As America’s Top Grandfather Clocks Shop, we are proud to be an Authorized Howard Miller Clocks Dealer among many other brands, including Hermle Clocks, Americana Grandfather Clocks, Ridgeway Clocks, Kieninger Clocks and more.

Howard Miller Clocks is an unusual company in that it offers the largest variety of high-end grandfather clocks, grandmother clocks, wall clocks, mantel clocks, corporate gift and promotional clocks as well.  Howard Miller has a wonderful selection of contemporary grandfather clocks, as well as traditional grandmother clocks and grandfather clocks as well.

Everyone likes a grandfather clocks discount and to see grandfather clocks on sale, but there can be a huge cost in buying from a grandfather clock shop that is not an Authorized Dealer.  It is not unlikely that a grandfather clock shopper could lose all of his or her money.  There is no accountability, and the grandfather clock may never ship.  If it does ship, there is no guarantee that it is a genuine Howard Miller Grandfather Clock and not a fake luxury goods counterfeit or knock-off.  It could also be a second, meaning not of first quality or perhaps stood as a grandfather clock floor model for many years somewhere.

If the clock arrives damaged, there may be no one with whom to file an insurance claim.  Unfortunately, grandfather clock damage in shipping can occur, but is minimized when the floor clock is packed correctly by knowledgeable experts.  If the grandfather clock movement is broken or worn or of inferior quality, one may have purchased even more than a money pit, but possibly a complete waste of money.  Grandfather clocks movements, especially German-made, like those in all mechanical Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks, can be expensive to replace.  Additionally, depending upon whether the grandfather clock is single chime like Westminster, or a triple chime grandfather clock, which may also include Ave Maria and Ode to Joy, can be especially costly to replace or repair.

A word to the wise shopper would be to always purchase from a known Authorized Dealer not only for grandfather clocks, but also for high end wall clocks and mantel clocks as well.  Such an heirloom investment can be expensive by any reasonable standard, and at a minimum, aside from the other ways the purchase of a grandfather clock being an enhanced shopping experience which we at 1-800-4CLOCKS.com always strive to offer, knowing that you are getting the actual product you ordered, and that it will in fact be backed by both the Manufacturer’s Warranty as well as the grandfather clock retailer having your back, should be a minimum standard for any high-end clocks purchase.

Always buy grandfather clocks, wall clocks, and mantel clocks from a Howard Miller Authorized Clocks Dealer.

An heirloom quality investment is worth it.

A clock, whether it is a grandfather clock, grandmother clock, wall clock or mantle clock, may have a moving pendulum in the clock case which does not necessarily tell a viewer whether the clock is mechanically or quartz driven.

Clocks in free-standing cases with moving pendulums have historically been the very definition of a grandfather clock or grandmother clock, especially when looking at an antique grandfather clock or antique grandmother clock.

A funny thing has happened to the www.pendulum-clock.com in the clock industry in recent years, which is the development of quartz or battery driven wall clocks and grandfather clocks and mantel clock where the pendulum may be moving back and forth and appear to be identical to an antique mechanical pendulum-driven clock, but in actuality, the pendulum is driven by its own separate mechanism, frequently including batteries, and simulates the movement of a mechanical mantel clock, wall clock or grandfather clock.  These clocks, especially the grandfather clocks, will also have weights, and therefore appear to be weight driven mechanical clocks, but the weights are purely decorative, and do not move up when the clock is wound, because there is nothing to wind anyway and they are battery driven but the weights do also not move down over time as it is the quartz movement driven by batteries which are making the clock run, and the weights are there purely for decoration or show or simulation of a mechanical grandfather, mantle or wall clock.

Whenever a customer orders a quartz clock either in our Stores or over the phone and they order a quartz driven clock with a moving pendulum, we always try to make sure they know what they are getting.  These clocks can be quite nice, and they are generally a lot less expensive, but as with anything else in life, there can be pros and cons to each type of so-called pendulum clocks movement.

