Joined: May 2018 Posts: 2,110 Threads: 110
Reputation:
22
Location: Llandrindod Wells
Car type: 29 Special, 30 RK, 28 C Cab
Hi
Just a thought, would they have been made for the Austin Works? I could see these adorning office and workshop spaces in the day.
Cheers
Howard
Joined: Dec 2019 Posts: 306 Threads: 85
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Our apologies but your mail, via the webmaster, fell through a creck during the transition of the Archivist's role. I can confirm that we have nothing in the Archive (that I know of) that refers to these clocks. Certainly, yes, they are of a standard Smiths design (I even have one in my kitchen as I type this) so the idea of adding a simple branding to the face makes sense. Indeed, I have seen the same clock with an MG emblem on it, but also know that those to have been faked as well. In the MG world, memorabilia often had a greater value than other marques so would it have been worth faking one with the Austin logo? Perhaps, perhaps not. We will never know. Yours does seem to have a certain patina about it, so it could well be original...
Sorry not to be of more help...
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 1,647 Threads: 23
Reputation:
15
Location: The village of Evenley
Car type: 1934 Austin Seven RP Deluxe
Graham, does it have the original movement? If so, that may provide some information, my pal has a few genuine ones and I can do a comparison…I think Tony Betts knows a thing or two about these as well…
Joined: Dec 2019 Posts: 306 Threads: 85
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That looks the same mechanism as I have on my clock. They are very simple to deal with (on mine, anyway) there is a small recessed screw that holds the rear cover on the mech then 3(?) screws that holds the electric motor on the geartrain. I have, on odd occasions, removed the motor and applied *very* small amounts of 3-in-1 to the gears and spun them over by my finger to spread the oil about. The motor is reliable and my clock keeps time, almost to the second. It is one of my favourite pieces...
Joined: Jul 2021 Posts: 36 Threads: 7
Reputation:
0
Location: Bath
Car type: 1937 ARR Ruby / 1928 RF (3)
Guess you are lucky! - Mine is clockwork, with a BIG spring, and I have to wind it up once a week. At the moment I have no need to take it apart as it's working well,and any repair will tend to upset the patina.
Graham
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 3,012 Threads: 168
Reputation:
37
Location: Sherwood Forest
Car type: 1938 Talbot Ten Airline
I'm pretty sure that's genuine - I had the opportunity to buy one very much like that fifty, maybe even nearly sixty, years ago; I didn't bother. I seem to recall the asking price was £5, for which I could have bought a complete Seven!
Joined: Dec 2019 Posts: 306 Threads: 85
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3
Ah, well that would explain why there is no flex leading to the motor. I did wonder!! :o)
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 970 Threads: 117
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Location: Melton Mowbray.
My friends in the Ex Austin Apprentices Assn. are thinking it's genuine.
Clock.1.JPG (Size: 635.84 KB / Downloads: 381)
