The cuckoo clock is back

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The cuckoo clock is back . Don’t tell me that you knew that the first cuckoo clocks were made in the Black Forest in the mid-18th century. And don’t turn your noses up, either. When did you last see a cuckoo clock? All right then, so your gran has one of those poo-coloured chalets from which a featherless, startled-looking bird emerges on the hour, wide of mouth and eye, garbling a whoop. But then, it can’t be easy having a stick up your bottom.

It was, of course, only a matter of time before gran detritus became cool, but who’d have thought it would be the CC? Cuckoo clocks are back, but not as we knew them (though I’m tempted to bid on a vintage Schmeckenbecher model on eBay). These are chic, pared-down cuckoos with tidy habits, John Pawson-like housing, quartz light detectors (to keep the cuckooing down to a dull roar at night) and smart colours.

To understand the rebirth of the cuckoo clock, we must analyse the evolution of the clock over the past 20 years. One word comes to mind: boring. Consider the large Eighties farmhouse pine clock (to match the scrubbed pine table), the faux French station clock – very early Nineties – to complement the faux French country furniture, and the mid-Nineties, greedy bastard banker trio of clocks – if it’s 5pm in London, it’s midday in New York, an ungodly hour in Tokyo and I’ve got a big enough kitchen wall to hang three clocks. The apogee of the bad clock movement, though, is the recent, smug minimalist projection clock, which beams the time onto the wall. This is pretty damned clever until an unsuspecting guest stands in front of the projection and the light shows up his or her dandruff. If you own any or all of the aforementioned clocks, then for goodness’ sake, take them down immediately.

The new cuckoo is irony embodied. Why? Because nobody needs a clock any more with all the other timekeeping devices that we have about our person – the phone, computer and BlackBerry. The cuckoo clock is both the new tongue-in-cheek work of art and the new fashion statement. “The cuckoo clock represents a popular movement in design, the modernising of an old classic,” says Miranda Harrison, group buyer for Conran stores. Harrison’s bestseller is a silver cuckoo (£210). “Buyers like the sense of individuality a cuckoo clock represents; there’s a hint of humour and a lot of style about it,” she says. “And have you noticed that so many clocks are just plain boring?”

The cuckoo clock is now so hip that BMW has created a version for the Mini dashboard. On the hour, a small red Mini emerges and circles the clock, complete with vrooming and beeping noises. Technically speaking, this makes it a car clock rather than a cuckoo clock, but I think we all know where BMW is coming from...

See our Great Collection of Antique Grandfather Clocks.

Your Ridgeway Grandfather Clock, Your Legacy

See our Great Collection of Antique Grandfather Clocks.

Your Ridgeway Grandfather Clock, Your Legacy In life, there are only two things that are certain - taxes and death. Indeed, throughout the ages, people have been trying to cheat both, and though taxes can be cheated sometimes, trying to cheat death has proven to be futile. Everybody dies eventually, and as fearful and terrifying as it may sound, it's inevitable. So, instead of spending time and money trying to cheat death, why not prepare for it? This way you'll live on and on, if only in legacy.

Keep It In The Family

In this day and age, people are always out to get each other, often trying to get money and property that don't belong to them in the first place. When you're dead and gone, of course, you'd like your family to be taken care of. After all, you don't want the house you worked so hard to build or the Ridgeway grandfather clock left to you by your parents to fall into the wrong hands.

The best way to safeguard your family's assets and properties, not to mention your Ridgeway grandfather clock, is to make a living will. This way, you can be sure that what belongs to your family stays with your family.

Keep It Real

Writing a will can be quite daunting, but it's actually quite easy enough, especially if you have your family's best interest at heart. Writing a will is just a matter of putting your wishes on paper and signing it. If you want your wife to have the house, you can write it in your will. This way, there won't be any conflict with your children.

You can also stipulate on bequeathing items, regardless of value, from Ridgeway grandfather clocks to socks, trophies to baseball cards. If you want your eldest son to have the Ridgeway grandfather clock or your youngest daughter to have the car, you can simply say so and your wishes will be the final word.

Keep It Legal

Of course, it's always best to take extra measures. Though a living will written by hand and bearing the deceased's signature will often suffice, you can't be too careful. Often when valuable items, such as Ridgeway grandfather clocks, houses, and cars, are bequeathed to certain family members, others take offense and may want to fight the will in a court of law.

