Expert: John Newman - 8/27/2009

Question
Hello there,
I have a Forestville clock that my grandmother has given me, she says it needs fixing but I wound it with the key, and it started to work for me.  Now I am wondering if you can help me figure out info on the clock.  It has Forestville written on the front and it has west Germany at the bottom of the face.  In the back it has a date, I think, stamped on it 1/68/2.  Other than that I don't have much more info on it.  Also when the minute hand is pointing at the 9 it thinks that it is pointing at 12 and it chimes saying it is (blank)O'Clock.
Here is a website with some pics.
http://picasaweb.google.ca/saabwiz91/ForestvilleClock?authkey=Gv1sRgCN3Sx6-jso7L...

Thanks

Answer
Saab, there is an extended history of the Forestville clocks.  I believe it started out as the Forestville Mfg Company in Bristol, Conn., and then became the Forestville Clock Company in Forestville, Conn.  Your clock has the Forestville name on it and I have attached another explanation at the end of my answer.  The clock movement, a Hermle 340-020 uses a balance wheel rather than a pendulum for a regulator.  It was manufactured in Germany by Hermle (Franz Hermle and Sohn) in 1978.  It is what I have classified as a "Modern Production Movement", as that model is still manufactured as an exact replacement.

What happened with your clock is that at one time the minute hand nut came off along with the hand and it was reinstalled pointing to the wrong quarter.  The handshaft is square which means the hand can be installed in one of four positions, only one being correct.  You can correct this as follows.  Disregard the positions of the hands.  Turn the minute hand through the quarters until the hour chime plays its tune and the hour strikes.  Count the number of strikes.  According to your explanation, the minute hand should be pointing to the nine.  Do not turn either hand.  Loosen and remove the hand nut and the minute hand.  Reinstall the minute hand so it points to the twelve.  Reinstall the hand nut and tighten.  I always use a pair of pliers to slightly tighten the nut a little tighter than hand tight, but not too much.  This keeps it from coming off again.  If the hour hand isn't pointing exactly to the hour that just struck, you can carefully slip it around to that hour.  Now use the minute hand to set the clock to the correct time.  That should do it.

On the history of the Forestville name, Michael Radi, another Allexperts member recently wrote in part:


"Forestville was an American company that manufactured clocks as well as imported them. They would have the German company stamp their name on the clock movements before exporting them to the U.S.

Here is a little history on Forestville:
J.C. Brown (Johnathan Clark Brown, Jr.) was born in 1807, and died in 1872. He had various business partners from 1832 until 1842 when he bought out Wm. Hills, and formed J.C. Brown & Co. He used both his own name and Forestville Mfg. Co. on the labels.
From 1847-1855 he conducted business without partners as the Forestville Manufacturing Company or the Forrestville Clock Manufactory.
Brown’s business failed in 1855, and he was bought out by E.N. Welch. The J.C. Brown factory became part of the E.N. Welch clock manufacturing complex."


I believe the first paragraph refers to the more modern clocks and then he gives a little history of the original Forestville company.

I hope this helps a little.


John Newman
THE VILLAGE CLOCKSMITH
Old Prattvillage
Prattville, Alabama