Help Identifying This Small Regulator

[gslaff]

Can anyone tell me make and model of this clock? It is about 18 inches tall, 6 inch bezel, about 9 inches wide
Here is a picture of the case, and the unsigned movement.

As always, thank you for your expertise
Gregg

 

[Tinker Dwight]

Technically, it is not a regulator. If it was, it would be worth a
lot more. We have a saying here "If it has a label saying REGuLATOR,
it isn't".
Being unsigned, It could be one of the early Japanese clocks that
used the American clock designs. They'd made a deal with,
I think it was, Ansonia to make clocks there for their domestic market.
Some time after WWII, a company called Pony Express Clock Co.
imported these used clocks by the crate load. They sold then with
certificates stating they were genuine antiques.
It is possible that it is US made but they normally had there
names on the movements. Are there any paper pieces glued to
the back of the inside case?
A picture of the Gong mount will be a good indication of the
manufacture.
Tinker Dwight

 

[gslaff]

Here is a picture of the gong mount

 

[Tinker Dwight]

On the paper, I can see the remnant of the symbol of the
manufacture. It is a circle with a square diamond.
That is most likely Seikosha's symbol. This is the same company
that we, today, call Seiko.
This would confirm my first thought. Then clocks was most likely
manufactured from around 1915 to 1930 some time.
Although, Japanese clocks do not command a high value, they are
good runners and often better made than the US made clocks
they copy.
I suspect it is one of the Pony Express Co. clocks as the Japanese
clocks from this time are rare in the US from other sources.
There are articles on these clocks. If my memory is correct, they
were sold as antiques in the US around the late 1950's.
It is what is called a long drop octagonal. As a spring driven, recoil
escapement clock, you should expect it to keep time within about
2 or 3 minutes a week once adjusted. It looks to be an 8 or 15 day
movement.
The strike wheel only counts the hours but it may also have what
is called a passing strike for the half hour of a single strike ( if
is has it ).
A true regulator would not have a strike. It would have a dead beat
escapement and be a cable/weight driven movement. It would also, usually have
heavy solid plates and machined cast wheels.
Tinker Dwight

 

[JDToumanian]

Good detective work Dwight! You definitely nailed it, the remnants of that label match this one exactly...

Jon

 

[Tinker Dwight]

The border is different but one can see the enough
to match.
There is a fragment below in the full picture that
would be interesting to compare.
Tinker Dwight

 

[gslaff]

Thank you very much for your time and expertise

 

[Tinker Dwight]

These are nice clocks. I have two and one I even have
the original Pony Express Co. paper work with it.
Like their similar US designs, they are easy to work
on. If you wish to do such, learn about constraining
springs before doing damage to your self and the clock.
Tinker Dwight

 

[lpbp]

I suspect it is one of the Pony Express Co. clocks as the Japanese
clocks from this time are rare in the US from other sources.


I sure wouldn't call any other source for these rare in the U.S.. I bought from three different importers, before Pony Express was in business, they were bringing them in by the container from Asia. One guy that I did business with had a huge storage area of these, and I got to go through it and hand pick what I wanted, including spare movements and other parts. There is someone who worked for Pony Express that is preparing an article for a future edition of the Bulletin.

 

[Tinker Dwight]

I meant sold as new clocks. I should have said that.
I didn't realize that others were bringing creates full of these
clocks, other than Pony Express.
One wonders why so many of these were available. One could
imagine that many in Japan were using electric powered clocks
or just that they needed the extra funds while things settled
after the war.
It makes one wonder what the motive was? It did seem like
there was an endless supply for some time.
Tinker Dwight

 

[harold bain]

It was likely the advent of the quartz clock that made the old windup clocks obsolete in Japan. I wouldn't think anyone there would have found them collectible or worth fixing back in the 1960-70's when these were shipped to America.

 

[John Hubby]

It was likely the advent of the quartz clock that made the old windup clocks obsolete in Japan. I wouldn't think anyone there would have found them collectible or worth fixing back in the 1960-70's when these were shipped to America.

I was in Asia from 1980 to 1992, and found warehouses full of Japanese and German clocks stacked 10 feet deep, I think for the reason Harold mentions. The "new" quartz clocks in the 1960's-80's were very inexpensive and only needed changing of batteries to keep excellent time.

The German clocks were mostly box clocks from the time between WWI and WWII, the Japanese clocks included this "schoolhouse regulator" style as well as many other case designs that were copies of Ansonia, Waterbury, Ingraham and Sessions styles from first half 20th century.