Koma - painted dial original?

[AndyDWA]

I saw a Koma standard today with a painted dial. While most of the clock is in relatively poor condition, including crazing of the chapter-ring paint, the illustrated portion of the dial looks pretty clean.

I think it is plate 1393A (sorry about the quality of that photo) from the early '50s. The internals look to be okay but the dome is taped on, with the pendulum loose inside, so it was difficult to really check it.

Is this painting likely to be original or did someone get creative in this clock's past? If it's genuine, would it be hand-painted or printed - and is it special or are these common?

Thanks.

 

[MartinM]

I've never seen one with a similar treatment. It should be pretty easy to determine if the clock was hand painted by looking for brushstrokes. If there are brushstrokes, I'd guess it was an owner-painted item. If not, it would very likely be a factory treatment.
There was a period where some of the manufacturers used dials with hand-painted elements; But, they were simple floral flourishes, easily replicated with a small amount of effort.

 

[Dave T]

Based on the condition of the rest of the paint I'd guess that it has been added. Nevertheless, it looks good, and I'd leave it the way it is.

 

[AndyDWA]

I can only find a couple of examples of "koma clock painted dial" on Google images. One, listed at a South Australian auction house, is similar to this one but without the enamelled base and pendulum. The other, on watchesnsuch, features a renaissance-type image of someone playing a string instrument.

I don't own it (yet) and am not sure if I need to. As an occasional landscape artist myself, I can always paint a dial if I want a non-genuine example - maybe with an Aussie outback theme

 

[roughbarked]

It looks like a good method of fixing crappy paint on dials. Adds to the intrigue and mystery of the 400 day clock.
Of curse, unless parts are cleanable the only way to get them back to original is to find original replacements. Any repair will always be obvious otherwise. Personally, an original painting will add more value to the clock rather than remove it.

 

[MartinM]

The one at the Norwood auction house sure does look a lot like the one you're considering. The perspective and foreground landscape are VERY similar.
If KoMa didn't do this, I'd bet the same person painted both clocks. Especially, since both are in Australia.

 

[Tinker Dwight]

I don't see a suspension spring hanging out the bottom.
You can figure that as a minimum.
Tinker Dwight

 

[AndyDWA]

Yep. It has a top block and fork but I couldn't see a bottom block. I have a variety of springs these days and may even have a bottom block, so no great problem there.

 

[roughbarked]

Considering the condition of the clock and the cost of the time etc put into renovating it, a complete new suspension unit isn't big in the scheme of costs.

 

[AndyDWA]

Basic parts are cheap enough - although postage and exchange rate don't always work in my favour.

"Cost of time" isn't an issue since we only collect them. We don't sell them. I don't get nearly as much joy from a perfect clock as I do from a challenge.

If I get this one, I will probably repaint the base which is something I've avoided on other clocks so far. It does also have a couple of splits that will remain unrepaired (not much I can do about them) - and it's missing a levelling foot which I will have to do something about. I might have one on a quartz junker that will fit.

I'll know in 12 hours or so whether I need to worry about any of this


@roughbarked I was just in your neck of the woods. I had two weeks at a landscape painting workshop in Katoomba. What a magnificent part of the world that is. Can't wait to return.

 

[roughbarked]

Yes, Katoomba is a beautiful part of the world and Australia.
Time does cost, your life. Because we want to do things we choose to spend time on them but we could also be doing other things like painting the three sisters. Now there's a good idea for painting on a dial.

I'm approximately 600 km WSW of Katoomba.

 

[etmb61]

Andy,

One detail that's missing is the Koma name on the dial. Yours probably started out looking like this one.

Eric

 

[AndyDWA]

Thanks all.

It turns out someone else wanted this clock more than I did (not a huge challenge), so it didn't come home with me.