Help Identifying Ridgeway Grandfather Clock

[Aceolus]

Hey guys,

I recently inherited an old grandfathers cold from a family member of mine and was wondering if any of you guys might be able to help me identify it. I'm looking to maybe potentially sell it or keep it deepening on it's value. I don't have any documentation for it but I do have a couple pictures that include some numbers that I found on the clock itself which might help figure out the clock's info and value. Any and all help is greatly appreciated.


• Ridgeway
• Model-119
• DIAL-R1
• Movement-EN
• Finish-HPI6
• 32575D
• Serial Number - 4981

 

[Willie X]

Very little value. Willie X

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Hi, Aceolus.

Your clock Model 119 is known as the "William Penn." I have a few sporadic Ridgeway catalogs (1967, 1972, 1977, 1980 and 1997) and yours shows in the 1980 catalog, so your clock would have been manufactured somewhere around that period.

At that time your clock had a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $859. But keep in mind that new clocks are like new cars--their value greatly decreases the moment they leave the showroom floor, and it takes many years to regain value as a "classic." (Plus, clocks are no longer bringing the prices they used to, since less and less people are collecting them).

Attached is the image from the 1980 catalog.

Hope this helps!
Sincerely,
John

 

[KurtinSA]

Hey, John! Nice collection of clocks in your signature line...when are you going to get to the last 1/4 of it??

Kurt

 

[Aceolus]

Hi, Aceolus.

Your clock Model 119 is known as the "William Penn." I have a few sporadic Ridgeway catalogs (1967, 1972, 1977, 1980 and 1997) and yours shows in the 1980 catalog, so your clock would have been manufactured somewhere around that period.

At that time your clock had a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $859. But keep in mind that new clocks are like new cars--their value greatly decreases the moment they leave the showroom floor, and it takes many years to regain value as a "classic." (Plus, clocks are no longer bringing the prices they used to, since less and less people are collecting them).

Attached is the image from the 1980 catalog.

Hope this helps!
Sincerely,
John

View attachment 648923

Thank you for your help John! this is a lot of really good information that will definitely help me big time. Do you happen to have a picture showing the suggested retail price of $859? While the clock will be of a different value now I think it will be important for the people that are looking at buying it to have an idea of what it was once worth.

Thank you
-Brian

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Hey, John! Nice collection of clocks in your signature line...when are you going to get to the last 1/4 of it??

Kurt

LOL! I think that has been in my signature file for like 14 or so years now!

Sad to say I've mostly lost my one-time clock obsession, and have even parted with several since then. Also, I've long since forgotten which clocks I'd already photographed/inventoried, so it looks like I'll never be finishing that final 1/4.

Thanks for the comments!
John

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Thank you for your help John! this is a lot of really good information that will definitely help me big time. Do you happen to have a picture showing the suggested retail price of $859? While the clock will be of a different value now I think it will be important for the people that are looking at buying it to have an idea of what it was once worth.

Thank you
-Brian

Hi, Brian.
Price sheet attached.
Regards,
John

 

[Aceolus]

Hi, Brian.
Price sheet attached.
Regards,
John

View attachment 648959

John you're the best! thank you!

 

[Willie X]

Spiff is not only the 'best'. He is also the 'one and only' Ridgeway identifier guy on the forum ...
Willie X

 

[brupe]

Hi, Brian.
Price sheet attached.
Regards,
John

View attachment 648959

John! Do you have a price list for a Ridgeway model 16, serial number 8310? G movement.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

John! Do you have a price list for a Ridgeway model 16, serial number 8310? G movement.

Hi, brupe.

Your post above says "model 16" but since you also posted a similar comment in another thread and mentioned "model 166" in that one (and since there are no two-digit Ridgeway model numbers), I'm assuming the post above is a typo.

Model 166 is known as "The Breton." It appears in the 1977 catalog, so your clock was likely made within a few years to either side of that date (perhaps in 1983, since those are the first two digits of your serial number). With the G-movement, that model's suggested retail price in 1977 was $879.00, but keep in mind that new clocks are like new cars: they lose a significant portion of their value the moment they leave the showroom floor, and take many years to make up the value as an "antique."

See attached scans from the catalog.

Good luck with your new acquisition, and Happy New Year!
John