If you are an experienced and worldly clock collector of antique grandfather clocks, you have no doubt seen the almost ubiquitous Swedish (and sometimes French) Mora style clocks that were so prevalent and desired from 1825-1925 and beyond. Some of the Grandfather Clocks by Howard Miller Clocks and Ridgeway Clocks and Hermle Grandfather Clocks have borrowed, or certainly resemble, some of the basic features of Mora Clocks.
The website So Much Better With Age recently featured Mora clocks and made the following observations:
The Swedish Mora Clock is a design classic that has a timeless appeal and works in almost every setting. At Swedish Interior Design, we have over 60 antique Swedish Mora clocks for sale and I thought today I’d share some thoughts on what to look for when you choose a Mora.
Everyone loves them for their unique shape and elegant femininity. The movie ‘Something’s Gotta Give’ is often people’s first entry in the timeless world of the Mora Clock. They are now exceedingly rare and there are a few things to think about if you want to find the right one.
Remember every original Mora clock is a unique piece, handmade by a craftsman or cooperative so the hood size, clock face, belly shape etc. are always subtly or dramatically different on the clocks you will see.
Atlanta Magazine also ran a piece about Mora clocks more recently and why they are so desirable. In our own experience, while they are certainly distinctive, with many of the being one-of-a-kind finely crafted case with an excellent movement, it is relatively rare that we get any special requests for a Mora Clock. One on display may be snapped up in due course, but requests for searchers (and we get many) are few and far between. While they are great and stylish clocks, we think it is fair to say they are neither known nor necessarily appreciated the way they might be worldwide. We have found some of our favorites in Lobbies of Hotels and in Restaurants of New York City.
As Atlanta Magazine pointed out in its January issue just published, there are 5 things to know about Swedish (Mora) Clocks below. We find this to be both an insightful and credible analysis:
With their distinctive hourglass shape and pastel palette, Swedish clocks exude a feminine charm. A. Tyner Antiques, located in the Galleries of Peachtree Hills, has become one of the nation’s foremost dealers in these elegant timepieces. “They’re just so happy to look at,” says owner Angie Tyner, who’s been known to ship a hundred at a time back from Scandinavia.
Swedish longcase clocks were most popular from the late 18th to the mid-19th centuries, says Tyner. Some early versions had only one hand, which indicated the hour. Most antiques cost $3,000 to $6,000.
Generally, movements were produced in small factories and cabinets were made by local carpenters. A clock’s style and decoration frequently indicate its place of origin. Simpler clocks from the town of Mora are perhaps best known. Tyner’s favorites are extra curvy clocks from the Fryksdahl region.
Cases were usually painted, often many times over, in the usual Swedish palette of grays, creams, and pale blues. Clocks from the central part of the country were occasionally decorated with painted flowers.
Today’s owners sometimes choose to replace the original works with a battery-powered quartz movement so the clocks don’t require winding. Though Swedish clocks chime on the hour, their tones are generally not as elaborate as those of English grandfather clocks.
Most clocks were custom orders made by local artisans, so there is little consistency in design. “Every time I buy, I see something unique,” says Tyner.
This article originally appeared in our Winter 2016 issue of Atlanta Magazine’s HOME.
Tags: A. Tyner Antiques, Beauty and the Beast, clocks, Galleries of Peachtree Hills, home decor, Swedish clocks
Grandfather Clocks from Sweden known as Mora Grandfather Clocks