In recent years, prices for Plato Clocks (also
known as Plato Flip Clocks) have soared.
Selling prices from $600 dollars up to $1000
dollars or more have been noted
on online auctions.
In this climate, it would definitely be wise
for the collector to have a grasp on the different
varieties of Plato Clocks.
Also, it would seem beneficial for sellers
to have some firm factual information regarding
a particular Plato Clock that they are selling.
We will cover these issues in detail, and
at the end, try to put the Plato Clock in
perspective in regards to its actual place
in clock history.
Piecing together the confusing and at times
contradictory information regarding Plato
Clocks can be difficult for buyer and seller
and collector of these clocks.
To achieve a solid and useful understanding
of the Plato Clock, we should come to learn
and appreciate the influence in this area
of one particular person - collector, inventor,
businessman, marketing expert, author, clock
buyer, seller and repairer, Charles O. Terwilliger.
Charles Ostrander Terwilliger Jr. was born
in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, March 22, 1908
and died on February 17, 1988 in Bronxville,
New York at age 79.
His main source of income came from employment
at MacFadden Publications in Manhattan, New
York in the field of magazine advertising,
working in the areas of sales, promotion and
market research.
With horology starting first as a hobby, but
eventually becoming his life's work, Charles
Terwilliger established the The Horolovar
Company in 1951, which became the trusted
source for suspension springs and other parts
for anniversary clocks
(also known as 400-Day Clocks).
Terwilliger essentially revolutionized the
repair and maintenance the 400-Day Clock
by the development of an improved suspension
spring for these clocks, which came to be
known as the "Horolovar Temperature Compensating
Suspension Spring."
Terwilliger also authored the definitive guide
to the clock's repair - the "Horolovar 400-Day
Clock Repair Guide."
First published in 1953, the guide remains
a widely known and respected resource in horological
circles, and today can be found in its 10th
Edition.
The Horolovar Company, which to this day remains
the leader in providing suspension springs
for the 400-Day Clocks, moved to Lancaster,
Ohio after being acquired in 2009
by Chris Nimon.
Charles O Terwilliger, Jr was a member of
the National Association of Watch and Clock
Collectors (NAWCC) from 1950 until his passing
in 1988.
Over his 38 years with the NAWCC, he serve
in many roles, including multiple stints as
Director and as the head of numerous committees,
and serving as a member of the editorial board
of the NAWCC Bulletin.
In this capacity, he wrote numerous Bulletin
Articles, including the one published in October
1964 and most often used as the source when
referring to the Plato Clock: "Eugene L. Fitch
and the Plato Clock."
This particular article can be found in pdf
format on the web.
However, less widely available is the June
1970 revised and reprinted version that added
important new information about the later
reproduction Plato clocks.
It is from these articles that we learn that
no later than 1964, Terwilliger, through the
Horolovar company, became the exclusive distributor
of reproduction Plato Clocks made by Josef
Mergenhagen of Germany.
This included a traditional vertical model
as well as a horizontal model styled after
an earlier Eugene Fitch patent.
J. Mergenhagen's business was absorbed by Karl
Lauffer Uhrenfabrik at Schwenningen, Germany
in 1965.
It was under this company that the Plato Clock
line was expanded to include many ornate Plato-type
clocks, again, only available in the US through
Terwilliger's Horolovar company.
Later, we will go into more detail about these
and other Plato clock varieties.
But this is noted here to establish Terwilliger's
major role in Plato Clock collecting.
Charles Terwilliger's influence over collecting
of the Plato Clock does not end at the import
of the German made, more modern Plato Clocks.
Under the name of the Horolovar Company, Terwilliger
contracted to have five historically significant
and curious clocks reproduced for sale, including
a Plato Clock which he contracted to have
made by Karl Lauffer of Germany.
This reproduction would eventually be known
by collectors as the "Horolovar Plato Clock."
With this upgraded reproduction, Terwilliger
sought to produce an authentic recreation
of the look of the original, first design
of the Plato Clock, with a better mechanism,
in contrast to the more ornate German clocks
that he already distributed.
With his background in marketing, it seems
likely that Mr. Terwilliger figured that a
clock bearing the Horolovar name would help
advance the company's name recognition and
reach - assuming that the clock became popular.
