The authoritative antique clocks price report. For dealers, collectors and appraisers of antique American, English and European clocks of all types. Find values for your grandfather clock, mantel or wall clock.
As of May 9, 2008 we have 17,966 antique clock prices and descriptions.

American Clocks and Clockmakers

Clocks were first brought to the American colonies in the early 1600s by wealthy colonists. To the early colonist, owning a clock was a status symbol. Most people of that time could not afford a clock of their own and had to rely on the church clock on the town common for the time of day. Privately owned clocks were only found in the finest of homes and were certain to be displayed in a prominent place for all to view.

Most early clockmakers were not skilled in wood techniques and turned to jointers for their woodworking abilities. These early jointers used the exact same jointing techniques and styles they used on furniture. It was not until 1683 that an immigrant, William Davis, claimed to be a clockmaker. By 1799, the great number of clocks attracted horological artisans to the New World. Most of these early artisans settled in populous centers such as Boston and Philadelphia. Later, others came to New York, Charlestown, Baltimore, and New Haven.

The handcrafting of clocks grew in all areas of the eastern part of the colonies. At the beginning of the eighteenth century, there were many makers of long-case clocks in the Quaker colony of Pennsylvania. The earliest clockmakers from Philadelphia were Samuel Bispam, Abel Cottey, and Peter Stretch. One of the most famous of Philadelphia clockmakers was David Rittenhouse. Rittenhouse succeeded Benjamin Franklin as president of the American Philosophical Society and later became Director of the United States Mint.

Nineteenth Century Grandfather Clocks

After 1800, tall-case clocks were produced more cheaply and in quantities that made them both affordable and available to greater numbers of people. The clockmaking industry spread to Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, an Vermont. In Massachusetts, Benjamin and Ephram Willard became very famous for their exceptionally beautiful long-case clocks. In Connecticut, the first successful, domestic, mass-produced long-case clocks were developed by Eli Terry. In those days, most clock cases were made by local cabinetmakers. The works, either brass or wood, were made by a firm that specialized in clock works. The cabinetmaker engraved or painted his name on the dial, thereby taking claim for the completed clock.

When the Industrial Revolution came about, along with working hours and the introduction of train schedules, the necessity for standardized timekeeping really brought clockmaking to the fore.

After 1840, wooden movements were abandoned and the 30-hour brass movement became popular-mainly because of its low price. Soon after, the spring-powered movement came into being and really paved the way for a variety of totally new and smaller clock cases.

Nineteenth-Century Manufacturers

Before 1840, manufacturers were mostly individual clockmakers or family-owned companies. In 1840 however, Chauncy Jerome built the largest clock factory and started shipping clocks all over the world. It is said that Jerome Clock Company motivated the organization of the Ansonia Clock Company and the Waterbury Clock Company. These three companies, along with Seth Thomas Company, E.N. Welch Company, Ingraham Clock Company, and Gilbert Clock Company, became the major producers of clocks. By 1851, there were over 30 clock factories in this country. From 1840 up to 1890, millions of clocks were produced, of which many surviving examples can still be found.

Clock Making in the Twentieth Century

During the stock market crash of 1929, many of the large clockmaking companies failed or were reorganized. The great Ansonia Clock Company sold its assets to the Russian government, shipping its machinery and equipment overseas. the Seth Thomas Clock Company became a part of General Time Instrument Company. Of the original giants of the clock industry only three exist today. They are all currently divisions of larger companies. Seth Thomas is now a division of Talley Industries, the Ingraham Clock Company is now a division of McGraw-Edison, and Gilbert Clock Company has been replaced by the Sparta Corporation. No spring-powered clocks are currently being mass-produced in the United States.

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