Cuckoo Clock carvings

[Realshep]

I have a Cuckoo Clock dated 1907 on the inside of a access door. There was a German guy in the states that wrote a book on Cuckoo Clocks in the 80's. I contacted him by letter(imagine that) back in the 80's. I sent him some pics of the movement because it wasn't in his book. He had never seen that particular German movement before and asked if he could put it in an updated book.....I said sure.

Anyway, I didn't contact him about the movement or the clock workings, but the wood carvings. Nothing really special or fancy, I just needed repairs by a wood carver. He didn't know of anybody. It's not a particualrly uncommon one;two branches crossed with an eagle spreading its wings on top.

For decades this clock ran great and my kids adored it growing up. Now, I'm at the point of the carving restoration again. I just like to get the carving fixed/redone and find a real wooden bird that spreads his wings as he bobs up and down.

The carving is the usual mess where somebody glued it poorly and tried to make it look presentable. Clock doesn't need to go anywhere as I can just send the carvings. Who does this kinda repair anymore

Kevin

 

[new2clocks]

I have a Cuckoo Clock dated 1907 on the inside of a access door. There was a German guy in the states that wrote a book on Cuckoo Clocks in the 80's. I contacted him by letter(imagine that) back in the 80's. I sent him some pics of the movement because it wasn't in his book. He had never seen that particular German movement before and asked if he could put it in an updated book.....I said sure.

Anyway, I didn't contact him about the movement or the clock workings, but the wood carvings. Nothing really special or fancy, I just needed repairs by a wood carver. He didn't know of anybody. It's not a particualrly uncommon one;two branches crossed with an eagle spreading its wings on top.

For decades this clock ran great and my kids adored it growing up. Now, I'm at the point of the carving restoration again. I just like to get the carving fixed/redone and find a real wooden bird that spreads his wings as he bobs up and down.

The carving is the usual mess where somebody glued it poorly and tried to make it look presentable. Clock doesn't need to go anywhere as I can just send the carvings. Who does this kinda repair anymore

Kevin

Kevin,

Welcome to the forum.

Can you provide pictures of what you need repaired?

He had never seen that particular German movement before and asked if he could put it in an updated book.....I said sure.

Also, if you provide pictures of the movement, perhaps we can identify it.

Regards.

 

[Realshep]

Kevin,

Welcome to the forum.

Can you provide pictures of what you need repaired?



Also, if you provide pictures of the movement, perhaps we can identify it.

Regards.

Thanks. If I recall correctly, he did Identify the movement(not uncommon in its day)....but he hadn't seen that particular one before. If you can't see it, at the bottom that's a 'G' and a 'K' with a pine cone above the letters. His book is in storage, but I think I've seen it for sale online.

As for the wood carvings.....here are some pics. The clock face wood frame carving is OK.....it was broken like the top carving, but I can live wiht it. Your eye is immediately drawn to the top carving flaws when the clock is hung. Eagle is missing part of a wing....one of the leaves is broken off etc. In the past I've seen both carvings for sale on eBay....not sure they would have fit, because they were sold quickly.

Oh yeah....the back door is missing and I need to make/find another. I can do that if I can find a piece of basswood big enough and the right thickness. I think the clock fell at some time in its life from all the damage I found. Was also missing the bottom of the case, but someone fashioned another in. Pendulum I accidentally threw out in a box. I had a guy in England make me one. I saw an identical one sell on eBay high and so I sent him that pic for a reference. He did OK on the woodwork, but I don't like how he did the mechanism.


Kevin

 

[new2clocks]

If you can't see it, at the bottom that's a 'G' and a 'K' with a pine cone above the letters.

The GK trademark is that of George Kuehl of Chicago, an importer of German movements, many of which were cuckoo clock movements.

For many years, it was assumed that the GK was the trademark of Gebrüder Kuner, but recent (the last 15 years or so) research has proven the trademark to belong to Kuehl.

With respect to the carving issues, there are many folks here who can assist you, and they should be along soon!

Regards.

 

[TEACLOCKS]

Is this the same clock

Unique Eagle Gebrunder Kuner GK Black Forest Cuckoo Clock Parts Or Restoration | eBay

<p>Gebrunder Kuner GK Black Forest Cuckoo Clock As is for Restoration. Case is roughly 24” from the top of the Head piece to the bottom of the pendulum 14” wide and the weights are 7-1/2” long. The roughness on the case can be stained and not be noticeable in my opinion. The bellows will both...

www.ebay.com

 

[gleber]

Those are nice carvings. I may be able to help. I'll send you a PM.

Tom

 

[Realshep]

The GK trademark is that of George Kuehl of Chicago, an importer of German movements, many of which were cuckoo clock movements.

For many years, it was assumed that the GK was the trademark of Gebrüder Kuner, but recent (the last 15 years or so) research has proven the trademark to belong to Kuehl.

With respect to the carving issues, there are many folks here who can assist you, and they should be along soon!

Regards.

