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Thursday, February 17, 2011

Trend Thursday- Old clock faces

           Frequently as I am hunting antiques I see old unwanted clocks. Sometimes they are in lovely cases and a thing of beauty even if they no longer work, sometimes the case has been damaged beyond repair and the only salvageable bit is the clock face itself. Often I see just the clock face. They seem to outlast the cases and mechanisms, perhaps getting saved and tucked away because their owner recognizes their folk art appeal that transcends the former function. Once I saw a shoebox full of antique dessert plate sized clock faces. I didn't buy it because the seller wouldn't come down on the price. That missed purchase will haunt me for a long time.

Though likely a reporoduction- the scale of this piece is magnificent. If you were crafty it wouldn't be hard to make one. Circular bit of plywood, white paint, black paint, judicial sanding to create a look of age....
 
Ah yes this collection reminds me of the batch I passed up. So much potential here for an exceptional collage on a wall- in a hallway or maybe going up a flight of stairs. 
This is not an original clock face but it captures the look and feel so well.

           Clock faces are a hot trend right now. In keeping with the rustic Provence look that is so fresh, they are turning up on walls as art, or as a design element on plates, pillows, trays, and duvets. The best place to find original faces is tag sales or salvage stores. Keep an eye out for boxes with tools and architectural salvage as they frequently lurk in such company. Because they are flat- it's good to check in boxes of paper and ephemera as well. Ebay has a good selection ranging from $6-$150. I think these look best hung together as a collection or with just one very fine example up on a mini easel as a  work of folk art.

1 comment:

  1. Wow! That's so amazing and wonderful to see this type of Antique French Clocks. Antique clocks are difficult to find now, adding a sense of rarity that is hard to capture today.

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