plasticpigeon
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Gareth Hughes
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I'm frequently amazed that, for example, a routine but antique mirror of some complexity will set you back £100 or so, but if you pop into my local department stores you will find what is superficially the "same" thing, but far less well-made and very crudely detailed, knocked out in China last week, with a price tag four or five times as much.
But then I suppose modern crappy "Georgian" houses with plastic porticos and an integral two-car garage often seem to be on the market for more than a decent real Georgian house with a coach house.
But then I suppose modern crappy "Georgian" houses with plastic porticos and an integral two-car garage often seem to be on the market for more than a decent real Georgian house with a coach house.
Feltwell
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plasticpigeon said:
I have one on my dining room mantelpiece that is nearly identical to that. My parents bought it for a couple of quid in the '70's from a junk shop - clearly not a shrewd investment then! :wink:
I like it, and it keeps reasonable time, so that's all that matters.
That's good work for a few pounds!
We try to buy furniture second (third, forth...) hand when ever possible. A new item of furniture loses half it's value as soon as you get it home whereas a second hand one doesn't. So, if your needs change in the future you can sell an old piece of furniture and recover most of your money. Older furniture also tends to be better made and responds well to a bit of tlc (you can't sand and oil a plastic table from ikea).
I think there is a premium attached to things you can pick up on a saturday in your local department store. In Gareth's example, I think some people are happy to pay (most likely subconsciously) a premium for a mirror they can purchase immediately and take home immediately, rather than spend time searching through second hand stores or antique shops, perhaps waiting a few months before the "right" one turns up.
We try to buy furniture second (third, forth...) hand when ever possible. A new item of furniture loses half it's value as soon as you get it home whereas a second hand one doesn't. So, if your needs change in the future you can sell an old piece of furniture and recover most of your money. Older furniture also tends to be better made and responds well to a bit of tlc (you can't sand and oil a plastic table from ikea).
I think there is a premium attached to things you can pick up on a saturday in your local department store. In Gareth's example, I think some people are happy to pay (most likely subconsciously) a premium for a mirror they can purchase immediately and take home immediately, rather than spend time searching through second hand stores or antique shops, perhaps waiting a few months before the "right" one turns up.
LadyArowana
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plasticpigeon said:
Those Victorian mantle clocks are deeply unfashionable now. His Lordship inherited one from his Aunt. Apparently when he was a small boy it was his favorite thing in her house and it was left to him. By that time it had lost the triangular piece of architectural detail from the top and looked a bit sad generally. He was rather upset at the state of it, and I didn't want it in its unsightly condition, so I looked everywhere and eventually found a restorer who would undertake the job. As with most things "period property" wise, I ended up spending about 8 times what the thing was worth to get it looking lovely again. They did a fabulous job though, found a good match for the missing top part, polished all the stone and re-gilded the engraving..... oh and got the clock working and made a new key. Not that having the clock repaired was ever going to be a problem, but restoring the case was a difficult ask.
That's a nice example PP and in very good condition by the looks of it. The face is exactly the same as ours.
LadyArowana
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For anyone who is after a bit of antiquing this weekend I see that the Detling Antiques Fair is on, near Maidstone. If the pounding wind and driving rain hold off I am planning to go ( for a bit of elephant hunting :lol: ) so if there were any other PPUK'ers there I will be the one in the furry hat.
Lime
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I've always liked French clocks. (Which this clock almost certainly is or was before a change of movement)
The French movements were made so well compared to almost all other mantle clocks made before or since.
They were made in the 100,000s, mostly during Victoria's reign and because they worked so well there are still a lot of them about.
They have never been worth much on the secondhand market. I saw a garden walls built entirely out of them in the 60s.
The marble is easily polished using metal polish or T-Cut.
I have several in the house.
Apart from the usual marble clocks, I also have 2 all gold plate, one under a dome.
I am looking for a 3-keyhole multiple chime French clock with a nest of bells.
A few were about in the 60s but all appear to have been lost/destroyed, probably because of their extra complexity giving rise to problems of running and the extra damage caused by poor and often expensive repair.
The French movements were made so well compared to almost all other mantle clocks made before or since.
They were made in the 100,000s, mostly during Victoria's reign and because they worked so well there are still a lot of them about.
They have never been worth much on the secondhand market. I saw a garden walls built entirely out of them in the 60s.