We also need to make the distinction between high quality brands such as Howard Miller Clocks and Hermle Clocks and Kieninger Clocks and Ridgeway Clocks and the many no-name or “misleading name” truly cheap and poorly made clocks that may look nice in the pictures or even when first open, but are crafted to simply fool customers into thinking they are getting a great deal or making some meaningful compromise, when all they are really getting is, putting it frankly, a piece of junk.  These clocks will also have quartz driven movements, and the cases may appear similar at first glance, but that is about where the legitimate comparisons end.  We get dozens of calls weekly from individuals who have purchased these cheaply made clocks, frequently with model names similar to the major brands, and also frequently carried by large national well-respected retailers, but these callers find there is no one to call when they run into the inevitable problems, and they may have done some assembly which means the retailer will not even consider any return.  One area often overlooked is the quality of the chiming mechanism of the grandfather clock or grandmother or wall or mantel clock, which can vary widely.  Generally speaking, mechanical grandfather movements made by the high-end grandfather clock makers, such as Howard Miller and Hermle Clock and Kieninger Clocks will have the best sounding chimes, including Westminster Chimes, Ave Maria, Ode to Joy, Whittington and St Michaels.  Some of these ultra-cheap models might have the same chime, but comparing the quality of the chime is the difference between night and day.

Some advantages of well-made quartz-driven clocks, aside from the lower cost, include the fact that one does not have to wind the clock.  Most models come with both volume control and automatic nighttime shutoff.  These advantages can outweigh the disadvantages for some customers, who might also want to compare chain driven grandfather clocks, which tend to be much less expensive than cable driven grandfather clocks, but still have many of the same advantages or mechanical vs quartz.

At 1-800-4CLOCKS.com, we realize these choices can be a bit daunting to grandfather clock shoppers, as well as wall clocks shoppers and those looking for the best mantle clock or mantel clock from their perspective.

Feel free to give us a call or visit us any time.  We are here to help and to make your clock shopping experience all that it can be.

Quartz Grandfather Clocks

While we are among the leading and biggest grandfather clock retailers in the USA, carrying all the leading brands we choose including Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks, Hermle Floor Clocks, Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks, Americana Grandmother and Grandfather Clocks, and Kieninger Grandfather clocks, we do not sell grandfather clock movements, other grandfather clock parts like pendulums and weights, or even grandfather clock plans, or even quartz movements.  Go figure.

The quality of Grandfather Clock movements makes or breaks the quality of any grandfather clock, assuming it is in a suitable grandfather clock case.

A key question facing any grandfather clock shopper is which of the three most likely categories they may fit in.  One is a buyer of a new grandfather clock, or even an individual who is using grandfather clocks plans or grandfather clock kits, and they want to be sure they either get a certain specific movement, or that the one they are considering or perhaps came with their grandfather clock kit is of high caliber and from a respected maker of mechanical clock movements.  A second buyer is trying to replace a mechanical grandfather clock movement for an existing grandfather clock or grandmother clock that they currently own, and the movement may be cheaper to replace than to fix – which leaves open the question of what not having the original movement in a clock might do to its investment value.  The third category is someone who is thinking of buying a used, vintage, or antique grandfather clock or grandmother clock, also known as a Tall Case Clock or Longcase Clock, which may or may not be worth considering replacing, but these individuals want to get some sense of the value of the grandfather clock from the quality and maker of the grandfather clock movement.

One fly in the ointment in easily assessing what grandfather clock has which grandfather clock movement comes from a number of variables, including that many grandfather clocks will have no name on their dial, others may have the name of the retailer who sold them rather than the manufacturer, some can be special order clocks with customized dials, and in many instances even knowing the maker of the clock will not necessarily give you any indication of who made the grandfather clock movement or which modes of grandfather clock movement is resident in your grandfather clock case or grandmother clock case.

A good example of this is Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks and Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks. Up until about 10 years ago, both of these American makers of grandfather clocks both used Hermle Clocks German mechanical movements, which are very high quality, in most all of their grandfather clocks.  Then, in rapid fire succession, Howard Miller Clocks purchased both Ridgeway Clocks, including Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks, as well as Kieninger Clocks, which were then and still are the other preeminent maker of high end German mechanical movements that make high-end chiming grandfather clock movements in any quantity.  Clearly the purchase of Kieninger Clocks by Howard Miller was an attempt to vertically integrate their manufacturing process and Company.  Both Kieninger Clocks and Hermle Clocks have excellent reputations, long and storied histories, and each make great high-end mechanical movements.

