The Horolovar Guide is perhaps the most valuable reference available for repair of 400 day clocks. Starting as a selection guide for Horolovar suspension springs, it gradually expanded into a full reference for solving operating problems and identifying clock movements. Given that the latest edition of the guide was published almost 30 years ago, it is a testament to its value that it is still the go to reference for most 400 day clock repair.
Starting with the 9th ed., 1984, an effort was made to tell the history of the clocks and identify the earlier manufacturers. In this area the guide falls short. The author/editors certainly used the most accurate information available at the time, but much research since then has shown a great volume of information was, at that time, unknown. Much of the new information is still yet to be published as a new work or even as a correction to the repair guide. There are also many holes in the history that are yet to be filled. The unfortunate result is that over the years the incorrect information in the guide is now taken as accurate. It seems unlikely that a revised edition of the guide will be published any time soon. For this reason it would be very useful to create a comprehensive errata document to address the known problems.
This document is not an attempt to create a complete revision. It is simply to correct the known errors. Some information not previously published in the Repair Guide will need to be included here, as several manufacturers of 400 day clocks were not known about when the 10th ed. was published.
The information provided here is derived from the independent research and hands on work with 400 day clocks performed by various individuals who have posted their findings and comments to this message board. Additional information is from other outside sources as noted.
This is a work in progress.
Starting with the 9th ed., 1984, an effort was made to tell the history of the clocks and identify the earlier manufacturers. In this area the guide falls short. The author/editors certainly used the most accurate information available at the time, but much research since then has shown a great volume of information was, at that time, unknown. Much of the new information is still yet to be published as a new work or even as a correction to the repair guide. There are also many holes in the history that are yet to be filled. The unfortunate result is that over the years the incorrect information in the guide is now taken as accurate. It seems unlikely that a revised edition of the guide will be published any time soon. For this reason it would be very useful to create a comprehensive errata document to address the known problems.
This document is not an attempt to create a complete revision. It is simply to correct the known errors. Some information not previously published in the Repair Guide will need to be included here, as several manufacturers of 400 day clocks were not known about when the 10th ed. was published.
The information provided here is derived from the independent research and hands on work with 400 day clocks performed by various individuals who have posted their findings and comments to this message board. Additional information is from other outside sources as noted.
This is a work in progress.
Section 1 History of the 400-Day Clock
Note: This section of the guide has some interesting history that warrants further review. It is a good starting point, but there are several major inaccuracies that need to be addressed, along with a few typos.
Note: The most current and accurate histories of early torsion clock makers can be found in the appendix of Timely Memories, A Look at Anniversary Clocks, text by John Hubby, 2017, published by NAWCC Chapter 168.
Page 8, Column 2, para 3:
Page 8, Column 2, last para:
Note: The best source of information on this subject is found in the article Jehlin's Two Patents & Harder's Own Story by Douglas K. Stevenson, NAWCC Watch & Clock Bulletin, Aug 2010.
Page 9, Column 2, para 2:
Note: From the diary of August Schatz, Schatz 100 Years Jahresuhren-Fabrik GmbH Aug. Schatz & Söhne, A History of the firm 1881-1981.
Page 10, Column 1, last para:
Page 10, Column 2, first para:
Page 11, Column 1, para 6:
Page 11, Column 1, para 7:
Page 14, column 1, para 3:
Note: The most current and accurate histories of early torsion clock makers can be found in the appendix of Timely Memories, A Look at Anniversary Clocks, text by John Hubby, 2017, published by NAWCC Chapter 168.
Page 8, Column 2, para 3:
Change: "Zwitung" to "Zeitung"
Page 8, Column 2, last para:
There is no evidence that Anton Harder had any contact or knowledge of the activities of Lorenz Jehlin until he applied for a patent for his own torsion clock in July 1878. Harder was denied the patent for a torsion pendulum but awarded No. 7543 for the design of his clock. Harder withdrew his patent request and his lawyers later acquired the rights to patent 2437 from Jehlin's estate in 1880.
Note: The best source of information on this subject is found in the article Jehlin's Two Patents & Harder's Own Story by Douglas K. Stevenson, NAWCC Watch & Clock Bulletin, Aug 2010.
Page 9, Column 2, para 2:
The firm Gershon Wintermantle and Co (GW & Cie), later Jahresuhrenfabrik (JUF), was started in Feb 1881 from a group of workers from the firm of Michael Bob after the owner's death in 1880. Wintermantle, August Schatz, and their two other partners purchased Bob's tooling and materials and set up shop in Triberg building weight driven regulators. In late 1881 another clockmaker working with Anton Harder, a Mr. Siedle, contacted The Wintermantle Co. to see if they could adapt the Graham escapement to the Harder clock. Wintermantle & Co. made torsion clocks for Harder, in addition to their own clocks, until 1883 when the Harder patents were sold to F.A.L. de Gruyter. Afterward they made only torsion clocks. The company changed their name to Jahresuhrenfabrik (Year Clock Factory) in 1884.
Note: From the diary of August Schatz, Schatz 100 Years Jahresuhren-Fabrik GmbH Aug. Schatz & Söhne, A History of the firm 1881-1981.
Page 10, Column 1, last para:
Delete paragraph.
The first 400 day clocks with pin pallet escapements and lantern pinions were made by the Andreas Huber Co. after 1911. The 3-ball pendulum (Section 13, pend 28) was also made by Huber.
Note: Badische did not make the 400 day clocks with lantern pinions that they sold with their logo or any of those with lantern pinions without their logo. They did make 400 day torsion clocks that used an inverted weight driven movement and a single ball pendulum with the adjustment weights hidden inside. An explanation and diagrams of their clock can be found in the 1904 Leipziger Uhrmacher Zeitung, No. 20, pages 312 to 313. The clock design was issued British patent No. 7059 on 28 Apr 1904 (see Section 4, item 20). The pendulum design was granted DRGM 218447 on 27 Jan 1904.
Page 10, Column 2, first para:
Delete: Badische Uhrenfabrik, Phil Hauck, Andreas Huber, and Ideal Clock Co.
Note: Badische Uhrenfabrik started making torsion pendulum wall clocks under British Patent No. 7059 in 1904 as stated above. They sold clocks made by Jahresuhrenfabrik and Philipp Hauck bearing their "Crescent B" logo during that same time. After 1915 they sold clocks using Huber lantern pinion movements, but they did not make the clocks.
Note: Uhrenfabrik Philipp Hauck of Munich made torsion clocks running 200 and 400 days from 1903 thru 1914.
Note: The Andreas Huber Co. under the leadership of Joseph Huber obtained control of Harder's US and British patents from de Gruyter. They sold clocks made by Jahresuhrenfabrik (JUF) under an agreement similar to JUF's prior agreement with de Gruyter. For a time Huber controlled a world wide monopoly on 400 day clocks. After the Harder patents expired, Huber assembled and sold clocks made by JUF, Hauck, and Kienzle all bearing their "Urania" brand either printed on the dials or stamped on the back plates. Huber made clocks of their own design with lantern pinions and dead beat or pin pallet escapements starting in 1912. These clocks are found marked with Badische, Kienzle, and Huber logos, and the names of various importers.
Note: The "Ideal" Clock Co. was the trade name for Wilhelm Würth & Co. of Schwenningen. Würth made 400-day clocks from 1903 thru 1910.
Page 11, Column 1, para 6:
Delete: Kieninger & Obergfell, and Wintermantel Uhrenfabrik
Note: Kienninger und Obergfell (Kundo) began as a clock parts factory run by Johann Obergfell in 1899 in St. Georgen. Obergfell is credited with invention of the straight rod gong for clocks, DRGM 108469, in 1899. Obergfell partnered with George Kienninger in 1918 (forming Kundo) and began making 400 day clocks in 1923.
Note: Wintermantel Uhrenfabrik made 400-day clocks using JUF movements for several years begining in 1924.
Change: "Phillipp Haas" to "Philipp Hauck"
Note: Phillipp Haas & Söhne (PHS) did not make any 400-day clocks. All references to Phillipp Haas in this guide should be changed to Philipp Hauck.
Add: Wilhelm Würth
Page 11, Column 1, para 7:
Change: "Jahresuhrenfabrik 1905 catalog" to "Jahres-uhr catalog"
Page 14, column 1, para 3:
Pendulum guide cups were introduced by Kundo in 1933.
Section 3 History of Striking 400-Day Clocks
Page 22, Column 1, para 1:
Change: "STRIKING" to "STRIKE"
After: "center of dial" Change: comma to a period and Delete: remainder of sentence.
Add: Movements were based on de Gruyter UK Patent No 3724 (not shown in guide).
Para 2:
Change: "Schneckenburger" to "Schnekenburger" (two places)
Note: The references to duplex escapements made by Schnekenburger in this paragraph are incorrect. Research has determined that duplex escapement clocks were made by Carl Bauer, a cousin to the patent holder J. Christian Bauer (see Section 4, item 15).
Footnote 1
Change: "1473" to "1473A"
Footnote 2
Delete
Page 23, Column 2:Change: "1905" to "1910"
Change: "Jahresuhrenfabrik catalog for 1905" to "1910 Jahres-Uhr Catalog"
Note: More complete discussions of Strikers can be found in eleven articles written by Mun Chor Weng and published in The Torsion Times.Section 6 Some Outstanding Pre-World War I 400-Day Clocks
Note: Many of the clocks illustrated in this section were part of CharlesTerwilliger's personal collection. Those clocks were first shown with descriptions in Terwilliger's book The Horolovar Collection, published in 1962. Current research has shown that many of the descriptions of the clocks, and other information contained in the book are inacurate. Much of that information made its way into the current (1991) repair guide, errors and all. A look at The Horolovar Collection is useful in that it shows the back plates of the clocks where other identifying features can be seen and corrections can be made. For those who are interested, Horolovar Collection clocks will be called out with their number from that text. For example HC-1 would mean clock No.1 from the collection.
Page 33, Section 6 Tittle
Page 34
Page 35
Pages 36-37
Page 33, Section 6 Tittle
Change "Pre-World War I" to "Pre-World War II"
Note: This sections shows clocks made and sold before and after WWI.
Page 34
Clock 5
Change: "unknown" to "GW & Cie"
Clock 9
Change: Plate "1475" to"1597"
Add: "HC-1"
Note: Plate 1597 is the drawing of the actual plate for this clock, as can be seen in the Horolovar Collection.
Page 35
Clock 10
Add: "HC-6"
Clock 11
Add: "HC-34"
Clock 12
Change: Plate "1055" to "1047"
Add: "HC-33"
Clock 13
Change: "Hass" to "Hauck"
Add: "HC-10"
Clock 15
Add: "HC-43"
Clock 18
Add: "HC-45"
Clock 19
Add: "HC-22"
Note: This round movement with Plate 1631 has not been shown conclusively as having been made by JUF. Quite possibly Philipp Hauck is the maker.
Clock 20
Change: Plate "1617" to "1260"
Add: "HC-12"
Note: Clock 20 lists plate 1617 which is an early numbered JUF plate (c1906). Fortunately this clock is number 12 from the Horolovar Collection, and in that book the correct plate can be seen as 1260. Clock 20 is also a marriage of the JUF movement and pendulum with the base from a Huber/Badishe (200/201 from the Badishe 1924-25 catalog).
Clock 21
Add: "HC-46"
Pages 36-37
Note: The "1905 Jahresuhrenfabrik Catalog" referenced on these pages contains many clocks not made or sold by Jahresuhrenfabrik. The current belief is that the catalog is more likely a jobber's or wholesaler's catalog. Also the date associated with the catalog (1905) pre-dates by several years some of the items shown therein.
