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Craft Competition 2009

2009 Award Winners



Nathan Bower (MI)
Peoples' Choice
Award Winner and Class 1 - First

Peoples' Choice Award Winner and
Class 1: Single-Train Regulator Movement -
FIRST PLACE

Nathan Bower (MI)
This is an 8-day, weight-driven skeleton wall clock. A deadbeat escapement, Invar 36 pendulum rod, and a high tooth count are some of the features incorporated to increase accuracy and longevity. The 52" x 9" bubinga case was constructed specifically to display the skeleton movement, creating a shadow box effect.


Nathan Bower (MI)
Class 1 - Second

Class 1: Single-Train Regulator Movement

First: Nathan Bower (MI)
See above.

Second: Nathan Bower (MI)
This is an 8-day, weight-driven, great wheel skeleton clock. This clock operates on a ten-pound weight and incorporates a deadbeat escapement, cycling 60 beats per minute.


Rubens Sigelmann (WA)
Class 5 - First

Class 5: Experimental Timepiece Designs

First: Rubens A. Sigelmann (WA)
This clock is a variation of the balance-independent-hand clock that won Honorable Mention in Class 5 at the Craft Contest at the 2007 National Convention, and whose working principle was presented by the author in the NAWCC BULLETIN, No. 337 (April 2002). The clock has only one movement, although both hands are operated by gravity. A novel mechanism transmits the motion of the minute hand that has the movement to the hour hand, but the motion of the hour hand is not transmitted to the minute hand. The dimensions of this clock are 18" high x 12" wide x 5" deep. The clock is made of rosewood, and the glass dial was designed by the author and sandblasted by Bancheros Glass & Etching.


Donald Brown (MI)
Class 6 - First (tie)


Patrick Hagans (MI)
Class 6 - Second

Class 6: Wood Clock Case - Solid or Veneered
(Two contestants tied for First Place)

First: Donald Brown (WI)
18" rosewood and ebony octagon case with beveled side glasses and beveled mirror inside to view the movement and complications. Case is solid rosewood with ebony to retain the beveled glass. Bezel is solid bronze with beveled crystal. Case depth is 6" and the weight is 28 pounds. Case was built to display the unusual movement by the Waterbury Watch Company, 1885-1898 and originally housed in a 10' tall floor case. The case design was inspired by George Graham orrery. All parts were made by me except the turning of the 16-1/2" diameter bezel, the seven beveled glasses and mirror, screws, and bezel hinge. All screws are machine screws with threaded brass inserts used in the rosewood. These inserts, lower plate glass door, hinges, latches, and hardware were made by me. I also cut, ground, and beveled the 15-1/2" diameter crowned glass crystal and heat-shrunk it in the bezel.

First: Patrick Hagans (MI)
Shelf clock somewhat similar to a Riley Whiting clock that I saw. The dark wood is kingwood while the lighter wood is quilted maple for contrast. I also added both light and dark string inlays around doors and on the turnings. There are a number of other inlays on the front of the case.

Second: Patrick Hagans (MI)
Shelf clock made from curly koa (from Hawaii) and chestnut burl veneer. Doors contain maple string inlays. I turned the columns from pine and then veneered them with chestnut burl. This was tricky to use a fragile burl veneer to cover a curved surface. I gold-leafed the column caps.

Third: Tom Berg (WI)
This is a handcrafted Seth Thomas No. 2 made with bird’s eye maple. It matches the original in every way except for the bird’s eye maple. Even the brass slotted screws match along with the rest of the hardware.

HM: Myron Harsch (KS)
“Lincoln Clock.” Bell rings in Independence Hall. Lincoln raises flag representing adding Kansas as a free state in 1861. Done in Kansas cherrywood. Lincoln carved on side of case.


Patrick Hagans (MI)
Class 6 - First (tie)


Tom Berg (WI)
Class 6 - Third


Donald Mathis (OH)
Class 9 - First

Class 9: Watch Cases - Any Material

First: Donald Mathis (OH)
This is a hand-fabricated pocket watch case for a stem-wind, stem-set, Borel & Courvoisier movement. Movement is 44.23 mm wide including the dial and 7.92 mm thick including the dial. The case is 55.08 mm overall width and 17.90 mm thick including both lids. The case is 0.925 sterling silver with 14K yellow gold tubes, finger lip, and accent ring on pendant. The case is hand-engraved with a seated woman on the front lid and two lions on the back lid.


Paul Henion (MI)
Class 11 - First


Patrick Hagans (MI)
Class 11 - Third

Class 11: Authentic Replica Cases

First: Paul Henion (MI)
Acorn clock replica made by entrant. List of items completely produced by entrant: entire case, glass cutting, tablet, and dial. Entrant added door clasp, mainspring block, plates, shafts, and upper glass stenciling.

Second: Patrick Hagans (MI)
Clock is a replica of a transition clock by Herman Clark. Instead of mahogany I used macassar ebony (both solid and veneer) and satinwood in the arch. It has cast brass paw feet like the original (made by Balle Ball). Keyhole escutcheons are ivory cut from piano keys.

