Herschede Hall Clock - basic info needed

[CBAlice]

I inherited a Herschede Hall Clock bought about 1965. It plays a Winchester chime every 15 minutes.

I would like to know:
What each of the 3 key adjustment does
How to fix the 'bong' part after the chime: (bongs 3 times at 7 o'clock)
Where to find serial number


Identifying marks:

3 key adjustments are on clock face.
Pendulum only, no tubular bells.

Black metal plate on back:
Herschede Hall Clock Co.
8 day - Newton Model
Starkville, MS

Etched in wood:
Left back: 300
Right back: 524

On inside movement:
Herschede
Starkville
Made in Germany
No (0) Jewels

[fraggboy]

The 3 keywinds are referred to the different "Trains". There is the Time Train. That is the Middle keywind hole. The Westminister Train, is on the right hand side. The "Bong", or hourly chime is the left key hole.

You will want to wind them up roughly ever week (7-8 days). If the clock stops before the 7 days, wind them up every 6 days.

The easiest way to fix the "Bong" part, is to take off the hands, and place the hour hand with the number of "Bongs" (Don't rotate the hour hand). In your case, you would want to put the hour hand on the 7, and keep the minute hand the same. Easiest way is to move the minute hand (ONLY) to the top of the hour, waiting at every quarter until it stops chiming (Very Important).

The hands are held by a nut one can remove with tweezers (Hold the minute hand while loosening the nut). The minute hand might take a little coaxing to get off. The hour hand is a little stiffer, but should come off. Then, maneuver the hour hand to the proper hour (By the "Bongs"), and press it on. Then, replace the minute hand back at the 12. Place nut back on and you are good to go.

You can find the Serial Number on the movement itself. You have to open up the clock to get to the movement.

Hope this helps.

[CBAlice]

Opening the door on the back of clock didn't reveal SN, just info as I stated. Would SN be on front side of this plate?

[harold bain]

Hi, CBAlice, welcome to the message board. Your clock may not have a serial number, as the older Herschede movements did. To correct your strike, just back up the hour hand to match the number of strikes. Then either stop the clock and wait, or advance it with the minute hand, stopping each 15 minutes to let it chime.

[CBAlice]

Heard the ones built before 1968 did have SNs. This clock was definitely built before then as it was bought when we lived in the house we lived in when my brother was born. We moved out of that house by 1966.

I found a picture of it in 1963 catalog for $200.00 and was thinking it might have been bought to celebrate birth of 1st son (1964) after 6 girls. Like in the song "My Grandfather's Clock".

Would the '524' etched in the back be the serial number? If not, what would this represent? Am guessing the '300' etched in the back represents the model number since that's what the model number is in the catalog.

PS. Now "bong"ing and chiming correctly - Thanks

[harold bain]

Not many of the modern era German movements are serial numbered.
www.abbeyclock.com has a pretty good history of the Herschede company.

[chimeclockfan]

Should be Westminster Chime, not Winchester..

[mnmasonic]

Greetings:

My Father just shipped me the family Herschede Grandfather clock. I was always curious to its age and while installing the 9 tubes, noticed a serial number on the back of the movement cast. The number reads 1119261. On the abbey clock site they do not show any numbers with the 111 in the front so I am thinking the 9261 is the serial number and corresponds to the 1920's. Would I be correct in my assumption?

Thanks for your help.

[harold bain]

mnmasonic, welcome to the message board. Your picture shows a German movement. The serial numbers in the Herschede data base were for movements made in the USA by Herschede. So your serial number won't help to date your clock.

[Richard T.]

Greetings:

My Father just shipped me the family Herschede Grandfather clock. I was always curious to its age and while installing the 9 tubes, noticed a serial number on the back of the movement cast. The number reads 1119261. On the abbey clock site they do not show any numbers with the 111 in the front so I am thinking the 9261 is the serial number and corresponds to the 1920's. Would I be correct in my assumption?

Thanks for your help.

As Harold said, your clock was made by Mathias Bauerle, St. Georgen, Black Forest Germany. They also made movements using the Peerless and "EMBEE" trademarks.

Could you post a picture of the clock c ase?

Best,

Richard T.

[mnmasonic]

Here are the pic's I hope this helps.

[harold bain]

Your case style doesn't match any I can find for Herschede. I think your clock likely is from the period between 1902 and 1911 before Herschede was making their own movements. Is there a Herschede trademark on the dial, or the movement?

[mnmasonic]

No nothing that say's Herschede but my Father was always under the impression it was a Herschede. Are you saying it is a Mathias Bauerle Hall clock?

[mnmasonic]

nothing on the dial that says Herschede, nothing on the rear plate of the movement either. Where would the Herschede "logo" be on the clock if not in those two spots?

[harold bain]

Now we have a mystery. It would be hard to credit the clock to Herschede, when the case style doesn't match any in their catalogues, and it is not marked Herschede. The chime tubes could offer a clue, they are often marked by a maker's trademark.
I will see if I can find that case style with another maker.