Mantel Clock with Gufa Movement undergoes maintenance service
Fleet Time Company's Canadian Clock with Gufa Chime Movement Requires Servicing
A rare Arthur Pequegnat Canuck shelf clock, produced by the Fleet Time Company of Montreal, Canada, has been brought in for servicing. The clock, which was purchased along with another clock as a bonus to the main purchase, requires some attention to ensure it continues to tick accurately and chime on the hour.
Upon reassembly, the clock's chime strike lever was found to be sticking, causing the strike paddle to end the strike sequence hanging off one of the star points. To rectify this issue, the strike paddle will be re-adjusted after a few days, and for safety reasons, the power is let down on all mainsprings during adjustments.
The clock in question features a Gufa Westminster chime movement, a testament to the relationship between the Fleet Time Company and Gufa, a well-known movement maker specializing in chime mechanisms during that era. The quarter strike should be at the 1-2-3-4, the beginning of the chime sequence, and the chime sequence requires loosening the set screw for the main chime wheel and rotating the drum.
The clock also needed new bushings on the second wheels and the motion works arbour. In many cases, it is more cost-effective to replace the movement rather than repair it, especially for modern Hermle movements. However, the Gufa movements are not as common, making it more worthwhile to repair this particular clock.
The Fleet Time Company produced two and three-train mantel clocks between 1936 and 1940, with the movements for these clocks sourced from Germany. The company's clocks are noted for using Gufa Westminster chime movements, indicating a supplier-manufacturer relationship. While detailed historical records specifically about the Fleet Time Company’s full corporate history or its deeper business ties to Gufa movements are limited in the publicly available sources, this connection places Fleet Time as a niche producer who integrated recognized quality chime movements into their products in the late 1930s.
The testing of the movement of the clock has proceeded and everything looks good at this point. The plates on the strike side of the clock need to be opened up and the paddle repositioned to ensure the clock strikes correctly. The focus of the collector has shifted to collecting clocks made in Canada or with a Canadian connection, making this serviced clock a valuable addition to any collection.
- For collectors focused on Canadian-made or Canadian-connected timepieces, the serviced Arthur Pequegnat Canuck shelf clock, a product of the Fleet Time Company, would be a valuable acquisition, considering its antique status and its unique Gufa Westminster chime movement.
- The restoration process involves addressing the sticking chime strike lever issue on the mantel clock from the Fleet Time Company era, which requires re-adjusting the strike paddle and opening up the plates on the strike side of the clock for proper striking.
- During the servicing process, the integrator of recognized quality chime movements into their products in the late 1930s, the Fleet Time Company, not only showcases vintage clocks like the one in question but also displays their advanced connection with smart-home devices and gadgets of today's technology, bridging the gap between antique clocks like 'antique clocks', 'vintage clocks', and 'mantel clocks', and cutting-edge 'technology'.
