Junghans Swinger Clock Dials: A Compilation of Variations©

ESTABLISHED 1973
WWW.NAWCC-CH75.COM
FEBRUARY 2011
Junghans Swinger Clock Dials:
A Compilation of Variations©
By Robert Gary. Copyright 2011, all rights reserved. This article may not be reprinted or
copied in any form without express written permission from the author.
In January of 2010, I purchased my first Junghans swinger clock, starting me on a research journey to document as much as possible about these
fascinating and unusual timepieces. I immediately
set out to photograph as
many styles of Junghans
swingers as I possibly
could. I asked everyone I
knew, and virtually everyone I chanced to meet, in
the NAWCC if they owned
swingers, of if they knew
of anyone who collected
them.
Many collectors
were kind enough to
allowing me to photograph, measure, and otherwise
document
their
collections.
While engaged in this
documentation, I began to
notice small but distinct
differences in the dials of
authentic Junghans swingers. Copies of the original
Junghans catalogs that are
known to exist show at
least thirty-one styles of
statues and four styles of pendulums, but do not
showcase the dials in any way. To date (February
of 2011), I have identified nine distinct styles of
swinger dials. To qualify as a distinct dial, each
had to be original to an authentic Junghans swinger
movement, not a copy or replacement.
Being unable to find any literature comparing
these dials, I have established the following
listing of styles and the
style elements that make
them distinctive. This
list is in no way considered complete. If
any collector has a
Junghans swinger dial
that is different in detail,
large or small, from
those picture here, please
contact this author. I
would like to keep this
data as accurate and up
to date as possible.
This research shows
that, not only are the
statues collectable, but
the dials themselves
make an interesting
collection
within
a
collection. When paired
with the different case
styles, a very large potential collection is evident.
(SEE PAGE 3 FOR 9 COMPARISON DIALS)
ESTABLISHED 1973
WWW.NAWCC-CH75.COM
FEBRUARY 2011
Message
By Jim Chamberlain
By this time you should have received your National bulletin. In it
you will find the ballot for election of officers and directors to serve
us in the coming four years and to approve the amendments to our
bylaws. If each member of all of the chapters in California would
vote, we could elect any person we wished. Historically only about
9% of the 18,000 +/- members bother to vote but those that do so are
on the eastern region so we on the west do not get representation. We
should vote for Mary Ann Wahlner who has been a very dedicated
NAWCC member and has strongly supported the chapters represented by the Council or California Chapters (CCC). Just the members in the lower part of California could elect her IF THEY VOTED
at all! The amendments to the by laws have been carefully crafted to
better the operation of the NAWCC and warrant your approval so we
recommend your vote to approve. If you bring your voted ballot to
the February meeting I will put a stamp on it for you and see that it is
posted on Monday. DON’T FORGET TO PUT YOUR NAWCC
NUMBER AND U.S.A. ON THE UPPER LEFT CORNER where
the return address is placed.
Your Chapter 75 is also seeking people to run for officers and director positions. Our membership is getting smaller but there are still a
lot of regular attendees who know what should be done to maintain
the activities and programs necessary for each meeting. How about
some of you stepping forward to run when we have elections in
April. It is not too early to contemplate becoming an officer or director. Just talk to any of our present officers or directors to become a
candidate.
The theme of our ‘Show and Tell’ this meeting will be items you
obtained at the Greater L.A. Regional. Speaking of which, it was a
well attended and active event that those of you who were able to
attend would surely agree. Even before the GLAR, Jim Gilmore and
Bob Linkenhoker have been busy meeting with the personnel at the
Pasadena Center arranging for the National Convention to be held
there in June of 2012 which will preclude our usual February GLAR.
We will be lining up a lot of members to take on all of the many
chores needed for such a large and expensive undertaking. Plan to
attend the next National Convention on June 8-12 in Overland Park,
Kansas.
The program will be on the “Solar” timepiece which was manufactured by Dr. L.E. Whiting in 1865 using an invention by Theodore
Timby.
