Help Identify old German Box clock

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 3:53 am     Post subject: Help Identify old German Box clock

Hi. My mother has an old German box clock. I think my parents bought it in the late 60's or maybe early 70's from a military person that had returned from Germany. They were told that it was old.

The only writing that I can find is the name and number on the chimes, Divina M1243 (maybe M1343), and then the back of the movement has the number 45/100 on the bottom left and 197669 on the bottom right. There's no name or other symbol on the rear or on the dial. I'm not knowledgeable to look at the few pics that I've found on the Internet and notice the subtle differences. They all look pretty much the same to me. There are some pictures here
http://home.swbell.net/smasraum/clockweb/

Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 4:54 am     Post subject: German box clock

Your clock was probably made in the period just before or after WWI up until the 1930's. It could have been made by any one of the German clock companies. I'm only moderately surprised that it doesn't have any hint of a maker's name stamped on it. Most of the German clock companies made a similar movement, some with Westminster chimes, or with hour/half hour strike like this one. Case style was common to several manufacturers too. Divina on the chime block is the name of the chime manufacturer, not the clock company. The 45 is the pendulum length in centimeters.

The only thing that I find slightly puzzling is the "Made in Germany" in English on the chime block. It could suggest that the clock was intended for export, rather than sold there. That may also account for the lack of a maker's name on the clock movement. The importer would put their name on it instead.

Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 4:56 pm     Post subject:

Lots of good info, thanks.

Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2007 7:43 pm     Post subject:

Just in case anyone else is looking. Someone on another board was able to help. He said that this is a scan from a 1935 Mauthe catalogue.

Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2007 9:29 pm     Post subject: German box clock

It's a bit surprising that Mauthe didn't have their logo on the movement. They usually had 'FMS' (Friedrich Mauthe & Sohne) stamped into the brass back plate of their clock movements. It could also easily be mistaken for FHS which was (and is) the logo for Franz Hermle & Sohnes.
As I mentioned previously this clock could have been manufactured by any of the German clock companies operating in those years since it was a popular style of wall clock. I had a similar model with an almost identical dial and the same three section door with bevelled glass. The only difference was that it had a rounded top and it was made by Kienzle.
Unfortunately Mauthe (and Kienzle) were casualties of cheaper imports and are now no longer in business.

Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 8:55 am     Post subject: German box clock

Coincidentally I just noticed a similar box clock on eBay tonight. Except for the fact that someone has stripped and bleached the oak case it could almost pass as a twin to this one. It was, however, manufactured by Kieninger, one of the few early German clock manufacturers still in business.