Need Info. On Takano Clock Manufacturing Company

[Charles E. Davis]

Takano was started in 1901 by a key employee of several of the pioneer clock companies of the 1890's. There was a new division called Takano Metal (to make alarm clocks, I believe) established in 1913 and a further division of Takano Seimitsu (Precision) in 1935. The crossed flags shown on your label is of the original company.
The company is probably still in business but I doubt if it makes any clocks. Takano used at least 9 diferent logos that I have seen.

[shutterbug]

They sure look American! I would have mistaken that movement as a New Haven.

[Charles E. Davis]

The early clock industry in Japan was reproducing the American imported clocks as closely as possible, even to using similar logos and labels in English. In many instances the parts are interchangable with the movements that had been imported since the importers were the original Japanese clock manufacturers.
There are three booklets printed in English dealing with these companies. All of the rest are in Japanese. The three were chapters translated from a book written by Hoshima Uchida to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Hattori's founding of Seiko (Seikosha) in 1892. At that time Hattori founded the Seiko Horological Institute.
Number one is Osaka Watch Incorporated 1889-1902, Number two iis Wall Clocks of Nagoya 1885-1925 and the last Number three is Evolution of Seiko 1892-1923.
All three are available from the Library in Columbia for loan.

[trevor thomas]

Hi Kaimi I know nothing about Takano clocks, but here are a few photos of my Meiji movement that may help you a little .Regards Trev

Meiji Clock Movement (http://static.flickr.com/38/101507140_98971c3293_m.jpg)

Meiji Clock Movement 2 (http://static.flickr.com/38/101507143_0eeafc7bbb_m.jpg)

Meiji Clock Movement 3 (http://static.flickr.com/33/101507141_242992a0bd_m.jpg)


Edited to change to a url to flickr for viewing and add two more pictures

[Charles E. Davis]

We have some dates when the companies were founded and the dates of the registration of some copyrights. The copyrights are all in Japanese but the dates are fairly simple. Names of companies are more of a problem in translation.
Case styles are another indication that can be helpful.
I'm sure there are people in Japan that could give us the information since there is an organization that has been active in research and have printed three or four monographs on this subject. Unfortunately for me along with most of us they are all in Japanese and the copies available are only at the NAWCC library for use there.

[Charles E. Davis]

I don't have much more to offer except to comment on the case style.
My impression is that it is call Library Scroll. It was a common style in American companies but my feeling is that it was more oriented to export than domestic. We see more clocks for sale that can be identified as coming back to the US from England and Japan than ones that were originally sold in the US. This is based on my observations with no data to back it up!
The style was picked up by the Japanese manufacturers and many made this style of case.
I am not an expert on clock finishes buy this appears to be a very hard enamel that the Japanese used. It is almost impossible to strip a case with this finish. It can have a very nice marble effect or be a nice black or brownish "piano" finish. Any repairs to the finish are difficult to disguise.
If you have specific questions I will try to answer them.