Hello Gregory,
Thank you for sending in this wall clock to mearto.com for an appraisal. I shall try to help you with that today.
TITLE:
Art Deco, mahoganized hardwood (possibly oak or linden wood), dual spring, eight day time and chiming, wall “box” clock, unsigned, and attributed to the Hamburg American Clock Company, Schramberg, Germany, circa 1920s.
DESCRIPTION:
Case: (SIZE NOT PROVIDED) – mahogany stained wall hung “box” clock (a type of clock commonly made in both England and Germany). The rectilinear box clock has an arched pediment with applied ovoid wooden decorative panel at the center. Below is an overhung ogival moulded cornice over the rectilinear main case.
The rectangular wooden dial door is divided into two parts: the upper square section has a glass overlying the dial while the larger section below is divided by two vertical wooden strips of moulding into three beveled glass sections through which one can see the arc of the wooden pendulum of and gilt round bob. The door has vertical reeding to both side-rails with flat pilasters above and below. The case latching is on the left side of the case. The sides of the case are glazed. There is a simple horizontal cornice below the door and no pedestal base.
Dial: Square silvered 12 hour dial with upright enameled black Arabic hours (1-12) on a slightly raised hour chapter ring, closed bar minute track, steel Continental style Spade hands and in the four corners a pattern of light and dark Cubist geometric patterns, a spandrel that is reminiscent of the work seen on HA Clock Company dials. (See the following dial - https://instappraisal.com/appraisal/hamburg-american-wall-regulator-clock
Movement: Not shown but most likely a rectilinear solid brass plate movement with tubular pillars connecting the two plates which are screwed together at the back plate. There is an anchor recoil escapement, rack and snail striking on a set of metal rods of varying length. Chiming may be on the hour and half hour or every quarter hour. A long pendulum rod with gilt metal round bob swings in the case below with a measure ruler at the base of the inner backboard used for balancing the movement. The movement likely has lantern pinions rather than cut steel pinions. The clock is powered by dual steel springs. The movement may have a marking or logo on the lower Back plate??
Condition: Case - In very good condition with no major damage but the usual amount of nicks and scuffing from usage. Dial – Good with scratches and scattered darkened speckles of silver oxidation. Movement: Not seen but will assume it is original to this case, genuine and functional. There is some damage to the finished surface of the bob.
HISTORY:
Hamburg American HAC/HAU::: This German Company was founded as Landenberger and Lang by Paul Landenberger and Philip Lang in 1875.A Junghans family son-in-law, Paul Landenburger, had left the Junghans business to form his own company. Initially they were a clock movement manufacturer producing movements that resembled the Parisian movement model (round brass movements). They first registered as the Hamburg-Amerikanische Uhrenfabrik (HAU) in 1886. They were located in Schramberg, Germany in the Black Forest region. Their first trademark was a complicated design of eagle and flag, while the HAU was first registered in 1891. Shortly thereafter they registered their best known crossed arrows trademark in 1892, first for home use and then again 10 days later for international use. In 1893 they also used a beehive and in 1905 a lamp of wisdom trademark. As the company grew they produced clocks of all types, cases and parts, both wholesale and retail. They created both simple clocks and complicated "industrial" line of clocks. In 1926 they formed a cooperative with Junghans, their greatest competitor. The two companies merged in 1930 under the name Gebruder Junghans. In the first decade of the 20th century they developed ties to English clockmaking giants Grimshaw and Baxter and the Enfield Clock Company, both companies also using the crossed arrow as a trademark at different times. Initially, in England, HAC had a warehouse for the wholesale trade. In 1907 they had their own company in England under, the HAC name, mainly for the importation of clocks.
COMPARABLES:
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/66016898_a-hamburg-american-box-regulator-wall-clock (SOLD FOR $80 IN 2018)
https://www.barnebys.com/realized-prices/lot/hamburg-american-wall-clock-germany-1920s-number-1073-6YnVCgimMc 9sold ion 2016 for $83)
https://www.barnebys.com/realized-prices/lot/hac-art-deco-beveled-glass-wall-clock-3S5EOSC-yP (sold in 2016 for $45 in 2016, note the spandrels)
https://www.barnebys.com/realized-prices/lot/a-hamburg-american-box-regulator-wall-clock-s13rGG6sUF (Brought $85 in 2018 and was withdrawn.)
https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/hamburg-american-clock-company-wall-clock-403-c-a8b46cdac9 (sold for $25 in 2020)
PRICING:
The fair market value of your unsigned German made box wall clock from the 1920’s era is in the range of $50-$75 with the retail value about twice that. Following WWI the German clockmakers tried to regain their pre-war market share but were hesitant to put their names on the clock because their major sales were to the Allied countries like England and America and Canada who the German felt would not buy a German product if they knew it was made in Germany, so they left their company names off the clocks hoping for greater sales. I hope you this help you with understanding the position in history that this simple wall clock played. Prior to the war Germany could produce a finer product than either America or England in terms of clocks and sell them at a cheaper price point. The war destroyed that, but they did make a decent comeback during the 1920s and 1930s until another tyrant took them to War once again. The factories were totally destroyed across the country.
Thank you for choosing mearto.com for your appraisal. It was my pleasure to help you and I wish it could have been with a stronger price, but these clocks were made by the tens of thousands and are still around today primarily for that reason.
My best,
David