What Howard Miller Clocks started doing with their mechanical grandfather clocks, mechanical wall clocks, and mechanical mantle clocks was to gradually swap out the new production runs with Kieninger Clock movements instead of Hermle Clock movements, given that Howard Miller Clocks now owned Kieninger Clocks.  Ridgeway Grandfather Clcoks, as well as mechanical Ridgeway Wall Clocks and Ridgeway Mantel Clcoks also started being built with Kieninger Clock movements instead of Hermle Clock movements.  This was true also for grandmother clocks made by both Ridgeway Clocks and Howard Miller Clocks.

Did this change in mechanical movement makers from Hermle Clock to Kieninger Clock make a material difference in the quality of the grandfather, wall, and mantle clcoks being sold by Howard Miller and Ridgeway Clocks?  In our opinion, in a word, the answer is no!  Both of these German makers make fine high-quality movements built to last, with similar features, similar chime sounds, and similar in most all other ways as well. Did Hermle Clocks suffer from losing Howard Miller Clocks as a customer.  No doubt it stung, but the Hermle Clock Company has innovated, including expanding their own like of mechanical wall, mantle and grandfather and grandmother clocks, and they seem to be prospering today even in these wild economic times.

Another challenge in buying or selling grandfather clock mechanical movements is that people need to understand that the relevant markings in order to get a replacement movement that is either identical or not but would still nonetheless work, the information and words and numbers on the back of the grandfather clock movement need to be conveyed exactly as they are written or the grandfather clock movement provider will not be in a position to be helpful.  So much time is wasted by so many because of this lack of knowledge by individuals.  It is one of the main reasons we decided years ago not to sell grandfather clock movements, grandmother clock movements, or mantle and wall clock movements of any kind.  We will, however, repair and/or possibly replace grandfather clocks for individuals and organizations when we are the ones who are handling the grandmother of grandfather or floor clocks or mantel or wall or cuckoo clock repair, whether a newer clock, a vintage clock, or an antique clock.

Hope this helps our customers and others looking for new grandfather clock, wall clock, mantle clock, grandmother clock, cuckoo clock, and other mechanical clock movements.

1/4 key wind movement with escapement (5 jewels) and triple chime (Westminster, St. Michael & Whittington) for 8-rod gong 120/140/160/180 mm, Plate size 100 x 104 x 2,0 mm, 6 bronze bushings (2nd wheel), spring barrel with removable axle, mantel clock version with escapement (Swiss escapement), pendulum version with solid anchor with stationary escapement (Graham) and automatic beat adjustment, chime shut-off, front or rear winding.

Going once, going twice, sold to the lucky or unlucky winner in an eBay grandfather clock auction.

As a seasoned buyer and seller on eBay, the writer of this blog post knows the ups and downs and pros and cons of buying almost anything on eBay.  If there is anything eBay is not, it is not what it used to be.  Many would view some of the changes for the better, and many would have other opinions.  One thing eBay has clearly been doing, and this is as true as luxury goods like grandfather clocks and wall clocks as well as electronics and other home furnishings, more of the big box retailers and larger sellers of all kinds has made eBay a lot more like the way Amazon is now.

There are fewer antique grandfather clocks and antique pocket watches and antique wall clocks and antique mantel clocks, particularly when it comes to people listing items at low starting prices in a true auction format with no reserves.  Now Buy It Now and Best Offer seem to rule the day for the large majority of listings.  Worthy of note is that this is an empirical impression, so if anyone has any other eBay sales information or trends, please feel free to share and make comments.