The marble is easily polished using metal polish or T-Cut.
I have several in the house.
Apart from the usual marble clocks, I also have 2 all gold plate, one under a dome.
I am looking for a 3-keyhole multiple chime French clock with a nest of bells.
A few were about in the 60s but all appear to have been lost/destroyed, probably because of their extra complexity giving rise to problems of running and the extra damage caused by poor and often expensive repair.
Feltwell
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LadyArowana said:
It'll suit me perfectly then! :lol:
Mine had a little brass plaque attached to the front that said it was a prize awarded for something or other, I think it might have been a choral competition - for some reason my Dad removed it years ago and replaced it with a plain brass piece to cover where the glue marks were. I wish he hadn't
At some point I will inherit a long case clock my parents currently have. Bought by my great-grandfather new in the 1930's, they still have the receipt for it. It's only a cheap mass-produced clock from the Co-Op, in reality isn't worth much and isn't very fashionable - very similar to the one below. I don't care though - it's the memory that really sticks with me from being a small boy, the big clock in my grandparent's house with the loud, slow tick and the Westminster chimes. No doubt I will also spend far more than it is worth getting it restored!
88v8
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That movement in PP's clock is probably the original, French, indeed.
I used to have quite a few slate clocks, now remains just the one that I bought in 1969, dates to 1900ish.
I paid 25/- for it at a junk shop called Quilps Wharf, in the Archway, Highgate.
It's actually a timepiece rather than a clock, it's in our bedroom, and keeps good time.
I like having clocks around the house, the tick somehow give life, even if one can't always have them striking 24/7.
Yes, the price of antiques relative to modern stuff, just as well really that most people have no appreciation of the quality & price difference, after all antiques are in finite supply. Adjacent to one of our local walks some MENSA member has thoughtfully left a tastefully upholstered three-piece suite, early C21(?) that probably cost more than enough to have purchased an earlier suite of lasting quality.
Ivor
I used to have quite a few slate clocks, now remains just the one that I bought in 1969, dates to 1900ish.
I paid 25/- for it at a junk shop called Quilps Wharf, in the Archway, Highgate.
It's actually a timepiece rather than a clock, it's in our bedroom, and keeps good time.
I like having clocks around the house, the tick somehow give life, even if one can't always have them striking 24/7.
Yes, the price of antiques relative to modern stuff, just as well really that most people have no appreciation of the quality & price difference, after all antiques are in finite supply. Adjacent to one of our local walks some MENSA member has thoughtfully left a tastefully upholstered three-piece suite, early C21(?) that probably cost more than enough to have purchased an earlier suite of lasting quality.
Ivor
plasticpigeon
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It's funny how old clocks and watches seem to fascinate children. One of the things I remember most about my grandma's house was the long case clock. My mum has it now. It only has an hour hand and is apparently many hundreds of years old. A popular story in our household is how my grandad was very fond of the clock when he was a boy, and liked opening the door and watching the pendulum. He was warned never to touch the pendulum or there would be trouble as it is extremely hard to get it back onto its hanger if it comes off. One day the pendulum disappeared. Nobody owned up and the pendulum couldn't be found anywhere. A few years later there was a very hot summer. Guess what revealed itself at the bottom of the garden pond!!
A wall of French mantle clocks, it's very sad, humans can be disgustingly destructive and wasteful. Whether fashionable or not, they are obviously good quality items. I can't understand how someone can destroy something really well made just because they don't like it. It seems fashion if the most wasteful of luxuries. I watched an interesting program about Ian Nairn yesterday. A sad story. A huge objector to the post war destruction of both town and country, but the constant obviously heartfelt anger at the changing world around him ended up destroying his health due to drink and led to his death at 53. A little depressing, but definitely worth watching, especially as I believe his sentiments are still relevant today.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03vrz4h
A wall of French mantle clocks, it's very sad, humans can be disgustingly destructive and wasteful. Whether fashionable or not, they are obviously good quality items. I can't understand how someone can destroy something really well made just because they don't like it. It seems fashion if the most wasteful of luxuries. I watched an interesting program about Ian Nairn yesterday. A sad story. A huge objector to the post war destruction of both town and country, but the constant obviously heartfelt anger at the changing world around him ended up destroying his health due to drink and led to his death at 53. A little depressing, but definitely worth watching, especially as I believe his sentiments are still relevant today.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03vrz4h