Section 9 400-Day Clock Back Plate Illustrations
Page 70, Column 2, para 2, last sentence:
Change: "have not been identified" to "were granted to the Andreas Huber Co. in 1911 and 1912 for the use of lantern pinions and pin pallet escapements in torsion pendulum clocks."
Page 73
Plate 1007
Philipp Hauck c1905-1906
Plate 1007A
Wilhelm Würth & Co.
Clocks with this plate would have had serial numbers.
Plate 1008
Wilhelm Würth & Co. c1910
Note: Clocks with this plate probably do not exist. The “MADE IN GERMANY” marking on this plate is not found with clocks bearing the Bowler & Burdick “Anniversary” stamps. Also the serial number is beyond the time that Würth provided clocks to B&B.
Page 74
Plate 1008A
Wilhelm Würth & Co.
Note: Clocks with this plate probably do not exist. The “MADE IN GERMANY” marking on this plate (ALL CAPS) is inconsistent with the serial number, and is not found with clocks bearing the Bowler & Burdick “Anniversary” stamps. This plate also has the same serial number as plate 1009. Bowler & Burdick clocks having the banking pins, shown on either side of the anchor depth adjustment, have been found but are otherwise marked identical to plate 1009.
Plate 1009
Wilhelm Würth & Co.
Plate 1009A
Wilhelm Würth & Co.
Clocks with this plate would have had serial numbers.
Plate 1009AA
Wilhelm Würth & Co. c1907
Page 76
Plate 1015
Andreas Huber Co. c1916
Page 77
Plate 1016A
Andreas Huber Co. c1911-1915
Page 78
Plate 1019
Andreas Huber Co. c1916
Plate 1019A
Andreas Huber Co. c1916
Page 82
Plate 1041
Andreas Huber Co. c1911-1915
Page 83
Plate 1043
Philipp Hauck c1904-1906
Plate 1049
Wilhelm Würth & Co. c1903-1905
Plate 1049A
Wilhelm Würth & Co.
Page 84
Plate 1053
Wilhelm Würth & Co.
Plate 1055
Philipp Hauck c1905-1906
Plate 1056
Philipp Hauck c1905-1906
Page 95
Plate 1150
Gershon Wintermantle & Co.
Page 97
Plate 1172
J. Christian Bauer c1901
DRP 120072
Page 98
Plate 1179
Jahesuhrenfabrik c1911
Page 110
Plate 1251
Andreas Huber Co.
Plate 1251A
Andreas Huber Co.
Page 112
Plate 1259
c1924-1927
Plate 1260
c1924-1927
Plate 1263
c1921-1923
Note: Serial number shown is out of range for JUF clocks. JUF produced less than 170,000 number clocks. First digit is probably a "1".
Plate 1264
c1923
Plate 1265
c1922-1924
Page 113
Plate 1267
c1922-1924
Page 114
Plate 1303, 1307
Carl Bauer c1896-1906
Page 117
Plate 1317
Schlenker & Posner c1928
4-Ball Pendulum 37
Use .0035” (.089mm) Horolovar
No Appendix entry
Plate 1318
Andreas Huber Co.
Page 125
Plate 1384
Andreas Huber Co.
Non-adjustable 4-ball pendulum 32
Appendix 96
Note: Plates 1384 and 1663 were used by Kienzle with the non-adjustable pendulum #32. The two screw holes to the right of the plate's centers are for the special suspension guard that slid down to capture the adjustable bottom block shown in appendix 96.
Plate 1385
Andreas Huber Co.
Plate 1387
Andreas Huber Co.
Page 126
Plate 1388
c1939
Page 134
Plate 1415
Philipp Hauck c1908-1913
Plate 1419
Philipp Hauck c1909
Plate 1423
Wilhelm Würth & Co.
Plate 1425
Philip Hauck c1906
Plate 1427
Wilhelm Würth & Co.
Delete: 4-ball pendulum
Page 135
Plate 1437
Wilhelm Würth & Co.
