Bargain ???

[Michael20]

Against my better judgement I picked up a 2 door musical cuckoo clock for the price of a pint this week.  Having got it home a quick inspection revealed quite a list of issues.

Missing - pendulum, all 3 weights, the rear cover and gong.

Faulty - 1 of the bellows has a hole, the music box has broken teeth.

Worn - Several pivots holes, not enough to stop it working but would need attention if I decide to refurbish the movement.

There are no makers marks on the movement although it is stamped GM Angem, which I believe just means patent pending, I have read that this dates it to post WW2, I would be surprised if it was long after that because the movement has a count wheel.

I don't think the clock has any real value and to my mind the cost of putting the above right probably massively exceeds the value of the clock, especially as I will probably struggle to match replacement for the missing parts to the originals, so if I decide to proceed it will be a labour of love rather than to sell it. 

I would be grateful of any opinions on the accuracy of my comments, I'll post a few pics to help you decide but I suspect I should have spent the money on a pint.

 

 

 

[tomh207]

At least you have the clock and a challenge, you would only have been renting the pint anyway

 

Tom

[Michael20]

Thanks tomh207, that's very true.  I'm feeling better about it already !

[AndyGSi]

Are there no other details on the same side as the GM Angem?

Edit

Just realised your photo was 90Deg rotated so hadn't notice the rest of the back.

Looks very similar to this one.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1648061904/cuckoo-clock-gm-angem-for-restoration?show_sold_out_detail=1&ref=nla_listing_details

Edited November 9, 2024 by AndyGSi

[oldhippy]

A bargain it certainly is not. These types are novelty clocks. You are right about the age. Not worth spending money on. The hands are made of plastic and so are the roman numerals.

The original Cuckoo Clocks never hung on walls never had weights and certainly never had hanging pendulums hanging outside under the case. The original ones had fusee movements and you would wind them like any normal clock the pendulum would hang in side the case from the back plate, the hands and numerale were made of ivory some were decorative they would be on tables or a plinth that was fixed to the wall.  They are expensive to buy like over £2,000

Here is a picture of the sort of clock I'm talking about.

 

[Michael20]

Thanks OH, as I thought. Oh well I'll just use it to practice on but won't spend any money on it.

[watchweasol]

Hi Michael.  A nice little clock  well worth the price of a pint,  German usually could be Hubert Herr. All the points you mention  are not insurmountable, uneconomic to repair and sell but as a project well worth doing . It’s a challenge. If you need material for the bellows let me know I have sone tyveck.  I love them they are interesting.  Got two already.

[Michael1962]

I have a cuckoo clock as well that was my parents from when dad went to Germany for training prior to us going to the NT and dad working for Nabalco.

Mine is an external weight, external pendulum number as well, but it was my parents, who are both gone, so it will get rebuilt. Al lot of work required as the humidity in the NT was not a friend.

[Michael20]

So, I decided to give it a go, as you say watchweasol its a challenge. I dropped the movement into my ultrasonic bath ran it through a couple of cycles, rinsed it off and dried it with the wife's hairdryer and lo and behold it runs and strikes. I would normally strip it first but thought I'd live dangerously for once. The chains are very rusty, so I need to find a way to clean them before reassembly. I have a question and would be grateful if anybody can tell me how to work out the correct weights to use? The movement is quite small , about 7cm x 6.6cm if that helps.

[watchweasol]

Hi. I will check on both of mine , ones small one  and will post the weights on each later. One of mine goes 8 days the other 24 hrs ( regula24) the big one has weights of  1500 gram on both sides.

to clean the chains soak in vinegar or rust remover then wire brush usually shifts the rust.

[oldhippy]

Regarding weights. This list will get you started fill a bag up with how about sand or stones and adjust accordingly.  Make sure the links are closed and in good shape it will help with running the chains.

List

https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/cuckoo-clock-weights-mechanical

Edited November 11, 2024 by oldhippy

[Michael20]

Thank you both. The going train is currently running with some improvised weights totaling about 500g which I thought seemed a lot, but looking at the table maybe I'm wrong about that.

[watchweasol]

Hi Michael.     Checked the weights on the smaller clock,  both. 375 g   ..   cousins, meadows and Passmore, AG. Thomas will carry them,  all the best.

