Brag a Little... OK, here is my latest purchase: Baird Walkden's Ink Advertising Clock

[RAK]

Ah Dear Readers,

I usually post this sort of thing in the "Share Your Advertising Clock" thread. Usually. And usually I have that "well I bought a Baird clock again and I like it OK, but I don't love it" feeling. But this time I hit pay dirt. This clock is great!!!

I was able to acquire this Baird from a well know Baird expert who had pick it up at a Skinner auction back in 2019 and from the moment I saw it in a photo hanging in his home, I thought this is a different animal altogether than the usual Baird. It looked clean, solid, no cracking in the paint, the Burgundy background - wonderfully un-faded, the silver lettering - original with just a little toning, the label looked great, and it was running. All the thing that you can't usually say about a Baird ;-)

Now to me Walkden's Ink is not particularly an advertisement that I found overly interesting, but the condition of this clock had my full attention. So when I picked it up last November I expected that something wouldn't be quite right, but I was very pleasantly surprised. This is a really nice clock in a state of originality and preservation I haven't ever seen for a Baird. And while I have always been on the fence about Bairds, in a room full of my favorite clocks, this clock is a true favorite. Considering they originally sold for like $3 bucks a piece, I just can't quite get over how nice this clock is.

The bottom door seems to have protected the original shellac finish from the elements so I included the bottom door open photo so you could see what the shine on the wood portions of the clock would have looked like when it was new. The dial shows the scratches, and overall you get a good idea how clean it is. The paint still has a bit of a sheen to it. Sometimes a guy just gets lucky...

OK bragging over and I promise to never do it again, but this time I just couldn't resist.

Bob

 

[rmarkowitz1_cee4a1]

Ah Dear Readers,

I usually post this sort of thing in the "Share Your Advertising Clock" thread. Usually. And usually I have that "well I bought a Baird clock again and I like it OK, but I don't love it" feeling. But this time I hit pay dirt. This clock is great!!!

I was able to acquire this Baird from a well know Baird expert who had pick it up at a Skinner auction back in 2019 and from the moment I saw it in a photo hanging in his home, I thought this is a different animal altogether than the usual Baird. It looked clean, solid, no cracking in the paint, the Burgundy background - wonderfully un-faded, the silver lettering - original with just a little toning, the label looked great, and it was running. All the thing that you can't usually say about a Baird ;-)

Now to me Walkden's Ink is not particularly an advertisement that I found overly interesting, but the condition of this clock had my full attention. So when I picked it up last November I expected that something wouldn't be quite right, but I was very pleasantly surprised. This is a really nice clock in a state of originality and preservation I haven't ever seen for a Baird. And while I have always been on the fence about Bairds, in a room full of my favorite clocks, this clock is a true favorite. Considering they originally sold for like $3 bucks a piece, I just can't quite get over how nice this clock is.

The bottom door seems to have protected the original shellac finish from the elements so I included the bottom door open photo so you could see what the shine on the wood portions of the clock would have looked like when it was new. The dial shows the scratches, and overall you get a good idea how clean it is. The paint still has a bit of a sheen to it. Sometimes a guy just gets lucky...

OK bragging over and I promise to never do it again, but this time I just couldn't resist.

Bob

View attachment 711512 View attachment 711513 View attachment 711514

SWEET!!!

Appears to be in tip-top condition.

A clock I would love to own.

Walkden's was a British firm (it is interesting to note that more than a few Baird clocks were made for UK firms).

Here's something about them:

Walkdens Ink - The early years.pdf (caliendi.com)

RM

 

[Schatznut]

SWEET!!!

Appears to be in tip-top condition.

A clock I would love to own.

Walkden's was a British firm (it is interesting to note that more than a few Baird clocks were made for UK firms).

Here's something about them:

Walkdens Ink - The early years.pdf (caliendi.com)

RM

RM, thanks for attaching this bit of history - a very interesting read!

 

[RAK]

Thanks RM!

I thought you might like it. I recall you having a couple of excellent Baird clocks yourself including at least one rather interesting and different non-advertising Baird. Also thanks for the Walkden's history article; an interesting read. Amazing how companies back then depended on one or two people to keep them going.

A follow up word or two about this clock and condition in case someone is ever looking to buy a Walkden's Ink Baird. In watching the usual auctions and EBay over the years I've seen at least a half dozen other Walkden's Ink Bairds, making it in my mind uncommon but by no means rare.

The funny thing is, of the examples I've seen there have been a few clunkers but just as may of them have been in what looked like excellent, I would almost say super shape. So although I gushed on about this clock as the best I've ever seen, I should have added the words "in person". And it wouldn't shock me in the least that the next time a Walkden's Ink Baird comes to auction that it turns out to be a nicer copy than this one. Don't know why, but they just tend to be in nice shape.

Bob

 

[owen.or]

Bob,
Great find! Congratulations! David, Owen.or

 

[RAK]

Thanks David!

As someone who has shared quite a number of great Baird clocks with us over the years, including more than a few impossibly rare ones, it is nice to hear that you liked my new addition.

Bob