One age old question in the purchase of any item, and separate from antiques which have their own distinct appeal, is whether to buy the grandfather clock new or whether to buy a used grandfather clock, as but one example.  Let us stick with that one.  If a consumer has decided that they are in the market for a Howard Miller Grandfather Clock, or a Ridgeway Grandfather Clock or Hermle Grandfather or Grandmother Clock, and they start looking on eBay, they will see at least 3 categories of sellers.  One of the 3 types is individual owners of grandfather clocks who are selling their own grandfather clock, or one that they might have purchased at a yard sale, or perhaps passed on to them by a relative.  The second of the three types are individuals or shady companies who are pretending to or suggesting that the brand new clocks they are selling are coming from an Authorized Dealer for the brand, such as Howard Miller Clocks.  This is a critical distinction for a number of reasons, including that the Manufacturer’s Warranty is not valid if the grandfather clock was purchased from a Seller which is not also an Authorized Dealer.  More on that later.  The third type of Seller is one like the eBay Stores run by 1-800-4CLOCKS.com, which include New eBay Items and Antique eBay Items, such as new Howard Miller and Ridgeway Grandfather, Grandmother. Wall and Mantle Clocks, as well as antique clocks of many kinds, from regulators, to ships bell clocks to antique grandfather clocks and barometers and sundials and much much more.

The advantage of buying from an Authorized Dealer for the clock and brand you are purchasing are several-fold:

1. You know what you are getting and that you are dealing with an established company that will back its product and address any issues that may arise.

2. You know that the manufacturer’s warranty against defects, for example 2 years with Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks and Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks, and 4 years with Americana Grandfather Clocks, will also be there in case any problems arise.

3. Shipping should not be either a problem or cost prohibitive if you are dealing with an established Grandfather Clocks Dealer.  At 1-800-4CLOCKS.com, we always make sure our in-store and catalog and online customers are protected 100% against any shipping damage that may occur.  Furthermore, if an individual were attempting to ship a grandfather clock, they would likely be in for a rude awakening in several ways, including the cost to an individual for shipping a grandfather clock, packing the grandfather clock up safely to begin with, dealing with any damage that may occur anywhere along the way, and unpacking the grandfather clock and setting it up.  Most individuals don’t realize how it can easily top $1,000 for an individual simply to ship a grandfather clock, much less hire an expert to pack it, and pay for the grandfather clock container and fillers to cushion the clock.

4. Setting up the clock can be a challenge under the best of circumstances, and one may end up needing to hire a clock  professional.  And that assumes that all was well with the clock when it left its original location.

5. Throwing good money after bad is always a risk when buying either a used grandfather clock or one from an unauthorized dealer or at an auction or some similar such thing.  Buying a used grandfather clock can be like buying a used car.  It can become a money pit, both inside and out.  Inside for the mechanical grandfather clock movement and all the accessories, such as the pendulum and weights and suspension spring, as well as outside, if glass is broken or the wood gets broken or dented or scratched, or even the grandfather clocks finish has a problem which requires furniture restoration.  Grandfather clocks with inlay are especially susceptible to this kind of risk.

So if you are an individual thinking about buying a pre-owned grandfather clock, or even a Floor Model from a local furniture store, it would be wise to consider the above points in your overall grandfather clock purchase strategy and calculation.

The Americana Clock Company, makers of fine grandfather clocks, was started by Paul Hoffman, who for several years headed Ridgeway Clocks, including Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks, which is now owned by Howard Miller Clocks, and he had worked at several of the most well known and well respected grandfather clocks and wall clocks and mantel clocks makers, including Seth Thomas Clocks.

The Americana Clock Company is a designer and importer of Quality Solid hardwood Grandfather and floor Clocks.  Americana Clock uses only natural Cherry, Mahogany, Maple and Red oak woods to produce their Grandfather clocks, and are the  only Floor clock supplier in the United States that uses these solid hardwoods in their designs.  And all of the 8 day mechanical chiming movements, which play either the Westminster Chime alone, or also the Whittington and St Michaels Chime, have features like automatic nighttime shut-off and a chime silence option, in addition to a working moonphase dial.  The mechanical movement manufacturers are either Hermle or Kieninger, the 2 remaining high-end movement makers, both of which happen to be German, that make grandfather clock movements in any large quantities.  All of their Mechanical Cable movements are solid  Brass and made in the Black Forest Region of Germany.

Americana Grandfather Clocks offer Double the Standard industry Product Warranty because we use only Quality components in our Grandfather clocks. Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks come with a 2 year manufacturers warranty against defects, and the same is true for Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks.  Hermle Grandfather Clocks and Grandmother Clocks have in many cases a 3 year warranty.