Unfortunately, the Horolovar Plato Clock,
like it's predecessor, the original Plato
Clock, did not go big, and production of the
Horolovar Plato Clock ran only from
1969 to 1971.
In spite of this, no one person has influenced
collection of all versions of the Plato Clock
like Charles Terwilliger personally, and through
his Horolovar Company.
His NAWCC Bulletin articles remain the only
authoritative sources regarding these clocks.
And nearly every description of the Plato
clock in collector circles, online auctions
and online sources (not to mention the the
bulk of the historical aspects discussed here)
includes information that can be traced directly
back to these articles.
Now that the stage is set, it is proper time
to discuss in more detail, the Plato Flip
Clock - the first true flip clock and known
by many as "the Grandfather of all Flip Clocks."
The Plato Flip Clock
The history of the Plato Clock holds great
importance for those interested in the digital
display of time including fans of flip clocks.
But we will discover that with the passage
of time, history becomes more than a little
warped, even morphing at times into outright untruths.
This defines the primary purpose of this discussion.
Here we will to try to set the conversation
of the history of these clocks back on track,
moving at least as close to the truth as possible.
To begin, lets start with the name of the
clock and the wide-spread misinformation
about it's origin.
What's in a Name?
With collecting and studying clocks it's a
small step to wax philosophical.
Consider a clock - it's a tool to measure
and
communicate the passage of time to people
who are themselves inescapably, day by day, second by second, moving towards
their eventual mortal end.
Clock collecting, in a way, could be described
as the attempt to literally get a hold on
time, to possess or control time.
But in reality, time slips through our fingers
like sand, we cannot hold on to it, or stop
it, or reverse it (in spite of what the proponents
of Daylight Saving Time seem to think).
So, was it a philosophical mindset that was
behind the naming of the Eugene Fitch clock
"Plato Clock" after the famous Greek philosopher,
Plato?
Absolutely not!
The new clock needed a suitable and catchy
name before it went to market, and the lawyer
that Eugene Fitch consulted for his patents,
Henry D. Williams, suggested the name "Plat-O"
as a nod to the flipping plates that displayed
the time.
According to Williams (in a letter written
in 1942 to an editor of the journal "American
Holologist and Jeweler") from the very beginning
the public mistakenly deduced that "Plato"
referred to the Greek philosopher.
As recently as 1998, a widely distributed
syndicated newspaper article by Ralph and
Terry Kovel asserted that: "In 1902, a novelty
clock was patented that resembled a lantern.
Flipping numbered cards displayed the time.
The clock had a brass stand and handle with
a glass cylinder enclosing the cards.
The unusual clock was named the "Plato" because
the famous Greek philosopher Plato was said
to have carried a lantern shaped like the
clock while he was
"looking for an honest man."
This article is full of errors.
Firstly, what they call the "lantern shaped
clock" was not modeled after a lantern, but
after late 19th century carriage clocks (we
will talk more about this later).
Also, this first true Plato Clock was patented
July 7, 1903, not 1902.
But the authors of this article were close.
It was the boxy, horizontally flipping model
that received patent No. 715,776 on
December 16, 1902.
And it was a stepping stone to the Plato Clock.
But this was not the final, supposedly "lantern"
shaped version.
But secondly, and more importantly, the clock,
absolutely and without question, was not named
after Plato.
For one thing, Plato was never said to have
been holding a lantern
"looking for an honest man."
That was the Greek Cynic philosopher,
Diogenes of Sinope.
Although he was a contemporary of Plato, Diogenes,
may have been thought by Plato to be a madman.
Diogenes chose to live out of a huge jar or
barrel and had nothing good to say about societal
norms or etiquette.
Regarding his philosophy, in a nutshell, he
apparently believed that society could never
be the source of virtue since manners and
society in general were based on lies, since
people often said or did things in private
that they would never do in public
(he would have loved social media).
Evidently for this reason, perhaps to make
a point, he would urinate and pleasure himself
in public when the urge came over him, so
that he would be more genuine, I suppose.
The myth is that he carried a lantern about
Athens, Greece, holding it up to peoples'
faces, looking for an honest man 
- apparently, finding none.
The bottom line is this: it was Diogenes of
Sinope who carried a lantern looking for an
honest man, not Plato.
