Tick Tock! The before and afters of an Intricate 1790s English Clock

Still in its crate, the beauty and intricacy of this 18th-century clock are unmistakable. The clock's many components, from the clockworks to the music box mechanics, the woodworking, and delicately painted metal panels, showcase the craftsman that brought this piece to life in late 18th century England. And now, in the 21st century, a new team of skilled professionals came together to restore this clock's original integrity.

Before treatment, the clock in its transportation crate

It took the collaborative efforts of Senior Paintings Conservator Amber Schabdach, Senior Paintings Conservator Michael Young, Senior Conservator of Furniture Stephen Ryan of The Conservation Center, and Expert Clockmaker Cesar of Halim Time & Glass Museum to address the many diverse elements of this exquisite work. The Conservation Center and Halim Time & Glass Museum have collaborated together many times on clocks from private collections, and many of the clocks from the Museum’s collection. The results are nothing short of stunning.

The painted metal elements exhibited an oil admixture varnish that was very discolored, crizzled, and tenacious, but as Amber predicted, the painted components brightened significantly post-treatment. "The clock was an unusual treatment for me," Amber shared, "as we rarely get the chance to treat paint on metal. I treated the elements disassembled and did not quite know how all the pieces went together. The varnish layer was so thick and darkened that it also was not apparent at first glance how whimsical this clock would be."

Stephen conserved the inner case of the clock, re-securing loose veneers, stabilizing shrinkage splits and detached sections, and reviving the polished surface. But, as often happens with collaborative conservation work, the team was in awe of each other's contribution. Steve shared that the work of Cesar Lorca at Halim Time & Glass Museum stood out as phenomenal.

Halim Time & Glass Museum in Evanston, Illinois, was founded in 2017 by Cameel Halim and his family to house their personally curated collection of clocks. The museum has over 1100 timepieces and over 70 stained glass pieces of art. Cameel shared, “Over the past decade, we have relied on The Conservation Center for many of our most important restorations. They have specialized in conserving of some of our most valuable antiques using materials and methods consistent with their age. Their attention to detail and devotion to conservation is second to none. I have been extremely pleased with their work on several clocks, paintings, and other 18th-century treasures from our collection and have never found anyone else in the past that can surpass the quality of the work performed. The museum has been fortunate to partner with The Conservation Center and we look forward to continuing with them in many more future endeavors.”

Here we share the story of this clock through the before and after photography of its transformative restoration.

Carissa Tonner