Hello Lynnette,
Thank you for sending in this standing floor clock to mearto.com for an appraisal.
TITLE:
Dark walnut stained hardwood, two weight, eight day time and hourly striking Hall clock with 24 hour dial, made by Kienzle Clock Factory, Schwenningen, Black Forest region, Germany, circa 1960s.
PROVENANCE:
My parents bought it new in the 1960s when dad was stationed in Frankfort Germany.
DESCRIPTION:
Case: Size not shared with me. This is a standing floor clock called a Hall clock (modern name for the grandfather clock). It is stained a dark walnut and the case is a hardwood case of undetermined origin, perhaps linden-wood in the 1960s. Essentially a strictly rectangular shaped case there is a caddy top pediment above the flat top of the Hall clock. Below the top is a rectangular door divided into two parts. The square upper section has a square wooden dial mask surrounding the glass overlying the circular dial. Below and part of the same door is beveled glass longer and larger section through which one can observe the decent of the two weights (weights not shown) and the arc of the wooden pendulum rod. However they hang from brass link chain and manually wound by pulling them up onto the sprocket gearing within the movement. The movement is NOT wound from the dial. (Unfortunately I cannot tell if this clock was made with two or three weights but it appears to be two sets of chains that I see.) One of the weights appears to have broken off and is not on the clock. Below the door is a horizontally aligned rectangular brass wooden base sitting on a base moulding with straight bracket feet and a straight undecorated apron.
Dial: Round brass dial with enameled black upright Arabic hours (1-12), open dotted minute track with a second set of Arabic hour numerals for hours 13-24. 24 hour dial were often used on clocks made in proximity to Wars and in this case I assume either WWII or the Korean War or the War in Vietnam. There are continental type steel Spade hands but no signature on the dial, but I do see an original Kienzle label with the winged clock dial last registered in 1921.
Movement: Not shown. Most likely a fenestrated brass plate two weight movement
With anchor escapement, cut steel pinions, steel arbors flywheel and rack and snail striking powered by two brass canister weights of eight day duration and striking four varying length metal rods on the hour and half hour. Since there are multiple rods there must be as many movement hammers as well.
Most importantly I will just assume that the movement which slips into a shelf inside the case is assumed original to this case, genuine and functional.
CONDITION:
Case – Very simple lines in a mid-20th century modern look. In good condition with a nice old patina to the wood.
Dial: Excellent condition.
Movement: Not shown but assume original and in good condition.
HISTORY of the Kienzle Clock Company:
What today is the Kienzle clock factory was founded in 1822 in Schwenningen Germany by Johannes Schlenker. Schlenker was a master watchmaker. Ownership passed to his son Christian who became partners with his son-in-law Jacob Kienzle (1859-1935). Kienzle has trained under his own uncle, noted clockmaker, Friedrich Mauthe. Their partnership, known as Schlenker & Kienzle lasts from 1883-1897. After 1897 Kienzle is the sole owner of the business and by this time the company is producing about 250,000 clocks per year. Their major products before 1900 were wall clocks with and without alarm. Under Kienzle’s direction the company grew rapidly, adding factories in Czechoslovakia, Milan and Paris. In 1919 the name changed to Kienzle Uhrenfabriken (clock factory) and the clock/watch dial with the flying wings became the trademark for the company. In 1929 Kienzle merged with Thomas Ernst Haller, and by 1939 it had 3500 employees and produced 5,000,000 clocks per year. In the second half of the 20th century Kienzle focused on watch production and still produces movements for the wholesale trade. The use of the trademark of the dial and wings was first issued on June 4, 1910. They continued to use this trademark until about 1929. There were many Kienzle trademarks over the years but the only other one with wings was a K within a circle with flying wings and that was in the year 1921.
COMPARABLES:
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/101768581_german-kienzle-grandfather-clock (SIMILAR EXAMPLE SOLD IN 2021 FOR $50)
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/111012360_german-kienzle-grandfather-clock-circa-1920 (sold for $100 in 2021)
https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/cantilever-grandfather-clock-art-nouveau-around-1-1300-c-ac44263b62# (more elaborate and sold for 650 Euros in 2020)
https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/german-kienzle-grandfather-clock-art-nouveau-1900-3075-c-f46429b91f (passed with a minimum bid of $200)
PRICING:
I do like the form and style of your family Hall clock but it just does not bring much on the open market today. There has been a gradual and steady decline in the value of Hall clocks sing the end of the first decade of the 21st century. Newer generations are not interested in the mechanics and size of such clocks as they look for smaller homes and smaller apartments. Such Hall clocks were made by the hundreds of thousands by several companies in Germany, American and England.
The fair market value, I am sorry to report, would be in the $100-$150 range.
Thank you for choosing mearto.com for your appraisal.
My best,
David
_______________________________________________________________________
Dear Lynnette,
Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry. So that I may best assist you, can you please tell me:
1- Height of the clock case?
2 - How many weights did this clock have?
Thank you
David