Dear all - newbie thread. I have owned this clock for a few years. It’s identified as a Tameside Fusee clock #8633 but has a full RAF sector clock hand painted facia. Pictures are below. I have just had it repaired / conserved and the very respected conserver informed me it was very old and needed to be looked after. I am looking for guidance as to wether it something the RAF would have done to there existing clocks? Equally being an old Tameside clock I’m thinking this could have been an early RAF ‘colour change clock’ from ww1.
How old did they think it was? It is presumably 20th century as it has screwed pillars. Most sector clocks you see are faked as real ones are worth a lot still.
Hi - thanks for your comments ; the repair clock smith reckons that the actual clock pre dates 1926 (ish).(end of the Tameside factory etc) I am aware that early original sector clocks were hand painted before they created printed versions. It would be nice to know if others have similar or have records of the Tameside factory.
To me, it doesn't look well painted. This is a real one, note it has the same hands as yours. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/World_War_II_RAF_sector_clock.jpg Professional dial painters will do far better work than you see on yours. Date wise they were apparently introduced in WWI but the RAF wasn't formed until 1918. I imagine the originals would have been painted on existing clocks but I would expect it to be done to a higher standard.
nice clock but have to agree w novice (who is not so novice). if you blow up the photo of your dial you can see the numbers are rough compared to the precision lines on the example. it is old and deserves to be taken care of
Tame Side was the trademark used by Hirst Brothers & Co Ltd a major wholesaler of imported clocks, watches and parts from Europe and the US and was formed in 1884. Due to high taxes imposed on German goods including clocks after WWI Hirst decided to build its own clock factory close to Oldham were it was based, it was next to the river Tame hence the name Tame Side. The factory opened in 1920 and was producing clocks until Hirst went into liquidation in 1926. So no chance it is a WWI clock, whether their movements were ever used in RAF sector clocks I couldn't say. Btw the key you have isn't original, they are a rather nice heart shaped one marked Tame Side and a key size of 12. Their fusee movements were well made with deadbeat escapement and it seems well regarded. Oh and welcome to the forum.