[Michael20]

Cheers watchweasol, thanks for taking the time to do that

[transporter]

if all else fails you could but a brand new movement, I have done that once before, I had done one previous where the plates are so thin that every bush needed to be rose cut then oil sinked, it was a little more work but as OH said they are novelty clocks and the movements are a bit like Hermle where it is cheaper to replace than repair.

I usually repair as it keeps the originality of the clock but sometimes customers like the cheaper option of a new movement.

The music box prongs, it may worth looking a for a new/newer music box and swapping out the prongs to see if they fit, If you know the tune that will be half the battle in finding replacements.

Cousins sell replacement bellows for a few quid and also gong wires.   

[Michael20]

On 12/2/2024 at 2:49 PM, transporter said:

if all else fails you could but a brand new movement, I have done that once before, I had done one previous where the plates are so thin that every bush needed to be rose cut then oil sinked, it was a little more work but as OH said they are novelty clocks and the movements are a bit like Hermle where it is cheaper to replace than repair.

I usually repair as it keeps the originality of the clock but sometimes customers like the cheaper option of a new movement.

The music box prongs, it may worth looking a for a new/newer music box and swapping out the prongs to see if they fit, If you know the tune that will be half the battle in finding replacements.

Cousins sell replacement bellows for a few quid and also gong wires.   

Hi transporter, I picked up 3 weights with chains and a pendulum on eBay and now have the movement working on my test stand, it seems to be running well, so fingers crossed. I bought a cheap music box on eBay, and swapped the prongs over, it works, but it isn't great so I bought a second one which should arrive later this week, this one looks closer to the original so hoping it will be a bit more tuneful. I bought the paper to repair the bellows, which looks simple enough so that's my next job when it arrives. I also found a back with the gong attached which I had to modify slightly but that now fits. It has been an interesting project so far. The wooden case needs some TLC, its covered in paint splashes which I have tried to remove but I think I am going to have to repaint at least some of it, it looks like a chocolate brown matt emulsion so I thought I might buy some tester pots to see if I can find a match. 

[watchweasol]

Well done Michael. Sometimes you can make a silk purse from a sows ear. It will have been an interesting endeavour just for the price of a pint and a canny little clock to boot.  If you ever go to York there is a Christmas shop in Stonegate that has a room full of Black Forest Clocks, some you would need a bank loan to buy.  Well done another clock saved from the scrap heap.

[Michael20]

Thanks watchweasol, I'll post some more pics when (if) its finished.

[oldhippy]

It's coming along fine by what you have done. 

[transporter]

On 12/3/2024 at 8:52 PM, Michael20 said:

Hi transporter, I picked up 3 weights with chains and a pendulum on eBay and now have the movement working on my test stand, it seems to be running well, so fingers crossed. I bought a cheap music box on eBay, and swapped the prongs over, it works, but it isn't great so I bought a second one which should arrive later this week, this one looks closer to the original so hoping it will be a bit more tuneful. I bought the paper to repair the bellows, which looks simple enough so that's my next job when it arrives. I also found a back with the gong attached which I had to modify slightly but that now fits. It has been an interesting project so far. The wooden case needs some TLC, its covered in paint splashes which I have tried to remove but I think I am going to have to repaint at least some of it, it looks like a chocolate brown matt emulsion so I thought I might buy some tester pots to see if I can find a match. 

Well Done mate, thats some good work there, you done some good research and hunting down of parts to get that going again well done, now you have started this project the confidence will grow to others and eventually you'll have a very large collection of spare parts as you'll and up buying bits that dont fit one project but will another

[Michael20]

On 12/5/2024 at 8:12 AM, oldhippy said:

It's coming along fine by what you have done. 

Thanks OH,  I know you were right about it being a novelty clock, but taking it on as a bit of fun has been quite enjoyable.

On 12/5/2024 at 3:52 PM, transporter said:

Well Done mate, thats some good work there, you done some good research and hunting down of parts to get that going again well done, now you have started this project the confidence will grow to others and eventually you'll have a very large collection of spare parts as you'll and up buying bits that dont fit one project but will another

Thanks transporter, in the interest of maintaining domestic bliss I need to be careful, what was 'the weaving room' has now become 'the clock room' the matter is still under discussion but the fact that the shelves are full of clocks and the windowsill is going the same way speaks for itself I think. The spares department is currently located in a wardrobe in the garage, once that's full I'm going to have to be really inventive - back of the sock drawer maybe