So did Kuehl have the movement manufacturer put that stamp on the plate? Who then, really made the movement in Germany? Jos. Burger, Schonach?

Kevin

 

[Realshep]

Is this the same clock

Unique Eagle Gebrunder Kuner GK Black Forest Cuckoo Clock Parts Or Restoration | eBay

<p>Gebrunder Kuner GK Black Forest Cuckoo Clock As is for Restoration. Case is roughly 24” from the top of the Head piece to the bottom of the pendulum 14” wide and the weights are 7-1/2” long. The roughness on the case can be stained and not be noticeable in my opinion. The bellows will both...

www.ebay.com

Yes, that looks like the same clock! I'd sure like to have it for parts.....I think mine is in a lot better shape. This is not a good time for me bidding on it though and I don't need anymore projects lying around. I haven't followed clock pricing on eBay for a few yrs....don't know what that will bring.

Mine had a round pendulum with a 'ring' design. Hard to say what was authentic except that the leaf pendulums were everywhere for replacements.

eBay is amazing sometimes.....you can wait yrs to see something and then in one week there could be three.

The book I was talking about earlier was; "The Black Forest Cuckoo Clock" by Karl Kochmann. I actually think I talked to him on the phone at one point which was a big deal in LD phone charges back in the 80's. He seemed like a character with a short fuse. I guess he made quite a few errors in his book, but that was pre-Internet days and he collated what he could find.

Kevin

 

[Realshep]

Those are nice carvings. I may be able to help. I'll send you a PM.

Tom

Thanks Tom, I sent you a PM.

 

[new2clocks]

So did Kuehl have the movement manufacturer put that stamp on the plate? Who then, really made the movement in Germany?

Kevin

Kevin,

First for the sake of posterity (and your cuckoo ), below is an entry showing their (US) trademark registration in 1909.




With respect to who made your movement .....

As stated earlier, Kuehl was a major importer of various movements. I have not seen documentation that indicates they were manufacturers of movements. However, it has been stated on these forums that Kuehl "purchased an interest in a third party maker in the Black Forest of Germany".

(1) Mixed Message on Antique Clock | NAWCC Forums

It has also been stated on these forums that Kuehl "kept offices open in Germany right through the war [WW I]". However, I have not seen documentation that corroborates this statement.

(1) Post Your Gustav Becker Clocks Here | NAWCC Forums

So, if Kuehl purchased "an interest" in the unnamed Black Forest manufacturer, they effectively did not make the movement - it was the product of that unnamed Black Forest manufacturer.

The gold standard of the German clock industry is the Lexikon. Unfortunately, the Lexikon is only published in the German language and I do not have a copy, so I cannot say whether the Lexikon comments on Kuehl.

What does this mean for you?

We have folks here who can identify movements of various manufacturers and they will assist you in identifying your movement. Be patient. They should be along soon enough.

Regards.

 

[Realshep]

Kevin,

First for the sake of posterity (and your cuckoo ), below is an entry showing their (US) trademark registration in 1909.

View attachment 633946


With respect to who made your movement .....

As stated earlier, Kuehl was a major importer of various movements. I have not seen documentation that indicates they were manufacturers of movements. However, it has been stated on these forums that Kuehl "purchased an interest in a third party maker in the Black Forest of Germany".

(1) Mixed Message on Antique Clock | NAWCC Forums

It has also been stated on these forums that Kuehl "kept offices open in Germany right through the war [WW I]". However, I have not seen documentation that corroborates this statement.

(1) Post Your Gustav Becker Clocks Here | NAWCC Forums

So, if Kuehl purchased "an interest" in the unnamed Black Forest manufacturer, they effectively did not make the movement - it was the product of that unnamed Black Forest manufacturer.

The gold standard of the German clock industry is the Lexikon. Unfortunately, the Lexikon is only published in the German language and I do not have a copy, so I cannot say whether the Lexikon comments on Kuehl.

What does this mean for you?

We have folks here who can identify movements of various manufacturers and they will assist you in identifying your movement. Be patient. They should be along soon enough.

Regards.

Thank you for all that! I did find that Patent Office page when I was noodling around on the forum. Sounds like the movement was made by an unspecified maker in Germany that was in collusion with Kuehl. Nice to know some provenance but did Kuehl ever have a catalog of his clocks for sale? That would be invaluable to me....the pendulum for one thing. I believe the one I had(that got accidentally tossed), was original to the clock. But without reprinted catalog pics, I could never be sure of that.

Basically, I want the clock authentic in appearance and back on the wall working like it was. A complete 'restoration' is not going to happen at this time.

Kevin

 

[new2clocks]

Nice to know some provenance but did Kuehl ever have a catalog of his clocks for sale?

I have never seen a Kuehl catalog, but it is possible that they exist.

Regards.

 

[Realshep]

Here is a pic of the pendulum that the English guy made for me 'in the raw'. It was made from a pic I had saved off eBay.....an authentic one that I missed on in auction. I can't remember how we established the diameter.....maybe from the auction measurements.

I think that's called a "bullseye" pattern, correct?

Kevin