Expert: John Newman - 12/8/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi John,

I had a nice working wall clock and left it with an antique dealer to sell it for me. To make a long story short the store changed hands and when I took my clock back there were parts missing.
On of those parts is the pendulum hanger. I need one about 3" overall length. The tricky thing is that the fixture on the back wall of the clock only has a narrow slit in it, unlike on other clocks where it may be a bit wider and there is a little bar that goes through.
The pendulum itself has the typical end that looks like two flat hooks bent over, rather like if you bend two fingers of your hand to hang on to something. I'd like to send you a picture of the pendulum end but I can't figure out hoe to send two photos.
So, down to the question, do you know where I can get the hanger I need?

Many thanks.

ANSWER: Barry, I'm sorry that the antique dealer did not keep your clock in the original condition in which it was in when you gave it to them.  There are many different Vienna Regulators and to choose the correct hanger, the rest of the mechanisms have to be known.  It could be that the hanger and suspension spring could be one piece or the suspension spring and hanger might be two separate pieces.  Also the hanger rod must be the proper diameter to interface with the crutch, and the end of the hanger must fit the pendulum top hook.  The last factor is that the hanger (and thickness of the suspension spring) must be correct obtain the proper regulation for timing.  The only way this can be done is by an experienced clockmaker by referencing similar movements and trying different components until the correct ones are chosen.  Sorry I cannot help you with this.

John Newman
THE VILLAGE CLOCKSMITH
Old Prattvillage
Prattville, Alabama

Barry, after reading your follow-up comments, I understood that I did not give you any references to research what you needed.  You stated, "I would have liked some recommendations on where to go to research what I needed."  If you will go back to my answer you will see that there are quite a number of factors in determining what you need.  There are clock suppliers that will sell you parts.  Most of them will briefly try to help you determine what parts you need.  But without a movement number that is very seldom found on antique clocks and the fact that there would not be any standard descriptions for components, you are going to have to know the pertinent data such as I have described above.  There is very little data or information on the Vienna Regulators, true antiques, and you have to have some references, such as clock books with breakdowns of antique clocks.  They can be ordered through catalogs from the suppliers, such as Timesavers, Merritts Antiques, R %26 M Imports, etc.  Some of these have On-line catalogs.  All of these names, suppliers, etc. I have given you can be Googled.  I don't know of anything else to tell you.  You might want to try asking one of the other clock people on Allexperts.

John Newman  



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

QUESTION: John, thanks for the follow-up answer. I discovered something new last night that you might find interesting. The metal nub, with the vertical slit in it, which is where the suspension spring hangs, has a notch along the top of it. The notch is about 3/8" long running along the length. This jogged my memory of what the suspension spring looked like before it was lost. Clearly an attachment on the top of the spring rested in that notch to stop the spring slipping through. This has given me something to work on. I have several long cases and two Viennas (the other Vienna is a Remember and is a little different) and have worked on clocks quite a bit and I would rather spend a few dollars playing with it myself before putting it in someone's hands (we only have one person in town and therefore he charges a fortune to look at something!) Besides, it is a lot of fun!
Thanks for your words of advice,
Barry

Answer
Barry, I have worked on quite a few as you describe.  There are many clocks vintage and modern that use the slitted suspension post.  One type has a thin leaf suspension spring that fits in the slit and there can be a small punched dimple at the top of the spring to keep it secure.  Others have a small hole drilled in the top with a price of twisted wire through the hole.  Other clocks, especially the Vienna regulators have a suspension spring with has two vertical leaves and blocks at the top and the bottom of the leaves.  The slot in the suspension post is wide enough to allow the top block to be inserted.  there is a hole in the suspension post and one in the top block.  A pin would go through both to hold the suspension spring.

John Newman