Tag: antique clock

Posted on by

What is my favourite antique clock maker?

So many times I get asked the question. When you have so many antique clocks, which one do you like best? It is a very difficult question to answer, as I love antique clocks. I have loved them all my life. There is no one set clock that I can opt for. One clock maker I truly respect amongst all others though.

Clockmaker Thomas Ogden

You might well expect me to go for a special London clockmaker, as so many names run off the tongue. We have Thomas Tompion, the father of English clockmaking. Fromanteel, a very special early clockmaker. Edward East another early and well respected clockmaker. George Graham, Daniel Quare, John Ellicott, a very special maker. Eardley Norton, John Knibb, wow the list is so long and I could include many many more. These are truly amazing clockmakers. You will notice though they are all London gentlemen. It was far easier to get on, produce wonderful clocks in London, than pretty much anywhere else in the 17th/18th centuries.

Why Thomas Ogden ?

After long thought I have decided the workmanship and talents of the Ogden family of clockmakers, and in particular Thomas Ogden Clock . Ogden produced amazing workmanship away from the centre of clock making and knowledge that was London. This makes him my no 1 choice, as a result he certainly has the X factor for me.

Quaker Clockmaking

Thomas Ogden was from a family of Quakers. He was born in C 1693. He initially worked in Ripponden, probably continuing his fathers business. Ogden then moved to Halifax, where he had a shop on the High Street and Upper Swift Place in Soyland. He died with no children in 1769 aged 77.

Superb Quality Workmanship

Thomas Ogden’s work is of the highest quality. He is one of the very few clock makers, that put a half round brass beed, as seen the pictures above, around his dial. No spandrels to the dial is a typical Quaker thing to do. I have been lucky to own a few of his antique clocks. Every one, like the one above, is exacting in every detail. The internal workmanship is not matched in my opinion, especially considering he is not from the establishment of clock makers, that was London in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Globe Moons

He produced some wonderful globe moons or ‘Halifax moons’ ,as they were later called and various world time dials. He is in my opinion the finest of all provincial clock makers and in some ways one of the finest of all clock makers. Pendulum of Mayfair has one such amazing example on its website.

Posted on by

Buying an antique clock

If you’re looking to invest in an antique clocks it’s likely that you’ll require some guidance when considering your purchase.  To ensure you get the best quality antique clock at the most appropriate price, it will be helpful to take the following into consideration:

  1. What sort of price do you want to pay for the antique clock you are thinking of buying.  Consult an antique pricing guide to give you an idea of the price brackets you are looking at.
  2. Does the dealer offer a guarantee of authenticity?  An antique clock with such a guarantee is worth more.
  3. Is the clock’s movement in good working order?  You will pay more for a working antique clock, however if you were to buy a non-working clock the difference will probably not be as high as getting it repaired after the sale.
  4. Does the antique clock have any distinguishing marks, such as a signature or label that connects it to a well-known manufacturer or clock maker? Antique clocks are worth more with these marks but beware of forgeries so ensure you get a written guarantee from the dealer.
  5. Set aside a decent amount of time to find your perfect antique clock at the perfect price.  Rushing to buy will often result in you paying over the odds for your antique clock.

Pendulum of Mayfair have years of experience to draw upon and we are happy to answer any of your queries when you are thinking of buying an antique clock.