Tips on Buying Antique Clocks - Part 2

Buying Antique Clocks - Places and Sources

There are no shortages of places where you'll find antique clocks for sale. At this very moment there are tens of thousands of them being offered throughout the world. You'll find them at flea markets, resale shops, second hand stores, garage sales, estate sales and through classified newspaper ads. You'll find bidders competing for them at countless local and regional auctions, upscale "upper crust" big city auction houses. On any given day Internet auction sites like eBay will offer you a choice of more than 500 antique clocks for sale. You can find a wide selection at general merchandise antique malls and from dealers who specialize in antique clocks (both online and "brick and mortar" types abound.)

The problem isn't finding someone to sell you a clock. The real challenge is finding the one you want at a price that is fair and within your budget.

The best places from which to buy a clock depends largely on the type of buyer you are.

The more informed and educated you are about the type of clock you're buying, the more likely it is that you can uncover a true bargain buy purchasing from a private party or generalist antique dealer who themselves may have very little knowledge of clocks.

The opposite is also true. The less knowledgable you are about antique clocks, the more likely it is that you may pay too much or purchase a clock of dubious quality from an equally unknowedgeable seller - a downright dishonest one.

Overall, the "best" place from which to buy an antique clock is from someone willing to stand behind the sale in some way. This may be through a written guarantee of authenticity, a warranty on the movement or a reasonable return policy.

We've listed here just a few of the online sources where you'll antique clocks for sale. We don't recommend any one source in particular. Caveat Emptor!

 

Auction sites and others with a with regular online presence:

eBay Hundreds of clocks for auction every day from sellers the world over.)

Horton's Antique Clocks Two silent auctions each year (January and July) offering ample time period for bidding; fully illustrated catalogs posted online with good descriptions; approx. 500-600 clocks at each auction.

Jones-Horan Auction Team A few auctions each year; mostly vintage watches but also lots of clocks

R.O. Schmitt Fine Arts Two auctions each year (Spring and Autumn); fully illustrated catalogs posted online with good descriptions and condition reports; approx. 500-600 clocks at each auction; absentee bidding usually accepted.Lists of antique clock dealers with websites:

National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors lists hundreds of its members with web sites. Most buy and sell antique clocks and watches.

The Horological Foundation lists hundred of antique clock dealers from throughout the world, many with websites an/or email address. Click on the "Market" link on their site to view the list.

This Guide lists a large number of antique clock dealers with websites. See the Resource Links section.

Both Ruby Lane and The Internet Antique Stores (TIAS) lists hundreds of antique clocks for sale by numerous dealers. Easy to search.Miscellaneous sources:

ClockPost.com lists classified ads of antique clocks for sale.

Of course, you can always call the antique clock repairmen and antique clock dealers in your locality to see what they may have for sale. You can find them listed in your Yellow Pages directory under the "Clocks" heading.