Online Clocks Guide | The Classic Elegance of the Brass Carriage Clock

The Classic Elegance of the Brass Carriage Clock

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Artisans have preferences as to what medium they use. Some carvers like stone. Others use wood. Each artist has a medium that he’s comfortable with, and most will tell you the medium affects the craft as much as any other component will.

Most Carriage Clock designers used brass. There are a lot of reasons why this was so. First off, the metal had malleable properties, a must-have for those planning to design with metals. Zinc and copper were combined to make brass and each variation in the proportion equaled to a different kind of brass. Brass had a higher malleability than either zinc or copper. There are hard brasses and soft ones. This is valuable to an artisan so he can either remold or cast the figure as he likes it with room for mistakes.

More zinc will make silverish brass while more copper made a red-brown hue. Brass is a good substitution alloy for decorative pieces like those in clocks because it has bright gold-like or silver-like appearance but were not as expensive as the two. Polished brass can be used to cast off reflections like a mirror and is also relatively resistant to tarnishing.

Because of the inexpensiveness of the material, it was easy to mass produce. The clock case and the spring mechanism were made in two workshops. The clockmaker would then combine the two together, put his name in the face and place a dial somewhere in the movement.
Carriage clocks also had tunes and melodies placed in them. Some are even meant to play songs every time the hour strikes. The auditory sensation was an add-on, and these added to the value in terms of collecting clocks.

Although brass is more common than other carriage clocks, this by no means gives them lesser value. This was the true challenge of the artisan, to make a beautiful, valuable work of art from an inexpensive medium. Brass Carriage wall clocks are good collectibles because they become conversation pieces when placed in mantels and other parts of the house.

Thereby, the collection should be well taken care of by dusting regularly. As much as possible, the owner should not let dust accumulate in the piece because this will tarnish the brass. Abrasive cleaners are a No-no, as well as scouring pads. Do not try to lacquer antique carriage clocks also. Although this chemical is used for conventional brass objects, antique carriage clocks are a different matter. Because of the delicacy of the parts, harsh chemicals may ruin their natural movement.

Use a mild commercial brass cleaner. Read the instructions and ingredients carefully though. There may be some chemicals that can not only wipe off dirt but wipe off the natural protective layer of the brass. Use soft cloth when cleaning and dry off with another dry, soft material.

Make sure that the clock is displayed in a clean, dry area where there is not too much air, heat and moisture exposure. These elements will help tarnish brass earlier.

Finally, a strong appreciation for the collection is a must when it comes to dealing with antique brass pieces. More than anything, the mindset should be that it is simply not an object of pure functionality but an artisan’s hand for expression.

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