Breaking down clocks for sale.

[dan_46]

Has anyone noticed how some sellers on ebay will break down a perfectly good clock and auction each part separately, dial, case, movement, etc?
I can understand doing it that way with a junker, but why break up a clock that is in pretty good shape to start with. I understand that people have a right to sell their property as they wish, but it still kind of bugs me.
Any thoughts on that ?

Dan

 

[fume happy]

Yep, My thought is i don't like it. I know there are a few sellers I buy from that always seem to have just parts, which makes me wonder sometimes. But when someone has obviously dismembered a perfectly good piece to sell off all the parts at once, i refuse to bid.
~Fumey

 

[Graham]

I suppose they do it to maximise their profits.
But I doubt very much if they are clock enthusiasts. Just in it for the money.
Mind you you could always buy all their parts and put them back together again. Might prove a little expensive though.

 

[Chris]

Graham's got it right. The sum of the parts is greater than the whole.

If you need a good porcelain dial, you're more apt to buy it separately than if it's in a good clock. After all, we have standards; why would we molest a good clock for another clock?

On the other side of this is a very unpopular view I have. Since these clocks have been dismembered and scattered, we are, in essence viewing the "rarifying" of clocks. If everything survived intact and original, nothing would ever be highly soughtafter or rare. While I wouldn't dream of harming an intact clock, this is the only way I can deal with the thought of others' actions.

 

[Bruce Barnes]

Sometimes it is the only way to get necessary parts,especially for old and/or limited production clocks.Look at the people on this message board who are looking for clock parts,those that "gots 'em" ain't gonna part with them..so you go to NOS or Custom made.
JMHO,
Bruce

 

[harold bain]

It's kind of like the auto wrecking industry. A scrap car is worth $50.00, but the parts in it may be worth many thousands. It's not something we should condone, but we have no power to stop it either. I have bought lots of "basket case" clocks with the thought of cannabalizing them for parts, only to end up restoring them instead.
Harold

 

[Kevin W.]

It really ticks me off when i see this.Especially with a nice clock in decent shape and it is sold in parts.I realize money talk but wish people would care about their items not to do this.
This along with melting down solid gold pocket watch cases, makes me almost blow a gasket. :frown: :redface: :redface:
I guess the only choices are buy all the parts, from the seller or do not buy from them.I have emailed them and let them know my feelings about this.I got some colourful replies.

 

[chrsvor25]

ive noticed a few salvageable clocks be broken down that way..sigh

 

[Bill Ward]

This has been going on with books since the 80's. Although dealers always have been tempted to sell the individual plates from art portfolios separately (and could charge far more, in toto, than the value of the book) it only really took off in the 80's for bound books. I used to be able to buy architectural folios for $20-$30, but once the decorators made those architectural plates cool, matted and framed, I couldn't afford them. I don't know why they didn't just photocopy them; instead, they cut the books apart, and tossed the text. And not just their own books- that's why we have security cameras everywhere in libraries now. And it's not like they only wanted to sell "real antiques"; they had no qualms about hiring art students to apply coloring. (In fact, a nationally known print dealer in Philadelphia set up a veritable piecework factory to color prints this way.)
Now, these practices have been accelerated enormously by the internet, especially E-Bay. When I saw it spread to machine tools, I thought it was only because they're too big and heavy to ship. But that's obviously not the case with clocks. So it's purely the result of greed, and should be roundly condemned!

 

[Ansomnia]

I once saw a clock on eBay with a set of hands I had been searching high and low for.

The clock was not an interesting one for me but was going to go for about 1/2 the value of the hands I needed. Unfortunately, the clock was also in perfect condition. I could not justify scavenging that clock for the part.

I think in the end you either have to keep looking or make the part. It's the more difficult path to take but it's the honest one. Otherwise, this hobby just doesn't make any sense.


Michael

 

[clockdaddy]

Michael,
Not only is it the honest one it's the one that's true to our art.
Greed is manifesting itself in all corners of society. Now the people with no conscience are gazing at the almighty dollar and forgetting all about our heritage.
Unfortunately we can't stop it, all we can do is preserve whatever we can, with the best possible quality of work we can put out.
Where's it going from here?

 

[leeinv66]

Well guys, I am sure I am going to get in trouble for what I am about to say. So here goes! While I think it is a shame when I see a clock parted out on ebay and I would never do it myself, if I need that part, I am going to buy it. The clock on ebay is never going to be whole again, unless I am stupid enough to pay triple its value to piece it back together. And while I am many things, stupid is not one of them. After all, while the ebay clock is gone, my clock and several others are saved, so it not all bad news. Now, before I am berated for perpetuating this shameful activity, this is a thriving trade, so many more people than care to admit it must be doing the same as I.

Just my two cents worth!
Peter

 

[Tom McIntyre]

Why are the parts worth more than the whole? One would think that the cost of gathering all the parts and assembling them would factor into the value of the clock.

Perhaps we are artificially devaluating the complete clocks. I have noticed many peole posting here say they would rather buy a clock that needed work, so they could practice their craft and make a small profit on their labor.

Do you suppose this prevalent attitude is what makes parting out profitable?

 

[DBPhelps]

I was discussing this very issue today with a couple gentleman at the Lexington, KY watch & clock show. Just from personal observation, this seems to be happening predominately to kitchens, OGs & black mantles. I'm not sure you would see this happening to a Gilbert 7 or Seth 16. One fellow remarked that you can hardly give away a kitchen clock but you could sell the movement, dial, hands and case seperately on eBay and you would see one person buy all the parts for way more than the whole clock and put it back together. Strange but true. Though I am not a watch person, but hasn't this been happening to pocket watches for some time? Maybe everyone likes a "project"?

 

[Ansomnia]

Originally posted by DBPhelps:
I was discussing this very issue today with a couple gentleman ...Maybe everyone likes a "project"?

Well, I hear what you're saying but I find it incredible.

I had thought people may have clocks that they value greatly but are in need of a part or two to get working or fully 100%.

I thought these were the folks who would pay more for a part than it's really worth purely because their incomplete clocks are valuable to them and a pricey part would not stand in the way of completing their projects.

I would not have thought anyone would buy parts to put together a clock from scratch; certainly not at premium prices.

Quite bewildering.

BTW, I have seen people break up a watchmaker's tool to sell on eBay. Some of these tools are quite rare and I can just imagine the anguish of a bidder who may want to bid on the complete set. If he were successful buying the first piece(s) and had one last piece to win you can imagine how desperate he would be to win the last one. It's diabolical.


Michael

 

[CZHACK]

Michael,

Why are we surprised?

Our assumption is that everyone values clocks and watches but they do not - hence all the clocks and watches in poor condition and discarded items that are, in many cases, easily repaired (broken main springs comes to mind). Have any of you ever tried to discuss our interest in a general crowd? In my experience the discussion does not last long and many (but not all) who show some interest are often of the "its so pretty" sort. Most people can not be bothered to wind, maintain etc the mechanical clocks we value and believe quartz is the best thing that ever happened to time keeping (accurate yes but where is the art?).

Imagine the impact on our collecting activity
if everyone valued these items as much as us - but not to worry as I do not see it happening.

Mike

 

[Mike Phelan]

I did see an OG movement on ebay UK last week, and the seller quite openly said that the case would be auctioned soon!

It is tempting to ask "Why?" but common sense prevailed - he would not know. The hands, dial, weights and pendulum have probably been binned.

Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings ...