Hello Rosemarie,
Thank you for sending in this mantel clock (although I suppose you could also hang it on a wall) to mearto for appraisal. I will do my best to help you with it today.
TITLE:
Stained golden oak, spring driven, eight day time, strike and quarterly chiming mantel/wall clock of contemporary design, case made in China, dial/movement made by the Hermle Black Forest Clock Company (ex-Franz Hermle & Sons Clock Company), Gosheim, Black Forest region, Germany circa 1977-1880s.
{Hermle is a manufacturer that sells to the wholesale industry and operates in over 80 countries with offices in Germany and the United States, since 1977, as Hermle North America (changed from Hermle Black Forest clocks in January 2011.}
DESCRIPTION:
Case - 23"x 11" x by 5.5 " stained golden oak contemporary mantel or wall clock with a concave molded undulating arched pediment bisected by a carved 7-lobed clamshell. An arched cornice sits over the rectilinear glazed dial door, each side rail containing a fluted colonnette with brass capitals and bases, and the pillars are therefore part of the door. The shaped glass reveals the dial above and the arc of the gridiron pendulum as it swings inside the lower case. . .
Dial - A brass bezel encloses this bi-color two part dial. The silvered Arabic hour chapter ring has a closed minute ring at the periphery while the gilt dial center is ornamented with large 'C' scrolls geometric forms and Fleur-de-lys decoration, while marked Black Forest above. There are steel Spade hands. The movement is attached to the back of the dial which all slide into place in the case and are secured by screws. . .
Movement: Partially seen but has the solid punctate brass plates characteristic of the Franz Hermle Clock Company. The plates have four tubular pillars which are screwed together at the outer backboard and secured with nuts. A black steel frame secured with two screws through the backboard helps to support the rods that are struck within the case. There is likely an anchor escapement and the power is supplied by springs of eight day duration, striking the hour and half hour and chiming the quarter hours on a series of five metal rods protruding from the black steel side frame. These rods are struck by five hammers emanating from the movement. Below there is a temperature compensated gridiron pendulum rod with brass bob. . .
Condition: In like new condition. However, this is neither an antique nor old enough to be called vintage. That keeps the price down at this time.
HISTORICAL:
The Hermle clock factory was at Gosheim in the Black Forest region of Germany was founded by Franz in 1922 as a supplier and subcontractor for the Kienzle clock company of Schwenningen. Franz died in 1935, but had been joined by his son Gebhard in 1929. The factory was demolished during WWll but by 1951 Gebhard and a loyal staff had it up and running once again. He died in 1976, but the firm was then run by Hans and Heinrich Hermle, with 450 employees, and still one of the major suppliers of movements to the world up to today.
I have compared your Hermle Black Forest clock to other similar clocks at auction to determine the fair market value. Retail values usually will be 2-4 times the fair market value provided. The current retail price of clocks similar to yours is between $600 and $900.
Best of luck,
David