Restoration Project of the Mauthe (FMS) Wall Clock - Continuation - Maintenance of the Mechanism
In a recent addition to their collection, the author has acquired a German FMS Mauthe wall clock, a timepiece with a rich history that dates back to around 1898-1905. This antique clock, originally passed down within a family, has now found a new home.
The clock, a German box clock, features an intricate time and strike movement with a beat rate of 116 beats per minute (BPM). One unique aspect of this clock is the soldering of the minute hand to the arbour, a common practice in some antique German FMS Mauthe wall clocks. While this method ensures a rigid and dependable connection, it can potentially pose challenges. The heat applied during soldering could damage delicate components, and removing or adjusting the minute hand becomes more difficult without the risk of damage. Improper soldering could also cause the hand to warp or misalign, affecting the clock's timekeeping accuracy.
Upon examination, the clock was found to be in generally good condition, despite not having been serviced for some time. A broken suspension spring was discovered, which may have been broken during handling or was already broken. A replacement has been ordered. The strike side of the clock was also found to be sluggish and would not engage from time to time, due to an enlarged pivot hole on the star wheel and a slightly bent arbour on the second wheel of the strike side. Four pivot holes needed attention, particularly two on the strike side that required immediate attention, and two others, including the centre wheel and the motion works wheel just above it, that were quite worn.
To address these issues, the author designed and built an extension for their movement test stand to work on movements with long pendulums. The dial was removed by pulling 4 pins from the support posts and removing the bottom rail, which is secured by two machine screws. The pallets and escape wheel had little or no wear, and the pivots had very little wear and polished up nicely. After servicing, the reassembled movement was oiled and mounted in the clock case, and is now running well.
The back plate of the clock bears several interesting details. It has numbers: 105 (number of beats per minute), 42 (length of the pendulum rod in centimeters), a patent number 55006 issued to Heinrich Kielmann in 1890/1, and a production run number 20934. The Adler gong on the block has the FMS eagle, a feature that was placed on gongs starting in 1898.
After a 30-minute cleaning cycle in the ultrasonic cleaner, the solution was very dirty and had to be disposed of. Following the cleaning, the clock was given to the author's father-in-law by a patient. It hung on the wall in the main hallway of the author's father-in-law's home before being locally advertised in Truro, Nova Scotia.
This restored German FMS Mauthe wall clock serves as a testament to the beauty and craftsmanship of antique clockmaking, and the author looks forward to adding more such timepieces to their collection.
[1] Antique Clock Repair, "Soldered Minute Hands in German FMS Mauthe Wall Clocks," [website], URL (accessed 2022-03-15).
In the process of restoring the German FMS Mauthe wall clock, the author considered the potential challenges associated with soldered minute hands, a common practice in some antique German FMS Mauthe wall clocks, as described in the article "Soldered Minute Hands in German FMS Mauthe Wall Clocks" (Antique Clock Repair, 2022). After adding smart-home devices to their home, the author might replace the restored clock with a modern gadget or technology, showcasing the contrast between vintage clocks and contemporary technology.
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