Not only this, Plato would probably be appalled
that a myth surrounding Diogenes, was being
attributed to him.
In summary, and to make it perfectly clear:
The Plato Clock was not named after Plato.
Correcting this historical naming error clearly
was also very important to Charles Terwilliger,
who took pains to set the record straight.
Terwilliger wrote about the naming confusion
in both versions of his articles about the
Plato clock and also included the correction
of fact on at at least two different advertising
pieces - one describing the Horolovar reproduction
clock and another detailing the models of
the German reproductions that he distributed.
The numerous variations of the Plato Clock
and more details.
It is my opinion that any Plato clock possesses
value, not only as a collectible, but also
as a historical piece relating to the history
of digital time, which includes flip clocks,
regardless of the time period of manufacture
or country of origin.
Even the latest reproduction, the circa 1970
Horolovar Plato clock, is as old or older
than many collectible vintage flip clocks,
and has an important place in flip clock history.
So to get a more complete understanding and
appreciation of the Plato Clocks we will explore
seven important areas:
1) a basic history of the original Plato Clocks,
2) the styles of the original four versions
of the clock
3) the French and German (pre-world war one)
clocks
4) the later (around 1960s) German made reproduction
clocks
5) the 1970s Horolovar model
6) The artistic style of the Platos and
7) The brutal truth regarding the true quality
of the original Plato Clocks and their place
in horology.
Plato Clock History
The Plato Clock made it's appearance on the
world stage at the famed 1904 St Louis World's
Fair, as a part of an exhibit by the American
Electrical Novelty and Manufacturing Company,
which would later become the
EverReady Battery Company.
Photographs from the 1904 World's Fair, the
largest in history up to that time, provide
a glimpse into the time period of the original
Plato Clocks.
The cars, the architecture, the clothing fashion,
puts into perspective the people that the
clocks were being marketed to.
A French advertising poster for the 1904 World's
Fair, by artist Alphonse Mucha holds some
interest regarding this time period.
Later in this discussion, we will use this
artist's work to describe the artistic style
of some of the early Plato Clocks.
The inventor of the Plato Clock was Eugene
L. Fitch of New York City.
Fitch received patent number 733,180 on July
7th 1903 for the clock that would become the
basis of all subsequent models and styles
of Plato Clocks.
However, he did receive other patents as early
as Dec 16, 1902 related to the clock, which
probably explains some sources claiming that
clock was invented in 1902.
Interestingly, the first patent of 1902 looks
more like our modern flip clocks.
So as you can see, Eugene Fitch could be said
to be the inventor of flip clocks in general,
not just the Plato Clock.
The man who took an interest in Fitch's invention
and who is credited with actually getting
these clocks produced, was Conrad Hubert,
owner of the American Electrical Novelty and
Manufacturing Company.
Mr. Hubert contracted with the Ansonia Clock
Company to manufacture the clocks and marketed
the clocks under the name "The Famous Ever
Ready Plato Clock."
Therefore a proper summary statement of the
original clock's history, in my opinion, should
read something to the effect: "The Ever Ready
Plato Clock was invented by Eugene L Fitch
of the United States in 1903, produced by
Conrad Hubert of the American Electrical Novelty
and Manufacturing Company (which would later
become the Eveready Battery Company), manufactured
by the Ansonia Clock Company and introduced
at the 1904 World's Fair."
The Plato clock displays the time by what
the inventor and distributor called numbered,
"plates" that were originally made of celluloid
(which is considered to be the first thermoplastic,
in common use by 1870).
The hours digits appeared stacked above the
minutes with the plates flipping like pages
of a book to reveal the advancing time.
All versions were either stamped or cast brass
with glass protecting the plates.
The American made Plato Clocks came in four designs
and could be had with either red, white or
blue number plates - the colored plates bearing
white numbers and the white plates displaying
black numbers.
The four designs in some literature are numbered
as follows:
Design 1 - The classic cylindrical style with
a sleeve of glass, with handle on top.
Design 2 - The figurine topped clock, covered
by a dome of glass.
Design 3 - Rectangle shaped clock with 4 separate
pieces of glass, topped with a handle.
Design 4 - A button topped (or what some collectors
call a mushroom topped) ornate version with
a glass sleeve.
You will often read that the production number
of these clocks was 40,000.
