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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;afantiques, post: 154589, member: 25&quot;]It would be a good idea to do a few simple tests to see why it does not work. The first is to see if the spring will wind. The second is to look in the window at the top and see if the balance wheel will swing if the clock is twisted in a horizontal plane. If it is wound up already at least the spring is OK. If the balance wheel will swing for a few ticks, that is probably OK, so the problem is likely to be simple neglect. Springs get gummed up with old dried oil. They also become less springy after many years and should be replaced, but the hedge repairer&#039;s cure of pulling the spring out straightish, then refitting it does work after a fashion.</p><p>Cleaning a simple timepiece (that one is a carriage timepiece, not a carriage clock, as clock is the term for a striking clock, a timepiece is a non striking clock) takes from an hour to three hours depending on how slow or thorough you are.</p><p><br /></p><p>There are so few clock repairers left that they tend to charge what they like, all accounts I hear of prices seem absurdly high, usually more than the cost of a similar item in full working order.</p><p><br /></p><p>This timepiece is as basic as they come. It has a standard obis size corniche case with what appears to be a cylinder escapement. Round here (England) I could buy one as described for about $50 to $60 equivalent in that condition (auction prices). Repair except as a do it yourself project is usually uneconomical, I&#039;m sorry to say. If the balance staff of a cylinder escapement is broken, replacing it is a very highly skilled and expensive job, despite the fact that the cylinder escapement was the cheapest form of escapement originally. Replacement platform escapements have also become far more expensive than they were 30 years ago.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I&#039;d date that one as early 20th C and the actual maker will have to be some blokes in a French shed somewhere, all the better makers marked the movements. Not that it matters, there were no actual bad ones, just good and better.</p><p><br /></p><p>As a matter of interest, normal auction prices locally for carriage clocks in working order are as follows.</p><p><br /></p><p>Cylinder escapement timepiece ======= £60</p><p>Lever escapement timepice, replaced platform escapement, about the same.</p><p>Original lever escapement timeoiece, ===== £75</p><p>Gong striking clock,=========== £150</p><p>Bell striking clock (these are earlier)======== £200</p><p>Gong strike and hour repeating clock====== £250</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>These prices are for standard corniche cased examples, fancier cases and dials usually add to the price unless you get lucky, which happens now and again if you know what to look for.</p><p><br /></p><p>Grand sonnerie striking and repeating clocks usually start around £800-£1000, these strike the hour and quarter every quarter hour and it is also possible to find variations on repeaters up to minute repeaters, at very high prices. The more extreme types were very expensive new and remain so.</p><p><br /></p><p>A British made carriage clock with a miniature double fusee movement in a small wooden case would probably cost over £4000 if you could find one.</p><p><br /></p><p>Prices of the basic types of carriage timepiece and clock have dropped about half in the last 20 years, as the casual buyer has almost vanished, but prices for clocks that appeal to the more serious collector have more or less stayed steady and prices for rarities have increased, sometimes substantially.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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