This is how Americana Grandfather Clocks describe what sets them apart from other makers of grandfather clocks and their products:

1. ALL of Americana Grandfather clocks are made from SOLID same species wood. If we say Cherry the case is made of 100% Cherry solids, We use NO MDF, Poplar, Ash or Printed Masonite / hardboard materials on our clocks. We are the only Company in North America that can make this claim.
2. The natural woods we use are Rosewood from Africa, Plantation Mahogany from Indonesia, American Cherry, Red Oak and Maple.
3. All carvings are hand done and are of the same species of wood as the case. We use NO RESIN castings, again the only company that can make this claim.
4. All of our Mechanical Movements are Supplied from the Black Forest region of Germany. All Floor clocks, regardless of cost, have Automatic Night Silence feature.  Our Quartz movements use the Harmonic triple chime movements with night silence feature as well.
5. All of Americana clocks have wooden backs AND are 100% finished on the back panel. Feel the difference! All dust panels are Wood, not printed hardboard.
6. All Dial frames are solid same species wood, NOT thin stamped veneer.
7. Americana clocks have DOUBLE LOCKING doors standard on most models.
8. Most Americana Clocks have HINGED side movement access doors.
9. Most Americana Clocks have FULL side Crown returns and shaped bases.
10. Americana is the only Clock company that offers Genuine French polish finishes on selected high end clocks. French polishing is a process that applies 8 to 12 coats of genuine natural shellac and painstakingly sanded between each coat by hand to build a glass like finish that enhances the grain and ages beautifully. French polishing in the furniture industry in the United States was stopped in the 1920’s due to the labor intensive work involved. Each Americana case that has a French polish finish is worked on a minimum of 8 hours for the finish alone by a single craftsman.
11. Americana offers the strongest value for the Consumer with Heirloom quality construction and solid woods.
12. Americana is the ONLY clock company that believes in it’s quality so deeply that we DOUBLE the industry standard warranty of two years to FOUR YEARS . You may want to ask what the warranty is for any clock you are interested in and why it does not match Americana’s. If they do match it, get it in writing like Americana does!

Twelve points of differentiation.  We think that Americana Grandfather Clocks are worth a special look any day any time:

"You're looking at the premium package, right?" Companies today are increasingly tying people's real-life identities to their online browsing habits.

Did you know that Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks have been around for over 100 years, and have been the oldest clock company in the USA continuously producing grandfather clocks and grandmother clocks.  Ridgeway Clocks is also definitely one of the most admired names of grandfather clock makers in the grandfather clocks market.  Their trademarked tag line is that the grandfather clock is the heartbeat of the home.  That is a clocks sentiment that we have always appreciated and with which we can identify.

Historically, for the vast majority of its life, Ridgeway Clocks was located in Virginia, where the grandfather clocks were also made, except for the fact that each grandfather clock had an imported high-quality German mechanical movement, most being made by Hermle Clocks.  About 8-10 years ago, Ridgeway Clocks was purchased by another grandfather clock maker, Howard Miller Clocks.  Over time, Howard Miller has integrated and moved Ridgeway Clocks production facilities to Howard Miller’s manufacturing and crafting facility in Michigan, so that today, all of the mechanical grandfather clock of both brands are made in the same location in Michigan.  Both brands now use grandfather clock mechanical movements made by the German company Kieninger Clocks.  Kieninger Clocks movements are comparable in quality to Hermle Clocks movements.

Howard Miller Clocks, which used to use on Hermle Grandfather Clock movements in their grandfather clocks, started using Kieninger Clock mechanical movements after they purchased Kieninger Clocks about 8 years ago, deciding to become a more vertically integrated grandfather clocks manufacturer.  At the time of the purchase of kieninger, we understand that Kieninger was much smaller than Hermle, although both companies have a rich German and European heritage going back well over 100 years. Howard Miller purchased Kieninger with part of the goal at least being the use of the Kieninger Clocks movements in both Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks and Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks, which is what they both use today.

