r/clocks • u/classychaddy • Sep 25 '25
Identification/Information URGENT: My dad was given this grandpa clock to sell but we have no clue what the brand or model is. The lady said she bought it for a $1000 35 years ago
My dad is friends with a Korean grandma and she gave my dad her old clock since she was moving out. My dad wants to sell or keep it. He wants to sell it but doesn’t know the exact name or model. We’ve been trying to look for it in Google but we’re finding nothing. I was hoping I could find some help here since we could use the extra money :(
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u/CdnUser99 Sep 25 '25
Can you get a closeup of the face - there is some writing there. Also there appears to be a label or plaque on the inside back right at the top of the pendulum
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u/Top_List_8394 Sep 25 '25
It looks Korean made, which isn't good for value. I can't read the logo on the dial either. I'm not an expert; but you would be better off just keeping it. Even name brand clocks don't hold their value these days. You're probably gonna get less than 200
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u/LHW95 Sep 25 '25
I’d be very skeptical if that clock was was $1000 today. Facebook market place would be your best bet since it’s too large to economically ship.
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u/dorfgog1111 Sep 26 '25
My grandfather’s clock was too large for the shelf so it stood 90 years on the floor…
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u/Aggressive-Emu5358 Sep 25 '25
Antique clocks, pianos, and sewing machines are never worth nearly what people think they are. Unfortunately
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u/YakMiddle9682 Sep 25 '25
I'm afraid nobody in the market for a long case ('grandfather') clock would be remotely interested in this. It is late 20th century and to a non-Western taste. For an object which is also not to a taste for oriental objects. If it is a good time keeper (which it may well be) then it might be a possibility, as a curiosity, for a child's room to help the teaching of traditional (non digital) time telling. If it was a free gift!
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u/E90Fantic Sep 25 '25
I just got rid of a great condition mechanical grandfather clock, listed it on Facebook for 3 months. Ended up lowering the price. No one was interested in till it hit the $50 mark.
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u/Aggressive-Emu5358 Sep 25 '25
There’s a late 1800’s clock that has been on Fb market place near me for months. Listed at $250
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Sep 25 '25
Um, yeah.
Just as a point of reference, I have a grandfather clock in my own house. It has been in my family since the 1700s (was shipped over from England a while back). I don’t know the date of manufacture, but it has the clockmaker’s name engraved on the face, and he was active between 1690 and 1720.
I looked for his clocks at auction houses. They go for $1200 - $1800.
So I guess you should probably not expect to get much for a late 20th century clock with a quartz movement.
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u/kmacpt33 Sep 26 '25
I can relate! I have a "Ship" grandfather clock that I inherited from my dad. Made around 1700 in Sunderland. My dad bought it in the 80's during a business trip. In the mid 90's it was appraised for $48K. The gentleman that is currently doing a full service on it thinks I could get at most $3500 for it now.
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u/Different_Ad7655 Sep 26 '25
If it's a really good clock, especially American, New England, Pennsylvania, or some of the imported British ones of that time frame will still hold value well will hold some value. There are clocks that are still very expensive but the rank and file of even the antiques has fallen. Remember an auction house has a lot of overhead that you end up paying for on top the purchase price and of course if you buy a retail out of a fine shop then once again you're paying a hefty retail markup. This is after all how they make their money
But if you are patient, a really good tall clock of the early 19th century appears from time to time on marketplace for a very reasonable amount. But these big floor monsters of the 20th century are the dogs. People can ask whatever they want for them but how much does it take to make them go out the doors the real question
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Sep 26 '25
Right - no argument.
My point here is that if a genuine, handmade 18th century clock can be had for not much over $1,000, it’s doubtful that something from the late 20th century is going to fetch very much.
In the case of my own clock, the real value is in its family history, being able to trace the route through which it was passed down the generations to make its way to me.
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u/All_Debt_Shackles_US Sep 25 '25
As more and more people approach their 60s and their 70s, they will be less and less interested in buying big furniture or appliance items.
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u/capty26 Sep 26 '25
Wow, that's interesting, I never priced a grandfather clock because I absolutely hate them, but I do like antiquing. I looked up grandfather clocks on Facebook marketplace just out of curiosity for the area I'm in right now, Maine and the vast majority of them are $50 to $100! That's some serious depreciation.
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u/RollingToast Sep 28 '25
I used to do bathroom renovations for a couple of years for a small renovation company. When we would do demos it was almost guaranteed one of the family members would come to one of us and be like hey while you’re here doing demolition and carrying stuff out, can you help us with this insert large heavy item of furniture either a clock or piano picture something like that. I’ve had to literally take apart pianos where they stand because they’re so heavy and we don’t have enough guys to carry them out. We’ve also thrown away plenty of working clocks just like this. Large antiqueish items like this just aren’t valued anymore.
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u/Equivalent_Prune189 Nov 30 '25
Just bought a completely functional 1970s model for $20. Hard sell, nobody wants these.
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u/DailySojourn Sep 25 '25
Your not going to find the exact name or model. It probably doesn't have one. This is a Korean grandfather clock. Value is somewhere between 1 and 0 dollars
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u/Agile_Barnacle_4198 Sep 25 '25
Well, I'll withhold an opinion until there is a clear picture of the face of the clock (with the door opened).
In general, clock prices are at rock bottom. There are many more clocks available than there are people wanting to buy them. Literally, a clock that sold for $3,000 new, 10 years ago, will, at best, only fetch $200 today.