‘Housebarn’ Clock

Hamm Clock, 1852 (MC0258)

Little is known about Gerhard Hamm (probably ca. 1818–1866) other than that he was a clockmaker who worked with Peter Lepp (1817–1871) and helped train Kornelius Hildebrand (1833–1920). As he seems not to have passed on the trade to one of his children and died young, there are few surviving Hamm clocks. Gerhard Hamm marked the hour wheels of his clocks, including this one, with his initials and the year they were made. The dial was repainted in 1952.

History

This clock was probably brought to Manitoba, Canada, in the 1870s, and then taken to Mexico when the owners emigrated, probably in the 1920s or 1940s. While the clock was in Mexico its dial was repainted and the movement repaired, likely in 1952.

Jacob Wiebe of Hochfeld, Manitoba, went to Mexico around 1969 to visit family. He purchased the clock while he was there and brought it back to Manitoba. A collector purchased the clock from him a few years later and donated it to the Manitoba Museum, in Winnipeg, in 1975. 

• Description Thirty-hour wall clock with pendulum and weight-driven movement (pendulum now missing), made by Gerhard Hamm (probably ca. 1818–1866) in Chortitza, Russian Empire (now Ukraine), in 1852. Arched dial is light with single dark border around the perimeter, not including the arch; border is thicker across the arch. Arch is hand-painted with a scene of a house set among trees, with mountains in the background. Spandrels are hand-painted purple, pink, and yellow flowers on their stems. Chapter ring is white with black Roman numerals and has an outer ring marking quarter hours and minutes. There is also an inner ring with Arabic numerals denoting the date, although the calendar hand is missing. Inside the chapter ring are painted the dates 1852 (the year the clock was made) and 1952 (the year the clock was likely repainted). Two hands; rope drive; two weights.

• Mennonite Clock Number MC0258

• Object Name Hamm Clock

• The Manitoba Museum Accession Number H9-6-867

• Date Created 1852

• Maker Gerhard Hamm (probably ca. 1818–1866)

• Location Made Chortitza, Chortitza Colony, Russian Empire (now Ukraine)

• Other Markings GH/1852 (stamped on hour wheel)

• Movement Type Iron plate

• Function Calendar (calendar hand missing)

• Owner The Manitoba Museum

• Notes Pendulum is missing.