For practical purposed, in recent years, aside fro the name on the front of the grandfather clock dial and different grandfather clock designs and styles, Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks can be thought of as identical to Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks.  Because the Ridgeway name had been so well regarded for so long, with many followers and a great reputation, Howard Miller Clocks was smart enough to keep the Ridgeway Clock name alive as a separate division or brand within Howard Miller clocks.  So aside from different designs, all of the comparable mechanical grandfather clocks for both Ridgeway and Howard Miller are made in the same place, by the same people and equipment, and comparable models have comparable or identical movements made by Kieninger Clocks.  The quality of the grandfather clock chimes will therefore be identical, as well as the method of grandfather clock case construction.

Now one family of grandfather clock makers:

Kieninger Grandfather Clocks and Grandfather Clock Movement Makers

Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks

Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks

Kieninger Grandfather Clocks

Howard Miller grandfather clocks factory direct are a great way to purchase these high-end Floor Clocks.  If the Grandfather Clock only has to ship once, as is the case with factory direct shipments, this minimizes the potential that grandfather clocks might get damaged in shipping and handling, and you know that not only is it the genuine article of a Howard Miller Grandfather Clock, but that also it has not been sitting in some Grandfather Clocks Store or Grandfather Clock showroom or floor clock warehouse for several years. The risk of damage to a grandfather clock is shipping rises almost exponentially each time the grandfather clock is shipped.  Repacking of a floor model grandfather clock increases the odds of shipping damage even more. We have a wonderful grandfather clock blog post piece on Moving Grandfather Clocks, which can be found at this link, and is one of our most popular and visited web pages at 1-800-4CLOCKS.com.  While we only warrant the advice for the amount you pay pay for it, which is nothing, we know it has been used many tens of thousand of times by families moving grandfather clocks, and we have never received even a single complaint or suggested addition or alteration – only thank yous..

Many grandfather clock shoppers and buyers are unaware that, as we understand it as a Howard Miller Authorized Dealer, if the grandfather clock was first made over 4 years ago, no matter when it was sold, the Howard Miller grandfather clock warranty will not apply unless specified otherwise by Howard Miller.  A grandfather clock shop may choose to offer their own warranty, as we do sometimes, but that should not be confused with the clock maker or grandfather clock manufacturer’s guaranty or warranty of parts and labor.

Used grandfather clocks shoppers hoping for great grandfather clocks discounts need to be especially aware of this clock shopping fact.  A clock may run and sound good and even keep time or appear to keep time, but unless it is well maintained, one may end up purchasing a problem that consumers hard-earned dollars rather than a beloved heirloom quality grandfather clock to be passed from generation to generation.

Whenever we have the opportunity for our grandfather clock customers, even if they are local to our shops, we always recommend and almost almost ship factory direct, when we can, to the customer’s home.  This is true not only for Howard Miller grandfather clocks, but also Ridgeway Grandfather Clcoks, Hermle Grandfather Clocks and Kieninger Grandfather Clocks.  Using the same general philosophy, but where the clock shipping and cost stakes are lower, we do the same thing and use the same philosophy for Howard Miller Wall Clocks and Howard Miller Mantel Clocks, as wel as Ridgeway Wall Clocks and Ridgeway Mantel Clocks, and the same for Mantle Clocks and  wall clocks made by Hermle Clocks and Kieninger Clocks.

If you’ve heard the old if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.  Well we believe, if it ain’t broke, ship it so that it is least likely to break.  Not as catchy, but it makes for happy gift and direct buyer experiences for shoppers of mantel clocks, wall clocks, grandfather clocks, grandmother clocks and more.

We aim to please our grandfather clocks customers, both for new and antique grandfather clocks in particular, to the best of our ability.

Are you trying to identify the age of you antique grandfather clock.  Do you have the serial number for one of your Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks and want to know the year it was made?  Same situation with a Ridgeway Grandfather or Floor Clock or one of the Hermle Grandfather Clocks or a Kieninger Grandfather Clock or Grandmother Clock?

What if you see no markings on your grandfather clock. Are you looking only at the grandfather clocks dial or face, or are you also examining the back of the grandfather clock movement.  These are the best two places to begin your search.

