Friday 22 july 2016 restoration of a french black marble slate clock this clock was in rather a sorry state having been sat in a damp environment and had not been working for a few decades.
Black marble clock restoration.
Apparently this was the second.
The vast majority black marble clocks date from around the 1850s onwards so this is an interesting early example.
Antique j e caldwell french mantel clock set w urns marble bronze 19th c exlnt.
It is a belgian calcite with a slightly porous texture.
None the less it has sentimental value to the owner who wanted the clock to be restored throughout.
A decorative french style bracket clock raised on stand the clock with decoratively painted black crackle ware case surmounted by a gilt metal cherub and with gilt metal mounts raised on a tall plinth with red marble top repair to corner of marble show 1 more like this.
Generally known as black slate clocks by the trade the stone is in fact neither marble nor slate.
Well there was some truth in that as i am always on the look out for clocks to restore and this clock certainly would benefit from some restoration.
Marble is a much harder imperveous stone and these clocks were often inlaid with genuine marble to give them a little style and colour.
I found the best results was a good slow build up of shine using spit polish with a good quality black shoe polish followed by one a coating of microcrystalline wax.
French movements with silk suspensions are very rare in black marble clocks.
Hills antique clocks repair restoration sales 508 429 1000 448 french onyx crystal regulator with mercury pendulum 8 day time and strike.
625 french black marble mantle clock 8 day time and strike on bell 576 fancy french crystal regulator mercury pendulum 8 day time and strike 10 5 tall.
They are however frequently found in other types of case design up until around the 1860s by which time the sprung steel suspension had taken over.
Black marble t he photographs in figures 1 and 2 show what remained of a clock which was described by a dealer friend of mine as just what i was looking for.
If the slate has inlays then scrub gentley with warm soapy water avoiding the edges because the adhesive loosens and get into the inlays with a tooth brush dry.