Hello Bette,
Thank you for sending in your German made Hall clock to mearto.com for an appraisal. I shall try to help you with that today.
TITLE:
Art Deco, dark stained hardwood (oak or walnut), two weight, eight day time and striking, dome-shaped Hall clock (name for the modern grandfather clock) with 24 hour dial, unsigned, but attributed to the Junghans Clock Company, made in Germany, circa 1920-1930s. The clock was repaired by Carl Shreiber, Master Clockmaker in Könnern, Germany in the contemporary era.
DESCRIPTION:
CASE - 78" x 23" dark stained solid oak (? walnut) Hall clock with dome shaped pediment. There are applied ‘C’- shaped foliate moldings around the upper façade of the case which surround the glazed brass dial bezel. These continue down the sides of the case as far as the base, as concave moldings. Below the bezel there is a shaped glazed waist door with applied fruits/flowers and ‘C’ scrollwork at the upper end. The glass allows one to see the descent of the two brass canister weights and the arc of the pendulum as it swings. The short horizontal base has applied foliate ornaments at the center with molded borders above and below, and the case rests on large wooden ball feet. . .
DIAL: A round brass plated white metal dial with black Arabic hours (1-12), segmented closed minute ring with second Arabic hour chapter (13-24) placed every five minutes. Recessed dial center with an embossed brass foliate design and uses steel Continental-type Spade hands. The dial is unsigned. . .
MOVEMENT - NOT FULLY SHOWN, but a German made, two train with two pull up link chain weights. These weights power the movement which has solid brass plates, and is of eight day duration with chiming on a set of eight metal rods, four rods to either side struck by eight movement hammers, four to each side. This model movement is attributed to the Junghans Clock Company in Germany post WWI. The movement would have sprocket gears to take up the chains of the two polished brass canister weights (not shown), with wooden pendulum rod and ornate brass bob below. The weights are wound by manually pulling up the chains. . .
CONDITION - The clock case has several bubbles or lifting of the veneer at the base. Otherwise the case is in good condition. The dial is fair. There is oxidation of the underlying base metal with wearing away of the brass finish, especially in the minute ring at the edge of the dial. I make the assumption it is fully functional today. . .
COMMENTARY:
These unsigned German clocks came to market post WW I and were left unsigned because the German clockmakers did not feel they would sell in the English speaking countries after the war. They were excellent timekeepers and were made in very large numbers between the two World Wars. The 24 hour dial was taken from the watches and clocks used by the military during WW I. This is a very aesthetically pleasing Hall clock from the Art Deco years. {Hall clock are the names given to modern grandfather clocks with glass doors and ornate weights and pendulum.} The biggest hurt to value is the ongoing damage from oxidation to the dial plate.
Comparing this example to others selling at auction today I believe their fair market value ranges between $300 and $400. Retail prices would generally be considerably more.
I hope this information has been of some help to you.
My best,
David