Plate 1438
Wilhelm Würth & Co.
Page 136
Plate 1440
Wilhelm Würth & Co.
Delete: 4-ball pendulum
Plate 1441
Philipp Hauck 1904
Plate 1443
Andreas Huber Co.
Page 137
Plate 1451
Jahesuhrenfabrik c1911
This drawing is missing the upper plate pillars, see plate 1179
Plate 1451A
Jahesuhrenfabrik c1914
This drawing is missing the upper plate pillars, see plate 1179
Page 138
Plate 1459
Philipp Hauck 1906
same as plate 1519
Page 143
Plate 1470E
Wendez-Metzger
Plate 1471
Jahesuhrenfabrik c1898-1903
Most clocks with this plate were sold by Andreas Huber
Some movements have a different location for the click screw
Disk pendulum 21
Page 146
Plate 1472H
Schlenker & Posner c1928
This plate is identified as “PS” but the logo stamp is actually an “S”
superimposed over a “P”
4-Ball Pendulum 37
Use .0035” (.089mm) Horolovar
Plate 1473
Carl Bauer c1896-1906
Plate 1473A
Carl Bauer c1896-1906
Note: Both plates 1473 and 1473A can be found with either bell striker or gong striker. Except for the difference in the serial number of these two plates, all the other makings are identical.
Plate 1473B
Carl Bauer c1896-1906
Note: This back plate is found with bell striker only and not with gong striker.
Page 149
Plate 1490
Schlenker & Posner c1928
4-Ball Pendulum 37
Use .0035” (.089mm) Horolovar
No Appendix entry
Page 150
Plate 1505
Schlenker & Posner c1928
4-Ball Pendulum 37
Use .0035” (.089mm) Horolovar
(19X38)
No Appendix entry
Page 151
Plate 1515
Andreas Huber Co. c1926
Plate 1519
Philipp Hauck 1906
same as plate 1459
Plate 1519A
Philipp Hauck 1906
Page 153
Plate 1522D
Philipp Hauck c1902-1903
Page 154
Plate 1527
c1924-1927
Plate 1529
Schlenker & Posner c1928
4-Ball Pendulum 37
Use .0035” (.089mm) Horolovar
No Appendix entry (19x38)
Page 155
Plate 1547
c1927-1939
Plate 1551
c1924-1927
Page 156
Plate 1559
Schlenker & Posner c1928
4-Ball Pendulum 37
Use .0035” (.089mm) Horolovar
No Appendix entry
Page 158
Plate 1579AA
Jahesuhrenfabrik c1924
Wintermantel Uhrenfabrik used JUF movements
Page 162
Plate 1595
c1927-1939
Plate 1595A
c1927-1939
Plate 1597
Jahesuhrenfabrik c1888
Page 163
Plate 1603
Wilhelm Würth & Co.
Delete: 4-ball pendulum
Plate 1607
Philipp Hauck 1906-1914
3-ball pendulum, not 4-ball
Plate 1610
Philipp Hauck 1903-1905
Plate 1613
Wilhelm Würth & Co.
Delete: 4-ball pendulum
Page 164
Plate 1614
Kern & Sohne
Schatz Jubilee clocks were made by Kern
Page 165
Plate 1621
Jahesuhrenfabrik
Plate 1623
Junghans
Page 166
Plate 1626
Wilhelm Würth & Co.
Plate 1627
Andreas Huber Co.
Plate 1628
Andreas Huber Co.
Page 167
Plate 1632
Philipp Hauck c1907
Plate 1633
Gustav Becker
Page 168
Plate 1643
Andreas Huber Co.
Page 169
Plate 1663
Andreas Huber Co.
Non-adjustable 4-ball pendulum 32
Note: Plates 1384 and 1663 were used by Kienzle with the non-adjustable pendulum #32. The two screw holes to the right of the plate's centers are for the special suspension guard that slid down to capture the adjustable bottom block shown in appendix 96.
