October 2004 chapter 168 meeting in Sydney (contact can be made through the webmaster@aussieclocks.com )

Kern Torsion Clocks

A jam packed meeting to celebrate the 4th year of meetings for the Sydney contingent of NAWCC Chapter 168 Torsion clocks group.  A fitting Anniversary!   Many skeptics said you can't talk about these things for more than a couple of meetings, you'll run out of topics.  Well, it's going stronger than ever thanks to the members of the group and the leaders Doug Minty and Lindsay Bramall.  The main topic was the history of Kern Clocks.  Kienzle Uhrenfabrik of Schwenningen sold their 400 day production to 2 staff members Kern and Link in 1929 after 23 years of making 400 day clocks.  In 1932 Kern went alone to be joined by his son in 1937.  The company exists to this date and still makes small quantities of mechanical 400 day clocks.   During the confusion of the war, the company was shut down between 1941 and 1948 when production was boosted to meet the popularity of the clock and the demand from US troops in Europe.   J Link also cashed in on this demand during the 1952 to 1957 period and then closed.  The pictures below show some of their lines, the porcelain figural clocks now becoming very desirable and expensive to collect.

Several mystery and unusual clocks were viewed, including a Koma Cuckoo, an electric Schatz, a Louvre Vosseler, a Wimac or Neueck and a Kienzle Urania, all quite special. 

click on thumbnails for larger images
Doug Minty and Michael Smith cut the 4th anniversary birthday cake Where's the cuckoo?

 A mystery clock

 No cuckoo with this 400 day Koma
Plastic dial,

Plate number 1647

 Badische with a Cooma Retailer on the dial Backplate - nothing unusual here
But what's this, looks strikingly different with the hemispherical pendulum So that's what's inside A practical feature on this Badische - a loop on the end of the pin and parallel sided fork - no sticking!
Display of Kerns.  Third from the left has a remontoire movement Large, miniatures and midgets  
Figural Pendulum with off white floral dial Similar with black dial Bridge from Kienzle
Black floral dial with wooden base, Post WW2 Deco example pre WW2 One of only 3 calendar dial makers
Louvre Vosseler spotted by Graham Mitchell on holiday in Scotland - note finials on the base and the price -340 pounds - not bought but should have maybe. Columns are plain and of fairly light gauge Plate number 1144, why the elongated barrel?  To run for 400 rather than 30 days as was usual with Vosseler?  Cheap looking construction and probably many were discarded leading to rarity today
Similar to Pendulum 52 in the Guide but with 4 balls and adjustment from the bottom 3 candidates for our restoration project Unusual Kienzle Urania with front wind
Plate number 1574F, complete with bell shaped suspension guard, No 2791 Roccoco Kern with heavy cast base, dial and bezel - are Kern's still making these? Short production run of only 2 months for this rare Wilmak Neueck - see note 43 in appendix in the Guide and plate 1582D
Another relatively short production Schatz model BA, remontoire in London Coach case.  Does almost 400 deg of rotation Clicks along well with 6 volts - probably only needs 4 1/2 volts.

In fact this is a weight driven mechanism, interesting to watch

 Lindsay calls this a "Tokyo Coach"  copycat of the London Coach, a New Master 100 day Japanese version