Tuesday, October 08, 2013

Clock Parts! Get Your Clock Parts!

This uncaptioned photo from a recent post deserves some explanation:

What you're looking at, is what my Sister-in-Law correctly identified as the infamous Clock Parts!

My grandfather owned a clock store, and the story went that when he and my Grandma moved to Rochester, they boxed up his store and moved it with them. The result was that for years, we talked about the Clock Parts in their basement.

We referred to them often enough that it became a sort of short hand for something that sounded valuable, but to the average person it wasn't really. Something like:

"For Chanukah, Grandpa's going to buy me a car. But Don't worry, I'm sure he'll let you have some clock parts!"

On this last visit, for the first time in my life, I got a peek into my Grandparent's basement storage unit. Sure enough, there are boxes and boxes worth of clock related items (including tools, manuals, clock oil, etc.)! Here's two more samples:

Sure, a clock or watch repair person could get a lot of use out of these parts. But the crafter in me imagines that you could power an entire etsy store from jewelry and other items made from these parts.

So what do you say, know anyone who could use a lifetime supply of clock innards? Seriously, let me know, I can get a you a terrific price.

2 comments:

  1. My father was a clock maker (or horologist if you want to get fancy) and after he died, an acquaintance of his bought all of his tools and parts. Now I wish I still had some of that stuff, or at the very least paid attention and learned something from him. If he had lived another ten years (he died far too young) I likely would have taken an interest and asked him to teach me. Alas.

    I was in a Michaels "Craft" store recently. I see they now sell packaged "steampunk" stuff. As if I needed any further evidence that that sub-culture has passed its expiration date. Before, if you wanted to hot glue gun some watch gears all over something and convince yourself you were now crafty, you had to take apart an old clock and maybe learn something of how a clock was put together or how it worked. Now you just buy fake watch gears at the mall.

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  2. > Now I wish I still had some of that stuff, or at the very least paid attention and learned something from him

    I hear you!

    > If he had lived another ten years (he died far too young) I likely would have taken an interest and asked him to teach me

    I'm sorry to hear that.

    > I was in a Michaels "Craft" store recently. I see they now sell packaged "steampunk" stuff....

    So well said!

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