Jakob Kleiser in Schollach. For the English market.

[Chris Radano]

This one is just a little rough compared to other similar clocks I buy. But still an interesting clock with character, in an unusual case style for this type.

Missing is a case top side molding, movement stop works, and hammer spring (which was screwed into the side of the movement plate). Hour hand is loose. Note interesting movement mounting nuts under the seatboard- looks like made from wheel blanks. The pendulum bob is crude, and a bit dented.

The clock is a little top heavy with brass plated movement, and convex glass.

 

[nicksey]

Joseph Benedict Reick was originally born in Baden, Germany around 1827, at some point he came to England and in 1863 married his English wife Jane in Wandsworth, London.

By the time of the 1871 census he was living in Cromwell Terrace Battersea with his wife, where he described himself as a watch & clock maker and did not use the name Joseph, just referring to himself as Benedict.

By 1881 they were living in a relatively new housing block in Battersea called Victoria Dwellings and he was back to using the name Joseph B Reick and describing himself as a naturalized British Subject and a Watch & Clock Maker. He was still there as Joseph B. Reick in 1891.

 

[Chris Radano]

Thank you for the helpful information, Nicksey. I didn't find any listing of B. Reick. I've printed your response and will keep it with the clock.

Mr. Reick sounds like a fine upstanding citizen. I'm surmising he serviced the clocks he sold, and I'm positive he was not responsible for the missing stop works, or hammer spring.

 

[Sooth]

Wow, another beautiful find, Chris. I love that it's visible that they used dovetail construction for the case. I also love that blue interior! Do you think it had a mirror in the bottom? The wheel blanks are funny and inventive. The only thing that detracts for me is the hands. They don't look fine enough for the quality of the case and dial. I picture some more typical French hands on it.

 

[Steven Thornberry]

Interesting how the name Kleiser was spelled upside down & backwards after Jakob, then corrected on the next line. FWIW, here is a link to another Kleiser clock (how's your Spanish?). Note the hands on the clock are the same as those on Chris' clock. Simple style hands for a clock of simple (though elegant) style?

 

[Sooth]

Steven, Chris' clock has American style "pierced spade" hands, while the clock that you link to have exactly the kind of fine French-style hands I was describing.

 

[Steven Thornberry]

Yeah, I see it now; they are different. Bad eyes! But, they're still kinda plain!

 

[Chris Radano]

Steve- Thank you for the link. Probably the same movement, very helpful if I ever want the stop works remade.

Sooth- This is a typical clock of BF manufacture for England. I recognized it immediately. The pendulum window brass surround is typical, as the thick burr walnut veneer with (dark) brass inlay. The hands are typical of a Black Forest clock, thick steel with a friction fit hour hand. Many of this type had blue paint inside the case. Why? I don't know exactly. I would guess painted to control dust inside the case, but not sure why blue.