Expert: Martin Meyer - 11/21/2009

Question
what is the difference between a Herman Miller and Howard Miller grandfather clocks. I'm thinking of purchasing a clock thru Craig's List and want to know what to look for in quality. I'm willing to pay up to $1,500 for a used clock in good condition.  Any suggestions?

Answer
Hi Elaine,

Herman Miller Clocks was a started as a division of Herman Miller Company, an office furniture manufacturer in 1926. In 1937, the company changed its name to Howard Miller Clock Company. There is no longer any connection between the two companies. So, it's pretty unlikely that you'll come across any Herman Miller clocks; I've never seen one in 25 years in the clock business. It's my guess that most mentions of "Herman Miller" clocks really refer to Howard Miller clocks, and are just confusions of the names.

Aside from appearance, external condition and technical features, you should bear in mind that the average lifespan of modern (post WWII) clock movements is about 20 years, although this figure can vary hugely among individual clocks. If you purchase a 20 year old clock with an original movement that has never been replaced, chances are that you will need to have this done not too long after you buy the clock. Costs for this vary widely, but you will be spending at least several hundred dollars for a new movement. Any claims that the clock is old but has been "cleaned" recently mean almost nothing. "Cleaning" can mean a lot of things, but is never a substitute for a new movement. The clock should be running when you look at it, as opposed to being told that it runs fine but is just not level, or set up, or whatever. The chimes should be working, and not chiming slowly or stalling in the middle of chiming. If the brass on the weights or pendulum is tarnished or scratched, you will Not be able to polish them up. This is lacquered brass, and stripping, polishing and relacquering will cost more than purchasing new weight shells. Remember that cable drive (what the weights are suspended from) clocks are more expensive than chain drive clocks. And, of course, consider that the appearance of the clock tells you a lot about how well it has been taken care of. If the dial is scratched from winding or setting carelessly, if the weights are tarnished from being handled with bare hands, if the case has scratches or dings on it, then the clock may have not gotten the best care.  http://www.clockmasteronline.com