Author Archives: nawcc.chapter47@gmail.com

September and November Marts Canceled

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August 2020 Presidents Message,

COVID-19 has put a damper on Chapter 47 activities for 2020.  The March and May meetings were canceled and now I am sorry to let you know we have to cancel the September and November meetings as well.  Health is our number one concern and our average age puts us into the high risk category.

You will be given credit on your dues for the missed meetings in 2021.  If you already paid dues for 2020 at $25/year you will be given a $20 credit towards 2021 as we only had 1 out the 5 scheduled meetings.  Same for Gold Card,  $8 credit from the annual $10 gold card.

The Midwest Watch and Clock Mart was also cancelled at the VFW post in Antioch IL on August 22, 2020.  It is chapter 47 turn to run the event next year in 2021. 

I hope everyone is getting some horological projects done and staying healthy.  Keep in touch with other members to keep our hobbies going.  In the next couple of months the weather will be getting colder and we can get back to our workshops and clocks and watches.

Thanks,
Craig

The May 3rd Mart has been Canceled

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Chapter 47 Members and Friends,

I am sorry we need to cancel the Chapter 47 meeting scheduled for May 3 due to the nature of the COVID-19 virus.  We will be living with this for a while yet.  Hopefully things will allow us to hold our next scheduled meeting on September 13.  I will be informing everyone as that gets closer.  

We all may find that we have more time on our hands than normal.  If so the following link will take you to some interesting (and free) videos on horology.  Take a look I think you will find some of them interesting.

You can find them (along with a number of other NAWCC videos) on the NAWCC Vimeo website:   https://vimeo.com/nawcc

Once you are there click on More and Showcases.
On the page that opens find the Showcase named NAWCC Webinars and click on it. Find a Webinar and watch it!

Stay safe and healthy,
Craig 4/13/20

March 15th, 2020 Mart

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The January talk was given by Rich Newman our current NAWCC Chairman of the board. He showed many pictures of watch papers and explained their evolution. He spoke of their history and use. He also brought what might the oldest American watch paper along so we could see it directly. Very interesting talk and excellent close-up photography of watch papers and watches.
The March meeting educational talk will be given by Danno on early watch and clock tools.
The Midwest Watch and Clock Mart will be held at the VFW post in Antioch IL on August 22, 2020. It is Chapter 47’s turn to run the event. Please let me know if you can help out on the day of the event.

Further educational talks planned for 2020 are:
May – Mike Dempsey watch and clock making tools demonstration.
September – Bill Galinsky will give a talk and demonstration on Bone Carving of Clock Hands
November – Craig White Strasbourg Astronomical Clock .
Thank you,
Craig White

Our next Mart will Be January 5, 2020.

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Happy New Year to everybody. Start it out right by coming to the January Mart on the 5th, at the Knights of Columbus, 732 Badger Avenue, South Milwaukee.

January 2020 Presidents Message,
Bruce Shawkey presented “The Golden Age of the Swiss Wristwatch” based on his latest book (available at brucesvintagewatches.com) at the November meeting. Many Swiss wristwatch brands came out after World War 2 to meet the pent up demand. Some are well known brands and others are obscure. Bruce showed many beautiful vintage ads for these watches. Many of these watches are highly collectable, high quality, and available at reasonable prices. The talk was followed by enthusiastic questions and answers.

Further educational talks planned for 2020 are:
March – Danno Watch Tools
May – Mike Dempsey watch and clock making tools demonstration.
September – Craig White Strasbourg Astronomical Clock
November – ?????

Thanks,
Craig and Harry

NAWCC Board President Richard Newman will be giving the Educational Lecture, the subject will be on Watch Papers. For those of you who don’t know, Watch Papers were advertising papers that early watchmakers would put in the outer case of a pair cased watch, and you can learn a lot of valuable information from these little advertising pieces.

 

Also of interest to you horology buffs, The Antique Clock Repair class, formerly at WCTC, will be moving to Pewaukee for Spring 2020.

Thank you for your support last spring to keep the local clock repair
class going. Good news is that the Pewaukee Parks and Recreation
Department is taking over hosting the class.

