Antique Carriage Clocks

Antique Carriage Clocks

Have you ever tried finding a gift for someone who has everything, or is just plain hard to buy for?  What about a distant relative that you want to impress, but have no idea where to start?  Are you interested in getting your spouse interested in antiques, but aren’t sure how to begin?  Here’s the perfect solution: antique carriage clocks.

First developed in 19th century Austria, these clocks are encased in a rectangular box with a carrying handle on the top.  The antique carriage clocks you’ll most commonly find are set with glass, but every once in awhile you’ll see more elaborately designed pieces with enamel or porcelain panels.  They were originally designed to be sturdy timepieces for traveling, often coming with their own sturdy leather traveling case.  Over time they became more ornate and a standard of home decor among the upper classes.

The numbers are almost always roman numerals, but beyond this there is often very little similarity from one design to the next.  This means that if you have a specific room in your house in mind, chances are you’ll find a number of antique carriage clocks that will fit perfectly on your mantelpiece.  Some also include barometers, calendar information, or display temperature levels.

While a few years ago these were easy to find anywhere, they’ve begun to catch on.  Their simple beauty and ability to work with a variety of decors means that if you want antique carriage clocks, you’ll have to hunt around a little.  Scouring online auction sites is one option, but they can often be found in online stores.  If you want a bargain, it’s a good idea to check out the antique hunter’s secret weapon: flea markets.  You never know what you might find!  If price is no object, however, it’s a good idea to go to an antique specialist who can ensure that not only are you receiving a product that works, but that is genuine.

There are a few ways you can check to make sure that the antique carriage clocks you’re looking at are genuine, rather than modern re-creations.  The first tell-tale sign will be a solid brass case.  This was a standard for a long time, but modern manufacturers often look for a cheaper alternative or one that is assembled from many pieces.  Ideally a true antique will come with the leather case that conventionally housed these clocks on long journeys, but to be fair these often didn’t survive the test of time.

The other sure sign that you’re dealing with a re-creation will be the lack of internal mechanisms.  Obviously there were no batteries in the 19th century, so make sure that the unit is powered by a spring.  Typically an antique clock can go just eight days before needing to be wound again.

The good news is that they’re extremely sturdy, and won’t require too much attention beyond winding to keep accurate time.   Antique carriage clocks are also perfect choice when only a gift of high quality will do.