Jauch "Black Forest style" (modern) clock with 3-way chime & strike

[Spaceman Spiff]

Just picked up this clock today, after seeing it on my local CraigsList. (Well, "local" may not be the correct term, since it was about 61 miles away. But that's just a hop, skip & a jump as far as driving to get another clock goes!)

And actually, I'm not really sure what to call it. Shelf clock? "Tabletop-cuckoo-style" clock? "Black-Forest-style" clock?

When I initially saw the small pic in the CraigsList ad, at first I thought it was an actual antique tabletop Black Forest cuckoo! When I called the guy and found out he still had it (and when he said it was 2-ft tall and had belonged to his grandmother), I practically ran to my car and blew outta here like a bat out of h***!

Alas, when I got to the guy's home, I saw it wasn't old at all. Not only were the overall "look" of the clock and the phillips-head screws in the case an immediate dead giveaway, but as soon as I opened the back and saw the bright & shiny movement with numbers indicating (I think) it was manufactured in January 1986, its fate was sealed.

Or maybe not. After a few moments my initial disappointment turned to curiosity, as I had never seen a clock like this before. I looked for the pendulum rod only to discover it had a balance-wheel, and then realized it had 3-way chime. So...even though the clock is new (well, only 24 years old), I still ended up liking it, and since the guy was selling it for a fair price I decided it could still come home with me. (Plus, I guess I wanted something to show for having driven a 122-mile round trip!)

The clock was not running or chiming/striking at first, and the seller knew absolutely nothing about it. (He said he was afraid to dust the case because he had heard them say on the "Antiques Road Show" that if you "mess too much" with an "antique" you can ruin its value). But the numeral "VIII" had fallen off the dial and he was thoughtful enough to save it and to not try to glue it back on the dial himself. (I glued it back on after I got the clock home).

Along with a lot of dust, I found a couple of (real) oak leaves behind the birds and also a couple of drops of tree sap on the case, so they must have had it outside for a period--perhaps for a yard sale. Anyway, the reason it wasn't chiming & striking is because the lever was in the "silent" position. After a careful oiling, the clock seems to be working just fine!

Have I interpreted the numbers correctly to date it to January 1986? Are clocks like this very common? Well-made? I searched under "Jauch" and found a few threads mentioning that their movements can wear out somewhat quicker than others, but also found some threads attesting to their being relatively well-made. Also, I recognize one of three chimes as the usual Westminster, but I'm not sure of the other two. In fact, after repeated listenings, I actually find it rather hard to tell between the other two. They seem to be only slightly different. I have a couple of grandfather clocks that do St. Michael's and Whittington, so I'll have to compare.

(There are eight hammers/chime-rods. It uses three simultaneously for the strike).

Oh, and does the carving on the lower right look like an "S" initial? Could this be the mark of the casemaker? And does the "H48" on the gong-base mean anything, or is it just a part number? Also: any idea what the name of this model might be?

Thanks!

[itbme1987]

I have no idea on the case maker but congrats on the new clock. The carvings look very nice and detailed. I think the chimes on it other then westminster are St. Micheals and Whittington since i have noticed and agree with you the both sounds almost the same. Again very nice clock and thanks for sharing.

[Jeremy Woodoff]

Is it real carved wood or molded resin? Either way, it's a nice clock, but if real carving, especially nice.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Is it real carved wood or molded resin? Either way, it's a nice clock, but if real carving, especially nice.

Yes, it is real carved wood.
But I'm not sure if it was carved by a human, or if they have modern machines (in 1986) that can carve designs like this....
Thanks for the comments!

[Spaceman Spiff]

Yes, it is real carved wood.
But I'm not sure if it was carved by a human, or if they have modern machines (in 1986) that can carve designs like this....
Thanks for the comments!

In re-reading this thread from a couple years ago, I had answered Jeremy's question and said the clock was real wood. I've since come to the conclusion that it is some kind of "manufactured" wood, like a resin. I'm not very knowledgeable on how such material is created and/or "carved" (or whether it's molded), and this is the first clock I've owned made out of this material, so I'm not really 100% sure either way. But just wanted to set the record straight that perhaps it is indeed some kind of resin or something similar.

Thanks,

[soaringjoy]

The case maker may have been inspired by something like this
1908 Schlenker-Kienzle.

BTW, Jauch went out of business late 1980s, if I remember it right.

[Spaceman Spiff]

The case maker may have been inspired by something like this
1908 Schlenker-Kienzle.

BTW, Jauch went out of business late 1980s, if I remember it right.

Very interesting, Jurgen! You're right--there is a great similarity. (I really like mine, but I wish it was one of those old ones, instead!)

Thanks!!