An overflow crowd at the regular meeting on February 4 saw and heard about Phinney-Walker clocks, until now more often ignored or discarded than collected. The program was presented by an enthusiastic new collector from Memphis, Dr. Edna Davis. She explained how she came to specialize in these little clocks; how she has proceeded in researching the history and connections of the companies involved around the world (including Lux and especially Semca); and how, in pursuit of every example illustrated anywhere, she has crossed paths with--and learned from--collectors whose main interest is not clocks as such, but rather rhinestones or cigarette lighters or even Disney memorabilia.
Her display, augmented by a few specimens loaned by local members, included travel alarms, eye-catching rhinestone models, a neat two-faced clock (for the night stand between twin beds), lighter-topped examples, and a very appealing miniature with a watch movement. Judging by the audience reaction, it's safe to say that boxes of miscellaneous little clocks will be getting a closer look from now on in many a shop and many a mart.
The warm-up acts at the meeting included Brooks Coleman, who enlivened the day with a brisk auction in which a couple of substantial tall clocks changed hands, along with other challenging project material and/or trade bait. During the morning, in another corner, Kent Singer led the regular mini-session on watches, the focus this time being key-wind pocket watches. And before the main speaker began, Bernie Tekippe reported the successful restoration of the tower clock in the old Haralson County courthouse in time for a big celebration on New Year's Eve. The clock is running fine, but the bell doesn't sound right to the old-timers in town. It used to be much louder, they claim. A memory problem? Maybe not. Maybe it's the coat of black paint applied to the wrong bell while this big one was sitting on the ground near a small bell during restoration work on the tower. Bernie doesn't do bells but did suggest removing the paint. The old bell may yet resound as it did in 1901.