Jim
________________________________________________________________
PRESIDENT
Jim Chamberlain
VICE PRESIDENT
Jim Gilmore
TREASURER
Kim St. Dennis
________________________________________________________________
Jim Chamberlain
Kim St. Dennis
Kim St. Dennis
________________________________________________________________
AUDIO VISUAL
Bill Robinson
HOSPITALITY
Kim & Chris St. Dennis
PAST PRESIDENT
Ken McWilliams
________________________________________________________________
CHAPTER 75 WEB SITE:
www.nawcc-ch75.com
WEB MASTER:
Dave Coatsworth
dave@biswebdesign.com
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Robert Gray
(805) 388-9904 • robertsclockworks@verizon.net
GRAPHIC DESIGN
John Chinn
john@logocleanup.com
ESTABLISHED 1973
STYLE
NUMBER
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
WWW.NAWCC-CH75.COM
FEBRUARY 2011
DESCRIPTION
PLAIN : Arabic numbers with chapter rings, No other wording, logo, or markings.
“J” in 8 pointed star in center top of dial, Arabic numbers with chapter rings.
Ultra small “J”, no star, in center top of dial. “German” below chapter ring at bottom of dial. Arabic numbers with chapter rings.
“J” logo in eight pointed star in center top of dial.“Junghans Germany” above chapter ring at bottom of dial Arabic numbers with chapter rings.
No “J” or star in center top of dial. “Junghans Germany” below chapter ring at bottom of dial spread Across 6 minutes width Arabic numbers with chapter rings.
No “J” or star in center top of dial. “Junghans Germany” below chapter ring at bottom of dial spread across 8 minutes width. Arabic numbers with chapter rings.
No “J” or star in center top of dial. “Junghans Germany” in bold lettering below chapter ring across 12 minutes width at bottom of dial. Arabic numbers with chapter rings.
Crossed Arrows logo in center top of dial, with “Foreign” above chapter ring beneath number 6 at bottom of dial. Arabic numbers with chapter rings.
“J” logo inside eight pointed star in center top of dial. Red 24 hour Arabic numbers inside of black Arabic numbers with chapter rings.
ESTABLISHED 1973
WWW.NAWCC-CH75.COM
FEBRUARY 2011
2011 Greater Los Angeles Regional
ESTABLISHED 1973
WWW.NAWCC-CH75.COM
FEBRUARY 2011
2011 Greater Los Angeles Regional
ESTABLISHED 1973
WWW.NAWCC-CH75.COM
FEBRUARY 2011
West Coast NAWCC Members
For many years now, historically, a very low percentage of NAWCC members have voted for the NAWCC Board of Directors. In fact, a large
percentage of voters live in California and on the West Coast. As such, we
have a large voting block and could provide input to the Board to get better
representation for activities that could better serve the West Coast membership.
We have a great opportunity with Mary Ann Wahlner of Southern California
running for the Board of Directors.
As many know, we have the most successful Regional in the country with
the Greater Los Angeles Regional in Pasadena. We will be hosting the 2012
National in Pasadena in June 2012. Other successful Regionals on the West
Coast were the Silver Dollar Regional in Sparks, Nevada, The Southwest California Regional in Del Mar,
the Arizona Sunshine Regional in Fountain Hills, Arizona, and the Pacific Northwest Regional in Clackamas, Oregon. It is obvious that we are movers and shakers in the NAWCC. We have an opportunity to
make sure we are well represented on the NAWCC Board with Mary Ann.
My working experience with Mary Ann covers many years through the NAWCC San Fernando Valley
Chapter 75. Mary Ann served in all of the Chapter offices and made many significant contributions as
Chapter President. At the Regional level, she was the one that negotiated the use of the Pasadena Convention Center for our Greater Los Angeles Regional some 14 years ago after many years at other locations.
She served four years as the Regional Convention Chair and has held one of the key chairmanships for the
Regional for so many years we have lost count. We are looking forward to her service on the 2012 National
as one of the Steering Committee members and as Co-Chair of the Mart.
My experience with Mary Ann is that when she is doing a job you can count on it being done with class
and expertise. When I served as the Regional Chair and Mary Ann was chair for several specific tasks, I
learned quickly that it not only would be done on time, but that you could count on it being accomplished
better than it had ever been done.
WE NEED THAT KIND OF REPRESENTATION!
So get your ballot from the February Watch and Clock Bulletin and vote for her and encourage all of your
fellow members to first of all VOTE and also to support Mary Ann Wahlner for the NAWCC Board of
Directors. Let’s show them that the West Coasters are alive and well.
Jim Gilmore
AWCC Award Chair, 2012 National Co-Chair, Various Chair positions for the Greater Los Angeles
Regional for 30 years.
