Expert: Kenneth Saunders - 1/13/2009

Question
QUESTION: HI, I am curious about the date of manufacture of a mantel clock I have been given. It is a "Perfecta" mantel clock with three winders and Westminster chime. The movement is a Hermle movement stamped FHS over a clock-face logo, then underneath "Germany", "11cm", and finally "200 8". (I was given the clock in 2006 so I'm pretty sure that's not the date of manufacture!) Thank you for your time!

ANSWER: 200 8    does not compute - up till 1985 Hermle stamped the last two digits of the year --1974= "74"   in 1985 they began with "A" and are running thru the alphabet now. Must be you mis read what is stamped? got a photo you can attach?

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks so much for your reply - I have attached a picture.  I examined it as closely as I could and I can't make anything else of the number but 200<space>8.  11cm I suppose is the pendulum size, which is missing.

The clock is a little battered but the movement and chimes work just fine, although very fast of course and one of the chime hammers makes more of a thud than a chime. The face is white enamel with Art-Deco-ish numbers - if I can attach another pic I will send one of the front.

Answer
yes an older unit - bend the round brass handles of the hammers so the rest position is about 1/8" above the chime rods to get the sound best. 11cm is the pendulum length from the top most part to the bottom of the bob that you do not have - so about 4 1/4" overall - you can bend up a wire hook with some kind of weight on it about 1-2oz. and keep playing with the length till you get the speed right.