My Father's Clocks

My dad made clocks. It was a hobby that let him escape from the responsibilities of running the family business. I know it helped him deal with the sadness of my mother’s descent into Alzheimer’s. His first clock was a beautiful grandmother’s clock in a cherry case with a moon dial. The next was a steeple clock, a present for my 30th birthday. After that came a variety of 30 clocks over a period of 40 years.

My dad and I were very close. He always wanted me to learn his skills, but we lived far apart and it was never possible. I am an educator, photographer and weaver so I feel I inherited some of his creativity and patience. My banjo clock hangs on the wall and the shelf clock sits on a blanket chest. My steeple clock chugs away reminding me of the hour, half hour and him. He passed away in 2012 at the age of 951/2 leaving behind two unfinished clocks and a legacy of beautifully hand-crafted clocks, a testament to his patience and appreciation for craftsmanship of earlier times.

Contributed by: Anne Criss
Created by: Frank Wahlen
Origin: My father's workshop in Massachusetts and then in New Hampshire