Third: Patrick Hagans (MI)
Clock is a replica of a Pennsylvania pillar and scroll made by Jacob Custer. Dimensions, turnings, moldings, etc., are copies of the original as best as I could determine from the picture. Instead of mahogany I used figured maple and bocote. Dial was gold-leafed and inked by me. Lead weights were cast by me. Reverse painting is by Tom Moberg.


Patrick Hagans (MI)
Class 11 - Second


Tom Berg (WI)
Class 12 - First

Class 12: Authentic Replica Clocks

First: Tom Berg (WI)
Reproduction of a Seth Thomas weight-driven No. 4. All handcrafted with solid select mahogany wood. The glass front is made from original antique glass that reveals the inside of the case and pendulum. The movement, dial, hands, weight, pendulum, and latches, down to the slotted screws, are exact matches of the original.

Wayne Herrmann (KS)
Class 13 - First


Darrell Carr (KS)
Class 13 - Second

Class 13: Clock Restoration

First: Wayne Herrmann (KS)
Seth Thomas “King Jewett” hanging kitchen clock, oak case with brass trim. I did all of the restoration myself, replacing all of the veneer, refinishing the case, and installing a new level tube. I polished and refinished the metal case trim and installed a new dial paper. The movement and alarm assembly were cleaned and repaired as needed. I cleaned the door glass.

Second: Darrell Carr (KS)
Ansonia “Nubia,” 8-day time and strike. From the “as found” condition to restoration of the iron case to include the movement. Included is a booklet that covers the restoration from beginning to end.

Third: Edward Bikowitz Jr. (MI)
Erastus W. Yates. See accompanying information.


Edward Bikowitz Jr. (MI)
Class 13 - Third


Chad Mitchell (SC)
Class 14 - First

Class 14: Painted Dials

First: Chad Mitchell (SC)
Animated Dutch dial restored.

Second: David Lima (OH)
Typical ogee zinc dial completely repainted.

David Lima (OH)
Class 14 - Second


Tom Moberg (MI)
Class 15 - First


Paul Henion (MI)
Class 15 - Third

Class 15: Reverse Painting on Glass

First: Tom Moberg (MI)
Copy of Aaron Willard banjo tablet set.

Second: David Lima (OH)
Bottom tablet copied from a Terry & Sons pillar and scroll clock, Plymouth, CT, ca. 1825-1828. Unusual double gold leaf border.

Third: Paul Henion (MI)
Reverse painted tablet showing a “View out the Front Window” with curtains, columns, and buildings. Duplicated from original tablet from a Seth Thomas transitional clock. Tablet has gold leaf border, pendulum view, two stencils for surround, India ink line work, and oil paint.

HM: Karen Summerville
Glass measures 14" x 11". Stenciled border.

HM: Karen Summerville
Broadway view transfer onto glass and reverse painted.
Glass measures 8" x 10".

HM: Paul Henion
Reverse painted tablet of “Aurora Lighting up the Morning Sky.” Duplicated from picture of original tablet found on a Jonathan Burr clock. Tablet has gold leaf border, India ink line work, and oil paints.

David Lima (OH)
Class 15 - Second


Tom Moberg (MI)
Class 16 - First


Karen Summerville (TX)
Class 16 - Third

Class 16: Stencil Bronzing

First: Tom Moberg (MI)
Atkins and Downs reverse tablet with stenciled border. Border portion submitted for judging.

Second: Karen Summerville (TX)
Stenciled splat reproduced from a Riley Whiting original. Twelve separate hand-cut stencils were used to create the pattern.

Third: Karen Summerville (TX)
Original Fenn stencil design with frosted glass area and reverse painted highlights.

Karen Summerville (TX)
Class 16 - Second


David Lima (OH)
Class 17 - First (tie)
Class 17: Gold Leafing
(Two contestants tied for First Place.)

First: David Lima (OH)
Gilded columns with horizontal burnished bands. Found in column and cornice clocks, as well as some others. Makers using such decorative columns included Seth Thomas, J. C. Brown, Chauncey Jerome, E. N. Welch, and S. C. Spring.

First: Tom Moberg (MI)
Painted tablet for Terry & Sons pillar and scroll clock. Border portion submitted for judging.

Third: Karen Summerville (TX)
Reproduction of an original E. Terry gold leaf border.

HM: Karen Summerville (TX)
Scene of hunters, dogs, and ships. Glass measures 16" x 8".

Tom Moberg (MI)
Class 17 - First (tie)


Karen Summerville (TX)
Class 17 - Third


David Lima (OH)
Class 18 - First

Class 18: Painted Case Decoration

First: David Lima (OH)
Faux tortoise shell columns with gilded capitals. Enhanced decorative item found in a variety of clock styles by a variety of makers.


Paul Henion (MI)
Class 19 - First

Class 19: Wood Carving

First: Paul Henion (MI)
Riley Whiting 30-hr woodworks clock. Carvings replicated from picture found on the Internet. Splat was produced by using a band saw, Dremel, chisels, knives, aging, staining, and shellac. Columns were produced by using a lathe, Dremel, chisels, knives, aging, staining, and shellac. No CNC machining was used.

