Dating Antique Clocks By Their Labels And Trademarks

Finding a name or trademark image on a clock may help you find the approximate date the clock was made. Then again, it may provide you with misleading information.

For instance, an original paper label may have been taken from a clock (perhaps one in poor condition) and pasted inside another case to make the second clock seem more valuable or to lend an air of authenticity. Reproductions of old labels are also available for purchase from a number of sources. A reputable dealer will tell a buyer if a label is a reproduction. But the dealer himself may not know (or investigate too closely), and there are, of course, some sellers who deliberately attempt to mislead buyers.

Also, a movement signed by one maker may have been placed in a case made by another — a practice usually termed a “marriage.” A clock case made in one century might even have a movement made fifty or a hundred years later.

Bottom line… consider all the elements of the clock when determining age and authenticity. Don’t rely on the label or trademark alone.

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