Lenzkirch Swinger

[wow]

Got in this one last week. It was a mess. Coated with dust. Pendulum was all apart but all there. Movement in good shape. What about the top piece! Original, right? What can you tell me about it?

 

[new2clocks]

Got in this one last week. It was a mess. Coated with dust. Pendulum was all apart but all there. Movement in good shape. What about the top piece! Original, right? What can you tell me about it?

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Nice acquisition, Will.

Do you have a picture of the movement (back and front)?

Regards.

 

[wow]

Nice acquisition, Will.

Do you have a picture of the movement (back and front)?

Regards.

It’s not mine. Customer brought it in. They had no idea what they had. Inherited it. I’ll take a photo of the movement and post it tomorrow.

 

[wow]

Here’s the movement.

 

[new2clocks]

Here’s the movement.

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Will,

According to the most recent database of Lenzkirch serial numbers, the clock was made in 1899.

It is the Lenzkirch #26 movement.

The style of clock is a "free swinger".

Regards.

 

[rgmt79]

The style of clock is a "free swinger"

How does it get that name?

 

[JTD]

How does it get that name?

From German 'Freischwinger'.

JTD

 

[Uhralt]

How does it get that name?

As JTD said. The name means that the pendulum swings outside the clock case, in the free space ("im freien" in German).

Uhralt

 

[rgmt79]

Thank's JTD and Uhralt, I have only come across the term 'swinger' where the clock combined with pendulum swing from a fixed pivot (e.g. hand of a statue) and clearly that is not the case here.

Richard

 

[JTD]

Thank's JTD and Uhralt, I have only come across the term 'swinger' where the clock combined with pendulum swing from a fixed pivot (e.g. hand of a statue) and clearly that is not the case here.

Richard

You are quite right, indeed when I first opened the thread I expected to find such a clock and was quite surprised to find that it was not a 'normal' swinger, but a different clock entirely.

I wonder if it would be good if a moderator would change the title of the thread, since in days to come future researchers might find it confusing.

JTD

 

[wow]

JTD, I have always heard this style called a “German Swinger”. Ansonia also made the statue clocks with the clock swinging on the arm of the statue which we call “swingers” also. Am I out in left field on this one?

 

[JTD]

JTD, I have always heard this style called a “German Swinger”. Ansonia also made the statue clocks with the clock swinging on the arm of the statue which we call “swingers” also. Am I out in left field on this one?

Well, I suppose it may depend on where you are located. To me, a 'German Swinger' (which is not a term I have heard very often) would not be very clear as to what kind of clock was meant, but would suggest a German-made clock swinging from the arm of a statue. Junghans made them and so did Ansonia, as you mentioned.

But perhaps it would be obvious to someone in US.

JTD

 

[wow]

I pulled up several threads and found discussion on “German free swingers”. Perhaps that is a better term. This one is the first Lenzkirch I have worked on. It’s a very nice clock. Taller and wider than others I have. All original. I wonder what it’s worth.