Featured Ansonia School Clock

Another item from a customer of our lock shop - my son told her I know all about antiques.

I found a couple of sites for Ansonia School Clocks, but as you know, what they say they are charging and what they are really worth is two different things.

It seems to be in good condition and she said it works.

 

The more correct term is a drop-dial clock, or in this case a timepiece as it does not strike.

Fairly common, but I have no idea what the US market is like for US clocks; over here I'd see an auction estimate around the equivalent of $100.

 

So any time-telling thing is a clock if it strikes (like a grandfather CLOCK) and if it doesn't, it's a timepiece. I never knew any better than to call anything with a face that kept time a clock. Thank you.

 

Most people do not. There are also chiming clocks where the quarts are also struck on 4 or more notes. A two note quarter is either a ting-tang or a bim bam. (no, really, I am not making this stuff up.

 

Hi Gila,
Afantiques knows his clocks and timepieces. Remember a regulator shows the time but does not chime or strike. If it did it would throw off the time.
greg

 

I completely believe you, AF AND Greggsie. Once when I was at a very nice restaurant in Mexico, I overheard a hushed but frenzied debate between two men at a nearby table. I listenend and listened (yes, I have a little issue with curiosity sometimes). I finally understood that they were arguing over variations in shoe leather, and the implications for marketing. Types, thicknesses, methods of securing soles to shoes, aesthetics thereof. They were both very well-dressed and well-groomed, and spoke in elegant Spanish. Their passion was palpable. I thought to myself... there are specialties within specialties within specialties, and the sophistication and intelligence involved is something few of us ever observe. You two reminded me of those guys!

 

Gila, I remember once encountering AF on a different board, many long years ago...

I very naively mentioned that I had a watch that had been "over-wound" (which is what I had been told was wrong with it) and AF set me straight!

As you said:

there are specialties within specialties within specialties, and the sophistication and intelligence involved is something few of us ever observe

Let's just agree that AF knows his stuff - and we can ALL learn from him!

 

I second all that.
Reading these forums is like eaves-dropping on these kinds of high-level discussions!
Minus any embarrassment factors... like when I was listening in on those guys, I sneakily (or so I thought) moved myself and my lunch to a table beside theirs. As they were leaving, one of them said to me "I trust we didn't bore you". Gahhhhh...

 

Bev-
Here in CA, clocks/timepieces have dropped in value. Sales have slowed considerably on these items.

One of my customers repairs clocks and puts them in my store on consignment. At first they would sell in maybe 4-6 months time and at a decent price. Now they are sitting much longer and the prices he's asking are much lower than when he first brought them in - which was about 3 years ago.

 

Clocks seen to be unfashionable in the UK as well. Prices are half what they were 30 years ago. Antiques do not always get more expensive with age. If there is no large popular demand only the very finest and rarest examples show any appreciation in value.

 

Was at an auction a few months back with 60+ wall and mantle clocks from various makers. My father purchased an old Ansonia that is nice but not as nice as this piece. Most of clocks sold in the $25-$100 range. A few dealers purchased several dozen each so there must be some resale interest.

 

See? That's why I asked here. I found one very fancy website where they were offering these for sale at over $500!

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=ansonia+school+clock#q=ansonia+school+clock&tbm=shop

The couple has moved from a house into a small apartment and they're downsizing. I think she'd like to get more money, but the cost of shipping combined with what everyone is saying about the lower value will probably put a damper on that.

 

There are several similar clocks in ebay sold listings. You will have to sift through some here that are not similar but there are a fair number that are.......

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?LH_C...sacat=0&_nkw=antique+ansonia+wall+clock&rt=nc

Seems that the Ansonia bring more than some of the other brands.