When writing a will, it's best to do so in the presence of objective witnesses who don't stand to gain from your wishes. Furthermore, your living will should be examined by an attorney and notarized. This way, your wishes will be safeguarded and cannot be fought in any court of law.

Indeed, whether you're a rich man or a poor one, making a living will is something that you should do as soon as possible. After all, life is fleeting and you'll never know when it's your time to go into the light. You don't want to leave your family in disarray and you certainly don't want to leave chaos. Whether you're leaving a Ridgeway grandfather clock or a bagful of old photographs, your will should stand as your legacy....


See our Great Collection of Antique Grandfather Clocks.

Grandfather clocks are a hit across time zones

See our Great Collection of Antique Grandfather Clocks.

Grandfather clocks are a hit across time zones .


Thrissur: It may sound like the ticking of a bomb but a true collector knows grandfather clocks are the mark of a classic. And now the granddaddy of Western clocks is undergoing a revival in Kerala.


A workshop in Kottapadi village in Kerala specialises in making grandfather clocks, which are finding buyers from all over the world.


“We send these clocks to UAE and Singapore. We manufacture 30 clocks at a time and then we send them,” proprietor of Royal Industries, George Tharakan said.


For these craftsmen, making a clock is not all in a day's work. First, the wood – either mahogany or rosewood – has to be cut and smoothened. Then, the case is made and brass holds tied.


“We take wood in bulk quantity and cut it into pieces. We make in a batch, if it's big clocks. We make 20 clocks in a batch, if they are small ones,” a craftsman VV Joshy said and then explained how there is a sense of fulfillment once they can listen to the sounds of their success.


These clocks sell for anything between Rs 16,000 and Rs 35,000 each. They are becoming popular once again but they have been around for more than three centuries, proving that these masterpieces are truly timeless.

See our Great Collection of Antique Grandfather Clocks.

Roll with it, maybe

Roll with it, maybe .Q: Several months ago, you had an address for repair person for a grandfather clock. Will you please send me the addresses or phone numbers?

L.V.

A: Call Nino Gonzales, 442-8689, who might be able to fix the problem with a free telephone consultation.

Bob Larson, Old Timer Clock Shop, 1803 W. 35th St., 451-5016, makes house calls ($185 in Austin and $225 in Georgetown). If the clock cannot be fixed in your home, Larson gives you a free estimate for the repairs in the shop and no charge for the house call.

Many clocks easily can be fixed easily if the mechanism is easily accessible, says Mark Headrick, Abbey Clock, 6101 Cary Drive (836-8434). House calls include lubrication, adjustment and minor repairs. Rates? $95 in Austin and about $145 in Georgetown. Visit abbeyclock.com for tips on buying clocks and keeping them running smoothly.

Visit our online site for a great selection of grandfather clocks .

Traub decides it's time to close shop

Traub decides it's time to close shop .A little bit of old-time craftsmanship will be leaving St. James this week, as Herb Traub plans to close his clock repair shop, 57 years after he came to St. James.

On Tuesday of this week, Traub was still busy, and was willing to share some of his knowledge of clocks. Gears, clock faces, and other parts were spread out on his work bench. Picking up a loose metal coil, he said “the main spring is six feet long; if it is unwound like this, it takes me a while to fix it.” At age 83, Traub has spent countless hours at his craft, most of it in St. James.

Traub started at the Chicago School of Watchmaking, taking a two-year course and a four-year apprenticeship. He came to St. James in the spring of 1950 to work at Jim DeYoung's jewelry shop. “He was a good teacher,” said Traub. In 1957, Traub opened his own watch and jewelry shop, and ran it until his first retirement in 1990. “But I found out I couldn't just sit all day, I needed something to do,” he said. So he opened the repair shop.


When Traub first learned the business, every watch was a wind-up, and he mostly worked on pocketwatches. He hardly sees any pocketwatches any more. “Now they are all quartz, and run on batteries,” he said. “They even have throwaway watches you can get for four or five dollars.” But people still own plenty of old-fashioned house clocks, including grandfather, chime and cuckoo clocks.

Traub has learned patience from his craft. “If you get disturbed by a watch, or mad at a watch, you better quit,” he said, “or you're going to do something you're sorry for.”