See more about Mary Ann at: http://members.cox.net//wahlnut
CHAPTER 75 MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL FORM
Kim St Dennis
7344 Bonnie Pl.
Reseda, CA 91355
Black Forest Wooden Movements
Originally printed in the June 1986 edition of the Chapter 75 Regulator.
with Newton G. Noell
THE PEOPLE of the Black Forest in southwestern Germany
made wooden clock movements on a cottage-craft industry basis from
the mid 1600's well into this century. Bass and beech woods were the
more commonly used materials. In all but the earliest types, wheels,
pinions, and striking levers were metal.
The types most commonly seen today have a "boxed" frame,
consisting of solid top and bottom plates separated by rectangular
crosssection posts at or near the four corners. These corner posts were
wedge-mortised into the top and bottom plates, thus this much of the
frame could not be disassembled. Strike lever and hammer arbors
operate in notches in the corner posts, being retained by short lengths
of wire toe-nailed into the wood. Oftentimes a thin strip of brass is
tacked over these notches.
I have seen some of these clocks with the time train in front and
strike train to the rear, while others have the trains in a more conventional side-by-side layout. The vertical wood strips which carry the
train wheel pivots have one end set loose into a blind mortise in the
lower plate, while the upper end is retained by a wire pin or nail in a
slotted blind mortise in the upper plate. This arrangement permits
disassembly of the trains for cleaning and repair. Pivot holes were
bushed with split bushings formed from scraps of sheet brass, and
these were simply driven into holes drilled into the wood.
The majority of these movements were 30-hour pull-up chain
wound types, wail hung. They were used in cuckoo clocks, many
types of wall cases, and even in grandfather styles. Some had simple
alarm mechanisms. I have one which is spring driven with fusees on
both trains, and have seen a couple of eight-day, key-wound, weightdriven versions in American cherry grandfather cases which were
definitely all original. Evidently some of their makers migrated to this
country. I have one 30 hour wag-on-the-wall which has full grand
sonnerie striking, and does it all with only two gear trains!
These clocks are subject to the same ills as any others, plus a few
that are uniquely their own.
When hung on the wall in the fashion usually provided for, the
pull of the weights would often wrack the frame out of shape, binding
the pivots and stopping the clock. Thus one should make sure that the
frame is square and parallel, and securely put together. Supporting the
frame on a bracket from the wall is always a good idea. Some makers
tried to obviate this problem by giving their pivots an ellipsoidal
rather than cylindrical - shape. They literally look like tiny footballs
or eggs on the ends of the arbors.
While such an approach permitted the frame to wrack without
binding the pivots, it created another problem. Such a pivot can wear
a bushing so that the wear is almost impossible to detect! The problem
is similar to that caused by short pivots that don't come all the way
through their pivot holes; however in this case the bushing is worn in
the center of its length, but both ends look to be round and unworn.
Another unique problem is relative crudity of the original workmanship in these clocks. Crude workmanship, whether original or due
to subsequent repairs, always poses a quandary for the modern
restorer. Did the clock run or not - because of it, or in spite of it? Just
how much of it should be corrected, and how much left alone'?
In making these decisions, the clockmaker experiences the severest test of his knowledge, skill, and experience. Any highly skilled
clock maker or machinist can make any or all of the parts for a clock,
put them together, and make it run, but it would be a new clock. The
charm and conversation value, yes, even the monetary value, of an old
piece lie in the fact that it is old and crudely made, has had a long and
frequently abused life, and yet is still giving faithful service. The best
and wisest restorers, those most in demand at any price, are those who
can leave things most nearly as they found them, yet bring the piece
back to reliable working condition. This is an art not easily acquired,
and worth most any price its possessor wishes to ask.
If undeliverable, return to:
7344 Bonnie Place
Reseda, CA 91335
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This Month’s Topic:
The “Solar” timepiece which was
manufactured by Dr. L.E. Whiting in 1865
using an invention by Theodore Timby.
---presented by Jim Chamberlain.
In This Issue: Junghans Dials
Please visit our website:
www.nawcc-ch75.com
For more information, contact Jim
Chamberlain at (805) 495-5349
Visitors are welcome!
Chapter 75 meets 4th Sunday of
each month. There is no meeting
during the month of December.
THE REGULATOR
NAWCC SAN FERNANDO VALLEY CHAPTER 75
FEBRUARY 2011