Vintage car clocks

[Widetrackjr]

I recently acquired 5 car clocks(?) and am having trouble finding much information about them. I would appreciate any help or direction as where/who to find info such as age, use and value. Thank you 

[prewarnut]

I work on clocks and watches. I can give some easy answers and then there are some more difficult ones.

First most of these (this type) were made and sold 1915-1930, give or take. That is based on the style as they were made to be mounted on a dash of those eras with the stem hanging down and accessible. With earlier years the dash didn't have a false area behind it. Later years and the clocks were of a more integrated style to dash and guages and in many cases electrified or electrically rewound.

Second, no telling what cars these went on unless there is a really unique look or style to them. As example look at a Duesenberg, Hispano-Suiza, Bugatti, Rolls, etc and they each had distinctive dials and specs for their use. Some of these have a "distinctive look" but others look more generic.

Third these chiefly are modified watch designs with a longer gear train and larger barrel and spring to make an 8-day run.

Fourth the last watch was not made by Ollendorff; he was an east coast importer.

Fifth opening these will possibly show the manufacturer either by stamping, style or logo.

Sixth desireability really depends on condition, ability to repair and if someone has a particular need for a particular one. The problem with repair is even those made by common companies such as Waltham, Elgin, Chelsea, etc it is impossible to find parts and parts are not often interchangeable with a standard pocket watch of the era and same company. If not easily cleaned and runnable it is probably easier to find another example for use. Also desireability relates to the dial. The first one needs to be refinished and that is done by only certain outfits (not usually the watch repairer). For pricing look at examples for sale.

Lastly examples #2,4,5 are probably modestly radioactive, just so you know.

Hope these points help.

[Widetrackjr]

[Widetrackjr]

That is a lot of great info. I will continue to look into them. Here are the inside of 4 of them. 

[prewarnut]

The two middle photos of this series of 4 are high quality Swiss movements. Both are 15 jewels. The balances look like they could be temperature compensated although it is stated that they are not adjusted for this purpose. Frankly all car clocks should have been temp compensated considering the temp fluctuations they are/were exposed to. From a repairer/restorer viewpoint those two are really nice and the octagonal one has a jewel like quality inside and out. That dial will shimmer with central engine turning (but don't do it yourself for risk of removing the minute hashmarks and numerals - maybe Q-tips with a tiny bit of Windex but nothing more and not over the numbers or painted areas). The hands can be restored with newer color-matched lume.... To me that is the gem of the lot.

[8E45E]

On 7/2/2023 at 3:54 PM, Widetrackjr said:

I recently acquired 5 car clocks(?) and am having trouble finding much information about them. I would appreciate any help or direction as where/who to find info such as age, use and value. Thank you 

The above is a VERY close match for a 1925 Studebaker.   Just the hands appear to be different from the one the photo I took of a Duplex Phaeton dashboard here: 1925 Duplex Phaeton - Studebaker Drivers Club Forum

 

Craig

[Terry Bond]

Most of those with short stems were often seen in folding cases. Google "travel clocks" and you'll find many examples. They are often misidentified as car clocks.

Terry

[Corvairvan]

All I know is I could use the one marked 6 jewel, 2 adj for parts on a clock I am repairing... Hard to find parts, hard to identify maker, etc. In your pics of the 4, the 1st pic is the one I am interested in...

[dodge28]

I have a dash clock for a 1928 Dodge Senior. Made by Waltham, 8 day stuff. It has a long stem for easy reach from under dash to wind up. I am so scared to send it for repair for the reason it "getting lost" in the mail because it is very rare. I bought a book on how to repair clocks and repaired it my self.  "Clock repairing as a Hobby" by Harrold C Kelly.  One  of springs was broken so I bought 2 from a company in Arizona , named something like time.com . I bought a spare Waltham 8 day for the click spring. The pin pallet and escape spring does not operate unless I give it a push, will work only for a few seconds and stop. The rest of the train woks fine on spring windup. I am taking a rest from this project. My problem is my hands shakes and unable to hold the tynee screws steady. I do not weld because of the same reason . I will be 88 years shortly.