Many grandfather clocks will have a mechanical grandfather clock movement made by one company and mark as such of the grandfather clock movement, such as a movement made by Hermle Clocks or Urgos or Kieninger Clocks, while the clock may have been made by another company that purchased their movements, such as Howard Miller Clocks or Ridgeway Clocks.  The movement suppliers to many brands changed over many tears.

Additionally, one may find the name of the Retailer on the Grandfather Clock dial, which does not necessarily tell you anything about who made the clock case or movement.  Tiffany and Company, as an example, sold grandfather clocks, mantel clocks, wall clocks, pocket watches and wristwatches that were made to order by Tiffany for Tiffany, frequently in small lots, with little if any made by Tiffany.  From tubular chime grandfather clocks made by Walter Durfee in the late 1800s to some made by the Waltham Watch and Clock Company for Tiffany, the only name showing on the dial is Tiffany.  The maker name may or in some cases will not be shown on the dial.  Chelsea Clocks, Japy Freres, and Jaeger Lecoutre are 3 of a hundreds of clock makers who made and supplied clocks with the Tiffany name on the dial.  This was also true of pocket watches and wristwatches, and suppliers included Jaeger Lecoutre, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Omega, Vacheron Constantin, Movado, Tissot and hundreds of others timepiece makers.  High end jewelry store and timepiece retailers like J E Caldwell, Cartier, Bailey Biddle Banks, and Black Starr Frost have also followed this convention for many of the timepieces they have sold, both clocks and watches, including wristwatches and pocket watches, and of course grandfather clocks.

The best place to start when trying to identify the maker and model and history or date of production of a grandfather clock is the dial or face of the grandfather clocks.  If it says Howard Miller or Ridgeway or Kieninger or Hermle, as examples, on it, you have your answer right there as to the maker of the clock.  As noted above, if the name on the grandfather clock is a retailer, and it could even be something like an Ethan Allen grandfather clock, the search or identification path may be more cumbersome or problematic.  In addition, many names of the dials on clocks are of grandfather clock makers, some who made great clocks but do no longer, like Sligh Grandfather Clocks, Bulova Grandfather Clocks (Bulova still makes mantle clocks and wall clocks, and of course wristwatches, all of which we carry and for who we are an Authorized Dealer), Pearl Grandfather Clocks, Trend Grandfather Clocks and the list goes on and on, especially when including antique grandfather clocks.

If you are interested in finding out the history of your antique grandfather clock, aside from searching the web generally, we would recommend both Antique Clocks Price Guide dot com and the Library at the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, whose website is nawcc dot org.  NAWCC does free research for members, and they will research  for a fee if you are not a member.  While they will research the history of the clock and its maker to the extent they can, they will not, b policy, address the value or worth of the clock.

Many people own clocks that were made from Grandfather Clock Kits or from grandfather clock plans.  These will each have a unique history, and may be difficult to track down other than through original owners or those to whom it was passed on to.  Some of the kit makers included Emperor Clock Company, Mason and Sullivan, and Kuempel Chime Clock Works, which made super high quality grandfather clock kits, yet unfortunately and sadly went out of business after the untimely death of its owner.

Dating the clocks by the movement numbers is an inexact science at best depending especially upon the manufacturer.  Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks can be dated by calling Howard Miller, whose website is HowardMiller dot com, and providing them with the serial number.  Howard Miller even has recently added a feature to the above noted website where you can look up what the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail price, also known as MSRP, if you input the 6 digit grandfather clock model number.  Ridgeway Grandfather Clocks have another story.  Even though they are in the last ten or so years the same company as Howard Miller, having been acquired by Howard Miller Clocks, records older than 10 years or so for the Serial Numbers for Ridgeway Clocks were apparently lost or destroyed in a fire or flood or in a move or some such thing.  A serial number for a older Ridgeway Clock will not help you to date it.

Additionally, while many people will point to the markings on the back of the grandfather clocks movements, they may simply reflect the specs for that particular clocks movement, not a serial number, even though it may appear it might be.  Hermle Grandfather Clocks, and Hermle Clock movements, have not historically had serial numbers on their grandfather clocks, or wall clocks or mantel clocks for that matter.

