over sized key for additional leverage in winding, along with the double ended key that is used to adjust clock speed and silence the chimes.
WHAT MAKES A CLOCK A GOOD VALUE? The rules of economics are fairly straightforward. Simply put, it is almost impossible to spend a little and get a lot. Antique and vintage clocks follow these rules as well. You can buy “As Found” clocks for less money. Then you have to pay a shop to go through the movement and when you are done, you have spent more than if you would have bid on the nicer clocks in the beginning. I have tried through the photos to show the basic steps that I do in restoring these wonderful machines to their original state. My goal is to provide you with a quality time piece that will provide enjoyment and be a source of pride in your home for years to come. Equally important to me is to provide you with a clock that I believe will appreciate in value over the years. That is what I think constitutes real value in antique and vintage clocks.
MY PHILOSOPHY ON CLOCKS AND CLOCK MOVEMENTS. The only way to properly repair a movement is to completely disassemble, clean and inspect all parts, and make the needed repairs by proper horoligical methods. This includes the rebushing of all worn holes and the polishing of any rough pivots. The movements are then reassembled, lubricated with a high quality clock oil and test run for 8 days. This is a very time intensive process but is the only correct way to properly recondition a clock movement. You should expect a movement repaired in this manner to run for ten years trouble-free. I have been doing clock repair for over 27 years. I apprenticed under an Oregon State licensed repairman and have been a member of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC) since 1981. (Please see the About Me page for more information and to tour my shop). I do not make a living doing this; it has become a passion of mine. I go to estate sales, auctions, and search places like eBay to find clocks that are in need of restoration. Once they are made like new mechanically, I put them up for sale in the hopes of paying for my materials and supplies. It provides me with a low cost hobby and hopefully provides you with an heirloom to cherish for years to come.
THE MOVEMENT. The two train Sessions Westminster Chime movement is an engineering marvel, especially when you consider that it was engineered and patented in the 1920’s and 1930’s. While most chime movements have three trains of wheels, the Sessions movement accomplishes the same work while only needing two trains. It is a fully self-correcting, meaning that if the clock is allowed to run down and the chime sequence gets off, it will correct itself when it is wound back up. The clock also has the chime shut off feature just like a Seth Thomas 124 which allows you to silence the chimes from the front of the clock using the small end of the key. In one of Steven Conover’s clock repair manuals, he gives the history on the movement patents. The original patent for the Sessions chime-strike mechanism was dated December 22, 1931, as No.1, 837,462. The following year, the inventor, Samuel Mazur of Bristol, Connecticut, filed another patent to incorporate certain improvements into the design. The second patent was No. 1,883,387, dated October 18, 1932. Mr. Conover’s book also provides copies of the original drawings submitted to the US Patent Office if you are interested in doing more research on the movement. Most people are content with the fact that the clock runs well and sounds beautiful.
PAYMENT AND SHIPPING. People deserve to be treated fairly and to expect that their transaction will be handled as if the business was being done face to face. Read my feedback and you can see that I live by these words. I communicate well and keep people updated on shipping and answer questions that come up long after the sale has been completed. I leave positive feedback for the buyer as soon as feedback is left for me and I provide with the clock a set of General Instruction that answers about 95% of the questions that arise during set up. I also believe that proper packaging is of the utmost importance. I start with a high quality box. I then put the clock in a plastic bag, wrap with bubble wrap and surround with shipping peanuts. You will pay the exact shipping costs for the 13 pounds that the packaged clock weighs with no extra packaging or handling charges. I require insurance because it helps prevent any hard feelings when our business has been completed. Due to the vibration of shipping, no guarantee can be given but I pride myself in excellent preparation for shipment and can help via email in getting the clock set up. I accept Paypal, money orders, and personal checks. Shipment is held for ten days on personal checks and I ask that you contact me within 3 days after the end of the auction and that payment is made within 10 days. Thank you for looking at my auction!
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