During Spring 2020, the class meets 12 weeks beginning the first week of
February, the listed Fee is $230 to $240.  For more information, and class registration, go to pewaukee.activityreg.com or contact the Pewaukee Parks and Recreation
Department at (262) 691-7275.

November 10th Mart

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Presidents Message

The September educational talk was given by myself. Pictures and videos of clocks were shown from the Beyer Clock museum in Zurich Switzerland. I had the opportunity to visit this museum after the NAWCC travel chapter visit in 2018 to Amsterdam and a trip down the Rhine River.

The Beyer Clock and Watch Museum is housed in Zurich’s heart of the city, in the premises of the Beyer watch store. The exhibition comprises some 250 pieces from all fields of horology, which are examined in technical and scientific terms as well as from an art-history point of view. The museum is home to one of the most important horological collections in the world. It recounts the complete history of timekeeping from 1400 BC to the present day.

The exhibition comprises rare and precious exhibits such as shadow sticks, sun-dials, oil-lamp clocks, hourglasses, water clocks, grandfather clocks, table clocks, pocket watches, wristwatches and scientific instruments for timekeeping and marine navigation. Historical masterpieces that are rarely set running because of their fragile mechanics come to life in enthralling video clips. The exhibition is constantly being expanded and is widely regarded as one of the most important horological collections in the world.

Bruce Shawkey will give a talk titled Golden Age of the Swiss Wristwatch at the November meeting, from his latest book about all the wild and wacky brands that came out of the post-WWII consumer boom. Bruce delves into some of the most beautiful wristwatch advertisements to ever come out of Switzerland, lush Swiss ads that are incredible in their detail of actual watches being produced shortly after WWII. They represent a rich playground in which the collector of modest means may frolic. Bruce has been collecting vintage wristwatches since 1986. He began writing about watches in 1993 with his own newsletter, Vintage Wristwatch Report, and was the wristwatch columnist for the Watch & Clock Bulletin. He has written and published several books on vintage wristwatches.

Educational Talks Planned for 2020
January – Rich Newman (NAWCC Board Chair) – Watch Papers
March – Danno Osterud – Watch Tools
May – Mike Dempsey – Old tool demo
September – Craig White – Strasbourg Astronomical Clock
November – To Be Determined (please consider volunteering)

Thank you,
Craig White

September 22nd Mart

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The Mart is September 22nd at 9:00am.
At the The Knights of Columbus, 732 Badger Ave, South Milwaukee, WI 53172

The educational Lecture will be “The Beyer Clock Museum in Zurich, Switzerland” by Craig White

President’s Message
I hope everyone enjoyed our new venue in May. The sight was perfect for what we do in our meeting and I understand the coffee was good too. This summer they have repaved the parking lot so entrances should be easier for carts and dollies. The steps have been eliminated.
Thanks to Mike Dempsey for his presentation. This lecture dealt with designing and reproducing clock parts which are not available to purchase. The lecture covered putting a plan together to help succeed in making these parts, with common everyday clock repair tools. There were some great tips for repairers. Methods for making parts were shown along with developing critical thinking steps in developing a plan to make the parts.
Mike stressed that thought must be given on how to make parts. Everyone has different tools and mechanical abilities. Your plan for making the parts must be well thought through to make a successful part. Remember today we many times have better tools and equipment that the original clock maker had 200 years ago. Yet the clock was somehow made 200 years ago.
The September educational talk will be given by Craig White. The subject is the Beyer Clock museum in Zurich Switzerland. I had the opportunity to visit this museum after the NAWCC travel chapter visit in 2018 to Amsterdam and a trip down the Rhine River.
The Beyer Clock and Watch Museum is housed in Zurich’s heart of the city, in the premises of the Beyer watch store. The exhibition comprises some 250 pieces from all fields of chronology, which are examined in technical and scientific terms as well as from an art history point of view. The museum is home to one of the most important horological collections in the world. It recounts the complete history of timekeeping from 1400 BC to the present day. The exhibition comprises rare and precious exhibits such as shadow sticks, sundials, oil-lamp clocks, hourglasses, water clocks, grandfather clocks, table clocks, pocket watches, wrist-watches and scientific instruments for timekeeping and marine navigation. Historical masterpieces that are rarely set running because of their fragile mechanics come to life in enthralling video clips. The exhibition is constantly being expanded and is widely regarded as one of the most important horological collections in the world. Photos and video clips will be shown describing the clocks and their workings.