Traub said he is happy to have practiced his craft for 57 years. “It's relaxing to fix watches,” he said. He also appreciates the city that has supported him for all those years. “St. James has been very good to me,” he said, “I've enjoyed it very much.”

Visit our online site for a great selection of grandfather clocks .

How to Build Your Own Cuckoo Clock

How to Build Your Own Cuckoo Clock .Of all the various kits available from hobby stores and websites across the Internet, cuckoo clock kits are very rare indeed. Why is this? Two reasons: one is that as simple the cuckoo clock’s design may seem (after all, it was invented in 1730), it is actually very complicated and can only be replicated by masters. Minor defects in construction will render the movement meaningless with regard to telling accurate time. There is then the added difficulty of the simulated cuckoo sound.

As easy as it is to assemble finished parts at a company that has been doing it for a few hundred years, it’s very difficult for a beginner to achieve the same success – even when using the same parts. Also, since most of the artistry that draws people to appreciate the cuckoo clock is the look and sound of the finished product, there is no way to create a hand carved, artistic finished cuckoo clock and then disassemble it so somebody else could put it together. It simply cannot be done.

But rest your fears. For the ambitious cuckoo clock enthusiast there remains one way to create a totally unique cuckoo clock on your own. The company clockworks.com specializes in selling parts for all clocks, cuckoo clocks included, can sell you all of the individual parts you will need to create the inner workings of a basic cuckoo clock. You’ll pay quite a bit more then you would if you were simply to buy a finished cuckoo clock but that isn’t what you’re looking for, now is it?

You want to put it together yourself, and with the parts from clockworks.com you can do just that. The only problem is once you’ve got the inner workings you’ll actually have to do the artistic part yourself as well. You’ll have to sculpt a bird to emerge from the wooden doors and enough exterior decorations to satisfy yourself that you’ve done a Black Forest-worthy job. It can be done, but don’t expect a cuckoo clock in a box to come landing on your doorstep. You’ll have to become a master craftsman yourself.

Visit our online site for a great selection of Cuckoo clocks .

The Value of Antique Grandfather Clocks

The Value of Antique Grandfather Clocks.These days, everything from ovens to telephones silently mark the minutes in glowing red and green letters, rendering the “tick tock” of the mechanical clock increasingly unnecessary. Digital clocks might be more convenient and accessible, but they will never hold our affection the way a good old-fashioned round-faced clock does.

Antique grandfather clocks are not collected for their time-keeping ability, they are a treasured piece of history, an heirloom to pass down to future generations. These classic timepieces are part of our lives, our homes, our families even. They are decorations and sometimes act as the design focal point of a room.

Antique clocks from the mid 1600s still exist. Some of these are worth well over $70,000. Some extremely rare models are worth over $100,000. A wise consumer, before spending this type of money, would have any prospective clock appraised before purchase.

These timeless treasures are available at flea markets, estate sales, local auctions, and through newspaper ads. Antique grandfather clocks can also sometimes be found at online auction sites. To be certain of a clock’s authenticity, you should only buy from a trusted and reputable seller. Read any listing carefully to ensure that the product you are buying is truly an antique. In addition to online auctions, established auction houses hold auctions for antique grandfather clocks, although these may happen only twice a year.

Antiques are a significant purchase, and should not be taken lightly. When buying an antique grandfather clock, there are several things to consider:
•Does the seller offer any guarantee of authenticity?
•What is the total price of the clock? Be sure to figure in shipping charges, tax, financing charges, etc.
•What is the clock’s condition? Obviously, a clock in excellent condition is considerably more valuable than one that is in poor form. A clock with all of its original components intact is worth more than one that has been restored.
•What are your intentions for the clock? If you intend to sell the clock, you need to find it at the absolute lowest price so that you can make a profit. On the other hand, if you are buying the clock purely for enjoyment, you might not be as concerned about original components, identifying marks, etc.
•How much is the clock really worth in today’s market. Knowledge of recent sales of similar clocks is extremely helpful in deciding how much to pay for a clock. If you do not have this knowledge, you should have a professional, unbiased appraisal done.

For those desiring the look of antique grandfather clocks without the hefty price tag, reproductions are available.

No matter how ubiquitous and prevalent digital clocks become, a stately grandfather clock will always have a place in our hearts—and our homes.

Visit our online site for a great selection of grandfather clocks .