Page 170
Plate 1667
Kern & Link 1929-1937
Kern & Sohne 1937-1950s
Page 172
Plate 1677
Andreas Huber Co.
Page 175
Plate 1699
Philipp Hauck c1906
Plate 1717
Andreas Huber Co.
Delete appendix 96
Page 177
Plate 1729, 1730
Carl Bauer c1896-1906
Note: These two Plates are redundant as they are the same as plate 1473
Section 10 400-Day Clock Suspension Spring Unit Identification
Page 180
Unit 10C
12 Beats per Minute
Unit 10D
CHANGE: "made by Jahresuhrenfabrik" to "made by Kern and Söhne for Jahresuhrenfabrik,"
Same as Unit 11A
Section 13 About 400-Day Clock Pendulums
Page 194, column 2, last para, first sentence,
CHANGE: "1912" to "the late 1920s for most manufacturers."
ADD: "The Schlenker and Posner Co. offered a disc pendulum option on at least one of their models between 1928 and 1936."
Page 195
Pend 6
c1906
DRGM 276288
Also found with 4 large weights
Also found with no gallery
Pend 7
Wille/Würth c1903
DRP 144687
Pend 8
Andreas Huber Co. c1911
DRGM 453568
Pend 9
Andreas Huber Co. c1911
DRGM 453568
Pend 10
DRP 144688
Pend 13
Wilhelm Würth
Page 196
Pend 19
Philipp Hauck c1904
5 column gallery shown
Also found with 6 column gallery
Pend 20
Wilhelm Würth c1903
Used with Würth clocks
Kronen Drehpendel
Pend 23
Shown 1st of 5 versions
Pend 25
Wintermantel Uhrenfabrik c1924
Plate 1579AA
Pend 26
Philipp Hauck c1911
DRGM 471231
Pend 27
c1924-1939
NOT temperature compensating
DRGMs 868673, 74, 75
Pend 28
Andreas Huber Co. c1912
First version of two
Pend 32
Kienzle Clock Factories c1915
Plate 1384, 1663
Non-adjustable
Uses adjustable bottom block
Pend 33
c1915
Pend 34
c1929
2nd version of Becker 4-ball
Pend 37
Schlenker & Posner c1928-1937
Pend 38
Used with Huber pin pallet movements
Pend 39
c1909-1950
DRGM 403658
Page 197
Pend 47
c1933-1952
Note: There are two versions of this pendulum. The other version (not shown) has the same center ball finial as pendulum 35. Both versions are more commonly found with the Mayer Kundos from the 1930s, plate 1467.
Page 198
Pend 58
Pendulum pictured is missing top locking disk, See Pendulums 68 and 90.
Page 200
Pend 97
c1933-1952
Section 15 400-Day Clock Suspension Brackets and Saddles
Page 202
Brackets 1-3
Huber Std.
Bracket 11
Würth Std.
Bracket 12
Jahesuhrenfabrik Lunar
2nd version
Bracket 14
Würth Std. 1907 DRGM 302860
Used by Würth and Kienzle
Bracket 15
Huber “E” 1907 DRGM 319314
Used by JUF and Kienzle
JUF version shown
Bracket 16
Würth Std. 1907 DRGM 314710
Bracket 17
Hauck Std.
Bracket 18
Kienzle Std.
Bracket 27
Schlenker & Posner
1st version
Section 18 Appendix
Page 212
Appendix 10
CHANGE: Badische to Huber
ADD: plate 1384.
Note: It is not known if the statement in this appendix is even true, but now at least it identifies the right plates and maker.
Page 217
Appendix 63
DELETE: first sentence
ADD: "The anchor pivot hole for this plate is integrated into the suspension bracket. Escapement adjustment is lost when the suspension bracket is removed. Care should be taken to note the position of the suspension bracket prior to removal."
ADD: after "tightened." See Section 7 for escapement adjustment.
Page 231
Appendix 96
CHANGE: 1717 to 1384.
Page 235
Appendix 123, Unit 1
Design B was used Just before and after WWII.
