Grandfather Clocks – Part 2

Did you know?

About Grandfather Clocks – Part 2

There’s more to these clocks than the name suggests.
For one thing, they come in different sizes.

Although there’s no official agreement on size, it has led some people to categorize the clocks using different names.

They suggest Grandfather Clocks must be at least 6 foot and 3 inches tall (i.e., 75 inches, or 190.5 centimeters).

The next size down is referred to as a Grandmother Clock, measuring less than 75 inches tall and down to about 60 inches (about 152 cm). They also tend to be less bulky, with a slimmer case, which means they’re easier to fit into a smaller room or even a hallway.

The smallest category of these clocks is called a Granddaughter Clock. They stand between 3 feet (91 cm) and 5 feet (152 cm) and came into vogue about ninety years ago. A distinguishing feature is their clock face, which will mostly have painted numbers rather than the delicate engravings of the more stately clocks. The case is usually made from veneered plywood, rather than solid wood.

Soon after they were first built, clock makers offered a choice between one-day movements and eight-day movements. I’ll talk more about how these old clocks worked in a later post. For now, just remember these clocks used springs and pendulums (there were no batteries!). It meant the spring had to be wound up tight, either every day (for the one-day movements) or once a week for the eight-day movements. The one-day movement was cheaper to build and was aimed at those who could not afford the more complicated eight-day movement.