Expert: Kenneth Saunders - 9/12/2009

Question
I just inherited a Furtwangler FLS Grandfather clock which is about six  feet tall with a burled walnut base and a brass clock face. It has three weights.  I want to know how to properly set it and wonder how old it is.  Many thanks.
Jerry

Answer
L. FURTWANGLER & SOHNE in Furtwangen Germany.  It would suspect the clock was made between 1836 and 1868 at which time the firm became UHRENFABRIK vormeals (former) L. FURTWANGLER & SOHNE.  There is also the possability that it was madethe clock making family of Lorenz Furtwangler & Sons is said to have begun making clocks in 1836 and stopped business in 1929 between 1900 and 1918.The firm had began in 1836 when Lorenz Furtwangler ( 1807 - 66 ) established his own workshop. Lorenz had four sons who took over the businsss at his death and renamed it ' L Furtwangler's Sons' clock Factory ' in 1868. the factory developed and was provided with water and steam power, and it obtained a reputation for very solid movemens with high quality finish. Mantel clocks, wall clocks, and longcase clocks were made. The trademark of the letters LFS inside a wheel was registered in 1881 and 1895. In 1900 the firm was incorporated as ' L Furtwangler Sohne AG 'and four year later as ' Uhrenfabrik vormals L. Furtwangler Sohne Furtwangen. ..... The firm even produced cuckoo clocks but the main product was movements of high quality, which could not compete during the 1920s and so the firm, even though it had broadened its programme to include business machines unfortunately ended operation in 1929.
One's first sight of a Furtwangan clock gives the impression that it is something special "

The above account was taken from an article "The Furtwangen factory" written by E J Tyler. It was
published in the September 1987 issue of CLOCKS
a UK monthly magazine .

-------I want to know how to properly set it-- not sure what you need to know - move the minute hand clockwise to the correct time- any problems --ask again