Some makers, like Chelsea Clocks, have been very good about keeping the serial numbers of their clocks documented and accessible.  Some of the Chelsea clock movements have in fact been used as movements in grandfather clocks over the years.  Atmos Clocks are another example of a clock that has good and accessible records to look up the age of production of the clock based on the serial number.

Antique grandfather clocks, as well as antique floor clocks and antique grandmother clocks, may best be researched by the nawcc organization noted above, or by a serious horologist who knows antique clocks.  A good Google search and a look at the Antique Clocks Price Guide is also always advisable. Google Images too for that matter for identifying grandfather clocks.

There is of course the issue of counterfeit clocks, reproductions clocks, and grandfather clocks that are not all original to each other, known in the industry as a clock marriage.  These are completely separate yet critical issues in researching your grandfather clocks value and worth.

How much is my fill in the blank grandfather clock worth?  This is one of the most frequently asked questions by grandfather clocks owners, or those who may have recently inherited one, or those who have lost a treasured new or vintage or antique grandfather clock in a fire or a flood.  After Hurricane Katrina, we received many dozens of inquiries of those who had lost or damaged or destroyed newer or antique grandfather clocks, and wanted help in figuring where to turn.  How do I get my grandfather clocks or clock collection or pocket watches appraised?

Wall clocks owners, as well as mantel clocks owners or those who may have lost a cherished clock are also among the many who contact us.  We also get many people who have just acquired a grandfather clock and they want to know if they got a good deal or not.  W even get contacted by many people who are either at auctions or who are with someone who is trying to sell them a grandmother clock or grandfather clocks and they want guidance on how much they should bid.

Need less to say, in many of the grandfather clock and wall clock and mantel clock appraisal inquiries, it is difficult if not impossible to give an accurate answer, importantly because we believe there is no such thing as an accurate answer.  One foolproof answer, which in many ways is the most meaningful, and certainly addresses what someone should be willing to pay for a good value grandfather clock, is not to pay more for the grandfather clock than it is worth to you in home decor value.  This is an excellent rule for all grandfather clocks shoppers and those looking not only for discount grandfather clocks, but also grandfather clocks on sale.  One key underlying element which may not be considered is the condition and structural soundness, not to mention working and advertised as described, in any grandfather clocks purchase.  Here is where sticking with a name brand well-known and highly regarded clockmaker like Howard Miller Clocks, Hermle Clocks and Ridgeway Clocks can make a big difference, especially when purchased new.  When purchasing anything used, and it is as true for used grandfather clocks as it is for used cars, one should strive to ensure as much as possible that they are not buying a money pit which will be in continuous need of grandfather clock repairs.

When assessing antique grandfather clocks value, there are many more pitfalls.  This is true for antique grandmother clocks, antique wall clocks, and antique mantle clocks as well.  Is the clock all original, is one of the most key factors to consider.  What is the condition of the grandfather clock.  What was the provenance of the grandfather clock.  Are there people around who can still reasonably easily fix this kind of clock.  Will grandfather clock parts be available.  Was it made from grandfather clock plans or by one of the esteemed antique historical maker.  Is the grandfather clock structurally sound.  Does the grandfather clock chime and strike and gong as it is supposed to.  Can the grandfather clock be silenced. What special grandfather clock features might it or might it not have, and how rare are they, and how valuable are they to you.

Then comes the question of how the grandmother clocks or grandfather clocks would be sold in assessing a value.  If an antique clock like an antique grandfather clock is sitting in a fine antiques store for a year, it will likely get a much higher price than if if it sold on Craigslist or listed casually on eBay.  Adding insult to injury, the same grandfather clock sold at 2 different times might bring wildly divergent prices.  It is very hard to predict.

Another critical element in the appraisal of grandfather clocks is that there are so many phony appraisers, or even real appraisers who might need to justify the cost of the grandfather clock appraisal, that most grandfather clocks appraisals that we see are wildly overinflated.  We find this true of most clocks appraisals we see.

Most importantly for this reason, we tend to only give grandfather clocks appraisals to those individuals who have lost their clocks in fires and floods.

How much is my grandfather clock worth?