Grandfather Clocks at Auction. Tick, tock, tick, tock! A private collection of antique grandfather clocks and clock parts by Wiltshire clock makers will go on sale next week at RWB Auctions.
The clocks come from makers who lived and worked in Devizes, Royal Wootton Bassett and Calne. And, as a collection, could make more than £1,000.
Selling the time pieces are local collectors and experts Paul Succony and his wife Jan, who live in a village near Devizes. Their sale marks a rare opportunity for buyers to get hold of pieces rooted in local history.
Made in Wiltshire
Focusing exclusively on antique clocks made in Wiltshire, the couple have assembled their collection over 35 years. It’s almost certainly the biggest in the world within this specialist field. What began as a personal purchase grew into a lifelong passion for sourcing, restoring and researching timepieces created by local craftsmen. Each clock reflects the heritage and identity of its maker and place of origin.
‘My wife had a vision of sitting beside a log fire, reading Thomas Hardy novels with the reassuring tick of a grandfather clock in the room. So, 35 years ago I bought her a grandfather clock. That was the start of it. We embraced the challenge of finding clocks made by local makers. And then restoring them as we both love local history, and each clock has its own identity,’ Paul said.
‘Over time we began to sell some to serious collectors where the name of the maker was important to them. For us, it’s always been more of a hobby. The joy has been in the challenge of finding the clocks and discovering the story of each clockmaker. Today we have well over 60 clocks. We’ve sold several to buyers across the globe who want to reconnect with their own history or heritage.’
An authority
As a result, Paul has also become recognised as an authority on Wiltshire clockmakers and has contributed to specialist articles and books on the subject. Further, Paul has helped to document this niche area of regional craftsmanship.
Now in his 70s and still working as a consultant in the food industry, Paul and Jan have decided it’s time to release part of the collection. In particular clocks they’ve yet to restore.
‘We do have to consider the future and it’s not practical for us to keep all that we have. It was this that’s prompted us to part with some of our collection,’ he said.
It’s expected that the sale on Wednesday March 4 at RWB Auctions will attract strong interest from collectors, historians and enthusiasts. All eager to secure a rare example of a Wiltshire-made grandfather clock, many of which seldom come to market.
‘These are interesting local pieces. They’ll attract local collectors or those with local ties who may live overseas or who have a connection with these places. Two items come from very small hamlets – Lydeway and Horton – so these are truly niche,’ said junior auctioneer and valuer Will Walter.
RWB Auctions hosts regular sales that attract buyers from across the UK and the world. For more information visit https://rwbauctions.com/
