There can be nothing more worth Collecting than the collectable clock – well, that’s my opinion anyway! As a hobby is one of the fastest growing of all hobbies around the world. People are becoming more aware that the antique clock offers much more than just a nice piece of furniture to display in the living room. If you already have a collectable clock on show somewhere in your home I bet there aren’t many visitors that don’t comment on it when they set eyes on it?

They offer a glimpse into days gone by, and in one collectable clock there may have been many different hands and minds at work, like that of the cabinet maker who makes the case, the metal worker who makes the brass face, the painter who exquisitely paints the dial, the engraver, the polisher and of course, the clock maker himself who assembled all those pieces into one magnificent work of art.

As early as the late 1500s, collectable clocks were being used as decorative and functional pieces in middle and upper class homes in England. The Lantern Clock was the first commercially available clock that was bought to fulfill the need to tell the time, both by sight and by sound. As soon as the clock making industry was established, innovation and craftsmanship flourished, the result being a constant improvement over the next 300 years.

Founded in 1631, the Clockmakers Company exercised control of the clock making industry in England. Without this body many of the records we have available to us today would almost certainly have been lost.

You don’t necessarily need to know a lot about clocks in general to start a collection, but knowledge is power, and armed with the right knowledge will undoubtedly save you money in the long run. You may discover in your quest that you develop not only a linking for clocks but that you especially like one particular maker. Many people only collect clocks made by a single maker, and become very knowledgeable in the process. It is because of these collectors that we general collectors have a wealth of freely available knowledge to draw on when researching clocks and clock makers. Bless them!

The vast majority of collectors will want to collect a variety of clocks. My personal favorite is the Bracket Clock, mainly because don’t have enough room for too many longcase clocks! Once you have armed yourself with the basic knowledge of clock collecting you may discover a liking for clocks from a specific period, maker or style, trust me, once you start you have no idea where all this can lead.

Many collectable clocks you look at will be several generations old. Many people forget this when searching and often are disappointed at what they perceive to be a clock in “poor” condition. But modern clocks, especially modern longcase clocks in my opinion, do not do justice to the clock maker of old and perseverance and study will enable you to better judge the condition of something hundreds of years old.

There are a fair number of collectable clocks, especially longcase, that have a different movement fitted to the case than was originally present. Although this isn’t a problem where the movement is of the same period as the case, values are affected when incorrect cases and movements are married together. This is probably the most common occurrence you will come across and therefore it is important to know the distinguishing features of movements and cases of a certain period.

It all sounds very complicated, but trust me, as you start to build your knowledge base, there is nothing quite like looking at an old clock, seeing a feature that you know identifies it from a certain period in time and being able to impart information that the lay person doesn’t know. You will soon be talking antique clocks like a pro!

The only way to get real experience is to visit auction rooms, antique fairs and museums and see collectable clocks “in the flesh”. Web sites like Antique Clock Collector can teach you the basics, but you need to gain the experience elsewhere, out in the real world where people buy and sell antique collectable clocks every day.

On the tip of every clock collector’s tongue, and I’m no different, is the question, “What is it worth?” As with almost any collectable item, even professional valuers will put a completely different value on the same item. Most of the time antiques are valued in a range, or maybe at auction with a minimum reserve price attached to them, however this doesn’t mean that the value lies somewhere near their price – it might, but then again, it might not.

Even two of exactly the same item may command different prices. Factors like condition, originality, quality of build, repairs, all play their part.

It is worth pointing out too, that someone who has been collecting for only a short period of time can be more knowledgeable than someone who has a lifetime of experience of collecting, but over a much broader range of antiques. Specialization in one type or period of clock can catapult a collector into the realms of the expert in a relatively short time.

So if you think you would like to investigate what is a fascinating and rewarding area of collecting, congratulations, for I guarantee that if you stick with it you too will become an expert at your chosen area of collecting, I hope this site helps you along that path and you spot some true collectable clock bargains!

Happy Collecting!