Basic, Better, Best – Classic Clocks
Join us in exploring a range of clocks which have been sold at The Somerset Auction Rooms. We will be comparing and contrasting these clocks in order to decipher which ones have the highest, lowest and medium price tags.
Our experts have provided three items for consideration. The prices for the items range from a budget-friendly £2,400 to the most expensive at £6,800, with the medium-range item fetching £4,800.
Are you able to guess which items match up with their prices?
Useful indicators to consider when assessing the items are the age, material of the clock, the movement type, and whether there are any unique features. These can all help in reaching a decision on the quality and value of any item.
1. Rozenburg Den Haag
A 22cm high porcelain clock garniture in the Art Nouveau taste with a polychrome floral decoration. There are marks to the base and an artist’s monogram for Sam Schellink.
2. A Twin Fusee ‘Goliath’ Carriage Clock
This clock is engraved to the reverse of the backplate 'John Moore & Sons Clerkenwell London' and numbered 13480. The movement strikes both hours and quarters on two coiled gongs. Excluding the carrying handle it extends to 17cm wide by 21.5cm high.
3. A Great Western Railway Drop-Dial Wall Clock
This mahogany clock by Kays of Worcester, features a 29cm circular, cream painted dial with black Roman numerals, a four-pillar fusee movement, and a case with applied plaque 'G.W.R. 3388', complete with pendulum and key. The clock was situated at a signal box (and later the station house), Bishop's Nympton & Molland station, on the Barnstaple branch line.
To see if your instincts are correct, the answers can be found below.
It goes to show that engaging with an expert is crucial in assessing any kind of antique item, not just clocks. The experts at The Somerset Auction Rooms are always on hand to value your items and our regular auctions enable you to realise the best price in a straightforward way.
Free valuation sessions by appointment are held each Monday - Thursday, 10am-4pm. Book an appointment online and for more information or to consign items please contact the saleroom team on 01278 410250 or visit our Antiques Hub.
Our experts have provided three items for consideration. The prices for the items range from a budget-friendly £2,400 to the most expensive at £6,800, with the medium-range item fetching £4,800.
Are you able to guess which items match up with their prices?
Useful indicators to consider when assessing the items are the age, material of the clock, the movement type, and whether there are any unique features. These can all help in reaching a decision on the quality and value of any item.
1. Rozenburg Den Haag
A 22cm high porcelain clock garniture in the Art Nouveau taste with a polychrome floral decoration. There are marks to the base and an artist’s monogram for Sam Schellink.
2. A Twin Fusee ‘Goliath’ Carriage Clock
This clock is engraved to the reverse of the backplate 'John Moore & Sons Clerkenwell London' and numbered 13480. The movement strikes both hours and quarters on two coiled gongs. Excluding the carrying handle it extends to 17cm wide by 21.5cm high. 3. A Great Western Railway Drop-Dial Wall Clock
This mahogany clock by Kays of Worcester, features a 29cm circular, cream painted dial with black Roman numerals, a four-pillar fusee movement, and a case with applied plaque 'G.W.R. 3388', complete with pendulum and key. The clock was situated at a signal box (and later the station house), Bishop's Nympton & Molland station, on the Barnstaple branch line.
To see if your instincts are correct, the answers can be found below.
It goes to show that engaging with an expert is crucial in assessing any kind of antique item, not just clocks. The experts at The Somerset Auction Rooms are always on hand to value your items and our regular auctions enable you to realise the best price in a straightforward way.
Free valuation sessions by appointment are held each Monday - Thursday, 10am-4pm. Book an appointment online and for more information or to consign items please contact the saleroom team on 01278 410250 or visit our Antiques Hub.
Answers
1 = £4,800 (This piece was valuable, but not necessarily for the fact it was a clock. Pieces from the Art Nouveau era, taking inspiration from the natural world, are generally sought after for their decorative appeal. Rozenburg den Haag was a Royal delftware factory producing internationally renowned pottery between the dates of 1883-1917. Their revolutionary egg shell porcelain was deemed so fine and fragile that it was almost unusable. The egg shell porcelain particularly suited Sam Schellink’s art work, which were primarily delicate flower and bird designs).
2 = £6,800 (As the name suggests this piece was impressive in size and with an accurate well-engineered movement. Manufactured by a respected London firm whose public clocks include those installed at the Public Record Office, Chancery Lane, London; the Marine Barracks, Plymouth, York Minster and Althorp Park).
3 = £2,400 (A clean, well maintained clock from a known local station. Sold to someone with a connection to the railway line).