Second: Myron Harsch (KS)
Owl hoots on the hour and head twists. Carved in oak.


Myron Harsch (KS)
Class 19 - Second


Donald Mathis (OH)
Class 20 - First

Class 20: Metal Engraving and Decorative Metal Parts

First: Donald Mathis (OH)
Hand-engraved train on bridge. Case is 14K yellow gold (E.H. & Co.) case no. 29548. Train design comes from original. (Illustrated catalog 1892 Otto Nelson, Peshtigo, WI.)


Harvey Schmidt (NY)
Class 21 - First

Class 21: Horological Tools—New or Reproduction

First: Harvey Schmidt (NY)
A ball bearing vertical milling attachment with a 7-mm step for Thorton cutters, a 10-mm step for Bergeon cutters, and a bore for fly cutters. Height is adjustable with two set screws and the bottom shoe fits in the “T” slot of the cross slide.

Second: Boris Vojvodich (NY)
Tool was designed and built for work on new or old clocks when planing wheels using a milling machine or a jig borer. Primary application includes wheels made with homemade fly cutters where pitch distances cannot be reliably calculated. The tool also is useful in new work to check calculated center distances that can be then fine adjusted before drilling pivot holes.

Boris Vojvodich (NY)
Class 21 - Second

Bruno Delorenzo (MI)
Class 22 - First


Bruno Delorenzo (MI)
Class 22 - Second

Class 22: Horological Novelties

First: Bruno Delorenzo (MI)
Watchmaker’s bench with tools, lathe, staking tools, washing machine, timing machine, etc., 1/6 size scale. Approximately 13" in length. Entrant states that complete entry was fabricated by entrant.

Second: Bruno Delorenzo (MI)
16-size Waltham 23-jewel railroad watch. Enlarged 4×. All parts are to scale (no mainspring); 5-3/4" diameter. Watch does not operate because of the heavy balance wheel. Entrant states that complete entry, including the screws, was fabricated by entrant.

Third: David Yankee (MI)
This clock is a 400-day, key-wind, torsion pendulum clock by Schatz & Sohne. I added a complex moon dial. See accompanying folder.

HM: Jim Williams (MI)
I found a nice little Japy Freres & Co. movement, ca. 1860, without an escapement, so I proceeded to convert it to a crown wheel escapement following Britten’s 7th edition. The parts I made are in the accompanying photos.

HM: Myron Harsch (KS)
Girl is brushing dog teeth, and dog howls and moves on the hour; carved cherrywood.


David Yankee (MI)
Class 22 - Third


Jim Williams (MI)


Lee Davis (PA)


Lee Davis (PA)


Lee Davis (PA)

Class 23: Exhibition Only

Jim Williams (MI)
A reproduction table clock and music box after David Bouquet, ca. 1550, from a picture on page 43 of Clock in Color by Andrew Nicholls. This clock was made for the 1982 National. The pattern on the brass was scribed in, but the engraving was not finished, so it wasn’t entered.

Myron Harsch (KS)
Dutch windmill and little girl working a butter churn on the hour.

Lee Davis (PA)
8" x 9" glass with flowers and silver decorated border.

Lee Davis (PA)
8" x 10" glass, Victorian lady.

Lee Davis (PA)
8" x 7" glass, Seth Thomas column and cornice lower glass, stenciled design.

Lee Davis (PA)
Seth Thomas door tablet with stenciled border, gold leaf bob opening.

Lee Davis (PA)
9" x 12" woodworks-type tablet.

Lee Davis (PA)
11"x 15" tablet for Jerome & Darrow clock.

Myron Harsch (KS)


Lee Davis (PA)


Lee Davis (PA)


Lee Davis (PA)

South Western
Ontario Ch. 92
Class 25 - First

Class 25: Institutional and Public Clock Restoration

First: South Western Ontario Ch. 92
Our chapter was approached by Aylmer Ontario Town Works Department and asked to restore the clock in the town hall. The town was considering electrifying the clock, but representatives from the chapter repaired the mechanism and restored its functionality. All work was done by chapter members including the machining of replacement parts.

Second: George E. Lee Michiana Ch. 26
1930 McClintock “Larimie Model” bank clock. Clock dials (3) are 32" square. Dials are hand-painted milk glass bordered with colored leaded glass. Back panel of clock is blank. Advertising panels (3) are below the clock. Advertising panels are leaded stained glass. Back of advertising panel is blank. The internal framework is structural steel. The exterior trim pieces are cast bronze and copper. Overall height is 11'-6", finial to finial. The weight of the clock is approximately 700 pounds. 1950 Diebold master clock with chimes drives (3) slave clocks and the chime function. System is powered by 100-volt AC and the slaves by 12-volt DC from an internal rectifier. The clock was originally mounted to the front facade of the Peoples Trust Bank in Ft. Wayne, IN. It resided at this location from 1930 to 1979.

George E. Lee
Michiana Ch. 26
Chapter 25 - Second