Recently I have had more and more requests on how to do a self-appraisal of a grandfather clock. To remove some of the mystique, I have included in this article some of the questions that an appraiser will cover. This will not provide you an accurate price but should help with a ball park figure.
Confused on where to start when looking for a grandfather clock? One of the best ways to narrow your selection is to determine what purpose the grandfather clock will serve. Will it be used to accent or enhance your dcor? Are you buying it for the sight and sound of an old-world clock? Or are you buying it as a precision timepiece?
If you are in the market for a modern grandfather clock, it is best to focus your time on the type or style that best fits your needs. People buy grandfather clocks for very different reasons. Some buyers are looking for a clock that will add the finishing touch to their carefully planned dcor. Others are fond of the lasting memories from their childhood -the sounds of a grandfather clock as it counted the minutes with the steady rhythm of tick-tock and the wonderful tones the chimes produced every hour of their young lives. Still other buyers love the wonderful precision of a mechanical timepiece that keeps working day after day and love the solid steadiness only a grandfather clock provides.
If you have not read my first article “Never Pass Up A Chance to Buy A Grandfather Clock” read it before reading this article. If you are buying or selling an antique grandfather wall clock or antique clock, you should get or have a written appraisal by an accredited appraiser. Yes, I said accredited and not licensed, no national organization that is designated to license appraisers currently exists. Which means anyone can call themselves an appraiser and many unqualified people do, so beware! On the other hand, appraisers that have a valid membership and are in good standing with “International Society of Appraisers (ISA)” or “American Society of Appraisers” or “Appraisers Association of America” are connected with an ethical and trusted group.
