Wall Clock

At a glance

• Family: Clocks
• Periods most often found: Regulators date mostly from 1860 to 1920; schoolhouse clocks from 1880 to 1930; French station and factory clocks from 1900 to 1960; sunburst clocks from 1950 to 1970.
• Typical price: about $250; range $50 to $2,000 and more for exceptional pieces
• What drives value: Maker, case

What it is

Wall clocks are the working clocks of the house, the station and the school. The family includes Viennese and German regulators in tall glazed cases with a long pendulum and weights; French oeil-de-boeuf (bull's-eye) clocks with a round dial in a gilt or painted frame; American schoolhouse clocks by Ansonia, Seth Thomas and Waterbury with an octagonal top and drop case; French station and factory clocks by Brillié, Lepaute and Vedette with large enameled or metal dials; and mid-century sunburst and starburst clocks in brass or teak. Farmhouse kitchens across France had a simple wall clock with a painted dial and a short pendulum.

How to identify and date it

Look at the dial and movement before the case. Enamel dials should be free of large chips and hairline cracks; repainted dials lower value. Movements are often stamped with the maker (Junghans, Kienzle, Gustav Becker, Japy, Vedette, Ansonia) and sometimes a serial number that dates them. A pendulum, key and weights that belong to the clock add value. Check the case for replaced glass, missing finials and veneer losses, and ask whether the clock has been serviced; a cleaned movement that keeps time and strikes properly is worth more than an untested one.

Periods and styles

Regulators date mostly from 1860 to 1920; schoolhouse clocks from 1880 to 1930; French station and factory clocks from 1900 to 1960; sunburst clocks from 1950 to 1970.

How much is it worth?

On the US retail market, most wall clock examples ask around $250. Simple or worn pieces start near $50, while documented, signed or exceptional examples can pass $2,000. The main value drivers are: maker, case. These are indicative ranges, not an appraisal; see our price guide for French antiques for the method.

Questions buyers ask: vintage nautical wall clock value. The answer depends on the points below, which are worth checking before you compare prices.

Before you buy

• Check dial and glass
• Read movement stamps
• Confirm pendulum, weights and key
• Ask about servicing
• Check the case and hanging bracket

Living with it

A regulator in a hallway, a station clock in a kitchen or a sunburst clock above a mid-century sideboard gives a room its rhythm.