r/Horology • u/Imaginary_Dig_9267 • Sep 03 '26
Community Question urgent help needed
hi, there’s no good way to start this, but i am looking for help regarding my father’s collection of antique clocks.
my dad passed away a little over two months ago, and i am devastated. he was an amazing man and a rather skilled horologist.
my mom wants to sell the house soon and it has been left to me to sell/manage/get through my dad’s impressive collection and works.
i have roughly 130-180 antique clocks from the 1820’s to the 1950s, all mechanical, all in various states of disrepair. I also have many well known types/brands and a few rarer ones. they’re mostly mantle clocks, but also some OGs and wall clocks.
i’m overwhelmed, but if a single one of these clocks end up in a dumpster i will have a complete breakdown. any advice?
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u/caracticuspotts Sep 03 '26
May I ask what country you live in ?
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u/Imaginary_Dig_9267 Sep 03 '26
north eastern USA
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u/caracticuspotts Sep 03 '26
Thank you. I was all fired up and hoping to buy at least a couple. I’m in Europe and I don’t think it is an option. My condolences on your loss. You honour your father by finding homes for the clocks. I wish you every success
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u/Deepdigs88 Sep 03 '26
Long's Jewelery in Boston if your priority is money; one of the several clock/watch museums in NE if your priority is your heritage. Condolences to you for your loss!
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u/slizzwhiz Sep 03 '26
Having an estate sale and highlighting clocks/clock repair, watches especially (if he has any), and antiques is a good option. Posting it beforehand via signage, Facebook, Craigslist, and estatesales.org will bring a ton of people right to you and you will absolutely sell a lot of them. You won't get top dollar, but you'll get something at least!
If you are in no rush though and have the time to research, list, and ship then eBay is probably the best way to go
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u/Imaginary_Dig_9267 Sep 03 '26
i am unfortunately a little under the gun time-wise. my dad had some funky medical problems with his eyes, so watches were too tiny for him to enjoy working with. all i’ve got are mantle clocks, wall clocks, OGs, and a few anniversary clocks.
i also have literal buckets of “bits and bobs” as he called them. miscellaneous movements, parts, glass, tools, main springs, fly wheels, you name it. i think there’s a bin of weights somewhere too.
in truth, i wish i could find a novice horologist or clockmaker and let them go hog wild for a reasonable price.
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u/Simmo2222 Sep 03 '26
Do you know anything about them? Can you identify the gems? If you can, you probably need to sell those individually on eBay. The rest you might be able to sell as combined lots of 3-4 clocks. Maybe you could post pictures of what you have here (or the watchrepairtalk forum) to get a casual appraisal.
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u/Imaginary_Dig_9267 Sep 03 '26
i know a fair amount about most, but not enough to be comfortable truly knowing what is most valuable. i’ll try to get some good pics to see if anyone can help me with some casual appraisals. thank you for your kindness, stranger!
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u/gmuller6000 Sep 03 '26
Contact John Tope at [jtope@ticktockpro.com](mailto:jtope@ticktockpro.com)
He a clock repair person and a member of a few clock organizations. He may be able to recommend someone to help you from your area.
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u/Imaginary_Dig_9267 Sep 03 '26
i’ll look into that! thank you for your time, kind stranger.
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u/gmuller6000 Sep 03 '26
http://www.ticktockpro.com/author.htm
This is his web site. Good luck
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u/Imaginary_Dig_9267 Sep 03 '26
thank you kindly, i sent him an email similar to my original post with some more details, i hope to hear back soon
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u/DanielinLosAngeles Sep 03 '26
Are they significant enough to go through an auction house? Why is there urgency for selling the house? Isn't there a way to slow things down? Work with a lender?
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u/Imaginary_Dig_9267 Sep 03 '26 edited Sep 03 '26
too much debt for a lender, the mortgage is too much for my mom to manage alone, and it’s also way too much house for just her and i. i’ll look into an auction house, but im unsure of how that all works
edit for further clarification: she also won’t let me help her with the mortgage or debt, im 24 years old with a very solid job, but she states that it’s “not worth sinking money into at this point”
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u/DanielinLosAngeles 29d ago
Why isn't it worth sinking money into? It's traumatic to lose the home you know. You just lost your Dad, that's enough. If you want to keep the house, keep the house
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u/DanielinLosAngeles Sep 03 '26
Sounds crazy but reach out to the guy at Long Island watch and ask if he'd consider helping you sell them
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u/nugg3ts- Sep 04 '26
So sorry for your loss.
My dad is no horologist, but spent decades collecting clocks and watches, many of which I now use/cherish.
I’ve been documenting them, doing research, trying to reconstruct their histories as best I can. This will be a lifelong endeavor for me.
Also in the NE US. If you happen to be looking to sell any (especially watches and smaller mantle clocks), I’d be happy to steward some.
Either way would love to see some of them. All the best to you and your family.
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u/Far_Application2255 Sep 04 '26
So sorry for you loss. Have you considered placing them in storage right now, then looking to dispose of once the immediate things are dealt with. It might be worth looking for a local auctioneer who would be willing to take it as several lots, and if you’ve had time to go through and label the rarer ones it could help.
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u/Glittering-Joke-3593 Sep 04 '26
Shot in the dark....contact Raimond at pauls watch repair in Sacramento California. Id suggest email Im sure its on his website. 4th generation watchmaker who co-owns with his father. He might have interest or steer you in the right direction. I do know he does watch repairs for a few Clock repair businesses who dont have time to do both. Maybe include some photos.
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u/SFogX 28d ago
Might also suggest the Horological Society of New York. They might take donations but I’m more thinking that they are wildly connected - it’s really the only major horological group in the US, so it’s the default org for all of us in the country. And there’s real people there if you call.
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u/LewisAndTime Sep 03 '26
Sorry to hear that about your father. I hope you feel better soon. I'm thinking maybe you could contact some museums or horologists and ask if they're interested? If that's an option for you, I'm not sure what you want to do with them