VINTAGE WALL CLOCKS - TIMEPIECES WITH CHARACTER

Whenever I come across unique
vintage wall clocks I not only have to resist the urge to take each and every one home with me; I have to use self control to will myself to get on with my day and not drift into dreams of what monumental occurrences had transpired surrounding the item. The pendulums and the resonance of the tick tock engages me in thought and fanciful imaginings of the happenings in the seconds, minutes and hours that the hands of these timepieces have marked along the way.


Each one has its own style unlike the plastic, mass produced clocks in today’s stores. What modern electronic timekeeping devices offer in accuracy, they lack in personality and presence in the home. Standing beside vintage clocks, they come across as so sterile, one dimensional and boring. Digital clocks are easy to read, efficient and compact but they simply don’t speak to me.


The movements of an elegant piece designed to not only mark the time but to decorate may seem old fashioned to some. But I find it very comforting to hear the steady ticking of my great-grandmother’s clock echoing in the halls when I open the door to my otherwise empty house.


I was fortunate enough that my ancestors were the kind that resisted most advances in technology. While others were downsizing and upgrading, mine believed that it was always better to maintain and fix items they owned including those massive antique clocks that were at times a challenge to fit into homes with standard height ceilings and limited wall space.


Vintage clocks and furnishings that were a part of your forebears daily lives are priceless. However, if you did not inherit a grandfather clock in every sense of the word should that prevent you from owning an antique or vintage wall clock? Certainly not! Start a tradition of your own and pass it forward.


If you believe that a large wooden, floor or wall clock won’t fit in your modern apartment or blend with your decor I would encourage you to look further and become acquainted with the various options that are available to you. There are retro, vintage clocks that are small, colorful and lots of fun. Vintage clocks don’t have to be formal. Some collectors enjoy vintage, advertising clocks in their kitchens and game rooms. Model airplane enthusiasts might enjoy an aircraft clock that you lucked up and found on ebay. Little girls with a kitty cat bedroom might appreciate a kit cat clock.


If your budget won’t allow the purchase of an authentic antique clock, don’t be a snob and deprive yourself of the pleasure of owning a clock with character; find a store that specializes in reproductions until you can afford the real deal.

Return to All Wall Sconces, Wall Papers, Clocks and Decor to find more tips on how to shop for and find the best vintage wall clocks that reflect your style and personality.

HOW TO BUY THE BEST WALL CLOCKS

Wall clocks have come along way from their original purpose of telling us the time of any given day. In fact there are more than a few of these classic timepieces that remain in place in homes that have long since lost this ability. We have come to appreciate the fact that they are not only useful, but pretty to look at as well.

The inner workings of the clock are masterpieces in themselves with their gears and very few can say they find the sound of the tick tock anything but calming. And I, for one, am hypnotized when in the presence of a large pendulum wall clock or grandfather clock.




LARGE or SMALL?

That depends on how much space you have and where you want to hang it on the wall. You may want to take a small and a large clock home with you so that you can experiment. There is a very fine line between a perfect fit and looking out of kilter. The clock shouldn’t seem crowded and oversized, nor should it be floating about lost with too much room on the top, sides and bottom.

WHAT STYLE IS BEST FOR MY ROOM?

The same rules applies to this situation as with any other decorating decision. For instance, it might look odd to hang a contemporary
wall clock
in a room with early Victorian furnishings. On the other hand, I have seen good results with novelty or retro clocks in an eclectic room that had more than its fair share of vintage memorabilia displays. When in doubt, ask the opinion of the decorative consultant in the furniture store where you trade.

METAL OR WOOD?

Modern wall clocks are made of most any material you can name from rustic wood to polished steel. Wooden clocks of one style or another are appropriate in all but the most modern of rooms. A clock with a stained wooden case should blend well with the rest of the wood finishes in the area of your home where it is located. Some wood finishes mix and match betters, so you will have to be the judge whether or not oak or cherry is best.

Brass, stainless steel or even copper clocks look wonderful on wood walls. They brighten the area and add interest.

NURSERY CLOCKS

I have seen an increase in the number of decorative clocks in children’s bedrooms in recent years. The idea of putting a clock in the kids’ bedrooms before they can actually tell time is sheer genius! What better way to teach a little one their numbers and how to read the position of the hands of the clock than to hang it where they will see it and become familiar with it? And it doesn’t hurt a single bit that there are so many unique wall clocks to pick from.

Return to All Wall Sconces, Wallpapers, Clocks and Decor for more information and guidance on buying the best wall clocks for your home.