Posts Tagged ‘grandfather cuckoo clocks’
There’s a village in Tuscarawas County in Ohio called Sugarcreek that’s currently working on plans to restore one of the world’s largest cuckoo clocks. The clock stands at over twenty-three feet tall and was used as an attraction for a restaurant initially. Since its initial creation, the clock has been sold and moved around a number of times. Currently, it is in the stages of being restored and moved to a new location as an icon of the local Swiss culture in Sugarcreek.
It’s the largest cuckoo clock in the United States, with the only other contenders for the world’s largest being found in Germany, Russia, Argentina, and Italy. They’re each far larger than any cuckoo clock anyone could fit inside a household. Personally, I think I’ll stick to the regular-sized grandfather cuckoo clocks for my home.
Decorating with Multiples
My parents were active antique collectors, but once they decided that their house was too much for them to maintain, they gave up collecting and dispersed the collection among their children. My siblings tend toward a more modern aesthetic in their homes, so I really had the pick of the litter. I ended up snagging three impeccable grandfather clocks.
The only issue is that I live in a two bedroom apartment. Instead of trying to spread the grandfather clocks throughout my home, I decided to group all three of them in the living room. They now stand proudly next to each other, thus making a powerful focal point. It took some tinkering to get them all to chime in sync, but the effort was worth it as the effect is astounding.
Traditional Clocks in the Modern Home
If you are looking for a way to add style, elegance and charm to your home décor, grandfather and cuckoo clocks are the perfect solution. Not only do they instantly add rustic appeal to any home, they’re pragmatic timekeeping devices too. Particularly if you have a rustic motif, the rich wood creates an inviting ambiance in any room.
With the proliferation of digital clocks on virtually every handheld device, traditional clocks are being marginalized and may seem superfluous to the younger generation. Personally, I find old-fashioned clocks fascinating, with their intricate series of cogs, levers and wheels. Although there are certainly other timekeeping options out there, grandfather and cuckoo clocks offer unparalleled beauty and craftsmanship.
Recreating Time
For the last eighteen years, I’ve spent a good deal of my free time practicing and performing with my Pink Floyd cover band, Anderson Council. We started out simply for fun, but over the years we’ve developed somewhat of a cult following in the area and now play shows at local establishments on a regular basis. Last year we decided to hit the studio and record our own version of the classic album Dark Side of the Moon.
We thought it would be cool to replicate the entire process, so we brought in several female backup singers, conducted candid interviews for voiceover effects and went the extra mile to capture our own background sounds. This was particularly challenging for the intro to Time, as there wasn’t a clock store nearby to record dozens of clocks chiming simultaneously. Luckily, we were able to find a local clock collector who gave us access to his collection, which was exhaustive—everything from anniversary clocks to Black Forest cuckoo clocks. Although our version certainly can’t touch the original, it was well-received and, in my opinion, a fitting tribute.
Grandfather Cuckoo Clock
Have you ever seen a cuckoo clock that wasn’t hanging on a wall?
Not all Cuckoo Clocks are small. How’s almost 7 feet tall sound for a cuckoo clock? Pretty incredible and an amazing, impressive time piece if I must say so. There are many beautifully carved Grandfather Cuckoo Clocks that are made in the Black Forest, and depict forest scenes. Most will play music and chimes and have animation every 15 minutes. Wow!
I celebrated my birthday yesterday, but I’m sad to say I didn’t get a Grandfather Cuckoo Clock as a gift. My wife must have thought I was coo coo. Oh well, maybe next year. By the way, one of the world’s largest cuckoo clocks in the shape of a typical Black Forest house is located in Triberg im Schwarzwald, a town in Baden-Wurttemburg, Germany. Maybe that will be our trip next October.