Educational presentations for balance of 2019 are:
September – Beyer Clock Museum, by Craig White
November – Golden Age of the Swiss Wristwatch, by Bruce Shawkey
We still have a request for educational talk on veneering clock cases. If anyone knows someone who would be willing to present please contact Harry Schultz.
Thank you,
Craig White

2019 Midwest Watch and Clock Mart

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2019 Midwest Watch and Clock Mart
Saturday, August 17, 2019
It’s Time
For a One Day Mart!
The 2019 Midwest Watch and Clock Mart
Saturday, August 17, 2019
9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
In Antioch, Illinois
There is no Pre-registration and no admission fee for NAWCC Members.
Chapters 3, 47 and 171 will be hosting the event
and extend their invitation to you to attend!

It will be held at VFW Post 4551 at 75 North Ave. Antioch, IL. 60002

Admission:
NAWCC Members: No Charge
Non-Members: $5
Table (for NAWCC Members only): $10
Mart Setup: 8:30 a.m.
Mart Open: 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Directions: From I94: Exit Rosecrans (Il 173) West, to Deep Lake Rd
(Walmart), North to North Ave, & West (left) to VFW Post 4551.
From Downtown Antioch: North from downtown on Il Rt 83, to North Ave,
East to VFW post 4551

Please click on the link below to the flyer for details.

Directions to the New Meeting Location- Starting May 5th

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The new meeting location is:
The Knights of Columbus
732 Badger Ave.
South Milwaukee, WI 53172

From either direction on Interstate 94 take the College Ave exit (Exit 319) and go East for 3.8 Miles.
Turn Right (South) on Chicago/Packard Ave. Then take the first Left (East) on to Badger Ave, go 500 feet and the Knights of Columbus building and parking lot will be on your left.

Knights of Columbus
732 Badger Ave
South Milwaukee

If you reach Lake Drive, you’ve gone a couple of blocks to far. Go South and then turn on Badger Ave.

 

The Mart is March 17th, 9:00am in West Allis

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At the The Knights of Columbus, 1800 South 92nd Street, West Allis, WI 53214.

Educational Lecture will be “Anniversary
Clocks: History and Repair”, part 2 provided by  Harry Schultz

“Show & Tell” – Bring an Anniversary clock.

A reminder that the Knights of Columbus on 92nd Street has cancelled our contract as they are selling the building in April 2019. The March meeting will be the last one at the West Allis location.

Vice President’s Message
For the January educational program we showed the first half of “Anniversary Clocks: History, Repair, & Maintenance” by Bill Ellison.
The torsional pendulum clock was first invented and patented by American Aaron Crane in 1841. Other American inventors and patents follow in 1852 and 1876, but without commercial success. German Anton Harder independently invented and patented the torsional clock in 1882 with commercial success.
Early torsional clocks can be identified by a lack of decoration above the pendulum. Before 1900 some torsional clocks had a striking mechanism yet ran for 1 year. Some clocks were made with a calendar. Older clocks have no means of leveling. Older clocks also have thicker domes with the bottom of the glass ground.  Bowler & Burdick a Jewelry store in Cleveland conceived and trade marked the term “Anniversary” clock in 1905. They imported movements from Germany and cases from France.
After World War 2 many Anniversary clocks were imported from Germany. Some-one noticed that there was a much lower customs duty on watches than clocks. By making the clock plates less than 1.77 inches wide the clocks would qualify as watches for custom duties. Early 1950s clocks had fins added to make the plates look wider. Later the fins were dropped. The pendulum guide cup was patented in 1952. In 1958 the temperature compensated torsional spring was introduced by Charles Terwilliger, greatly improving time keeping. He also published the “400 Day Clock Repair Guide”.
The March educational program will finish the second half of the DVD with an introduction to Anniversary clock repair and maintenance.

Thank you,
Harry Schulz

Here are a few pictures from our last mart. Hope to see you on the 17th.