However, this is pure speculation.
This number was suggested as an estimate by
Eugene Fitch's patent attorney, Henry D Williams
in 1942, many years after the production and
selling of these clocks.
The fact is, no hard production records exist
and we have to take this as an educated guess,
remembering that Williams was not actually
involved in the production of the clocks.
Charles O. Terwilliger (who we previously introduced),
in his work "Eugene L Fitch and the Plato
Clock" asserted that the original clocks have
many variations due to the following variable
characteristics:
- the bottom of the movement plate may or
may not have the marking "Ansonia Clock Co."
- the clock may have an attached winding key,
or a separate key that attaches to the squared
winding arbor.
- those clocks with a separate key may or
may not have a clamp on the bottom of the
cover plate to hold the key.
- the cover of the movement on the bottom
of the clock may or may not display the patent
dates and the words "The Plato Clock."
- the font used for the numbers comes in a
few different styles.
- the numerals will be either white on blue,
white on red or black on white.
- the metal pieces that holds the number plates
back may be piano wire or more often
blued steel.
- design number 2 (the one with the figure
on top) comes in a smaller version but probably
produced in small numbers, since the plates
did not have much clearance.
- design number 4 (the mushroom top) may have
a five-pointed star with the number 60 in
the center - significance unknown.
- there is a design number 1 (the cylindrical
version clock) that does not have tabs on
the numeral plates 56-59 as is the norm, but
instead uses a brass cam to move the metal
hook up to hold the hour until the minutes
pass 59.
Terwilliger speculates that this may be one
of the earliest models.
The Early French and German Plato Clocks
It is known that three different German clock
makers and probably two different French manufactures
produced Plato Clocks prior to World War I
- that is, prior to 1914.
During this time an unknown French company
produced what they called the "Fitch Clock"
which looked nearly identical to the first
design of the Plato Clock (that is the cylindrical
design number 1).
Recently a superbly designed French clock,
more ornate than the original, appeared on
eBay and sold for nearly a thousand dollars.
The bottom of the clock had a marking that
included the words "Fitch Clock."
The three German manufactures were The Hamburg-American
Clock Company (whose trade mark consisted
of crossed arrows.
The word "American" does not indicate an association
with the United States, but is a designation
of a type of clock movement that the company
featured in other clocks), Lenzkirch Uhrenfabrik
(Uhrenfabrik means clock or watch factory
in German) and Gebrüder Junghans (in English
the Junghans brothers).
The Junghans Plato Clocks could be found in
both brass and nickel plated brass cases.
Most or all of the Junghans clocks includes
a trademark/logo stamped on the top that reads
"Ever Ready Chronos Clock."
The British Clocks
Not mentioned in the NAWCC Bulletin articles,
it is now known (through the wonders of internet
research and from online auctions), that there
were British produced Plato-type clocks.
Some appear to be similar in quality to the
German made clocks, but others seem to be
very high quality.
These clocks were produced in the early 1900s
and consisted of a British made solid sterling
silver case, with the clock works and possible
the entire mechanism produced by German and
possibly French manufactures.
On one particular clock seen online, the German
"Junghans" mark is clearly visible on the
mechanism.
The later German Made Platos
In 1953 Uhrenfabrik Laufamholz Köhler & Co.
produced a Plato Clock with some significant
different styling that the original Plato
clocks.
Some of these exhibited more ornate, painted
cases with floral designs.
These clocks can be identified by the markings
"Köhler" or "Abessi."
Abessi was a brand name used by Armbruster
& Böhringer in Germany, who were the makers
of the cases.
Uhrenfabrik Laufamholz Köhler & Co sold the
tools and rights to produce these clocks to
an employee, Josef Mergenhagen, who improved
the clock by adding non-warping plastic plates
for the numerals.
Clocks made by this maker may include the
stamping "J. Mergenhagen" on the bottom.
In 1965 Mergenhagen's business was absorbed
by Karl Lauffer Uhrenfabrik, Schwenningen,
Germany, who continued to make the Plato type
clocks until around 1970 it is supposed.
These German clocks were distributed in the
United States exclusively by the Horolovar
Company, Bronxville, New York under the ownership
of Charles Terwilliger.
This is the same Karl Lauffer Company that
accepted the contract to make the Horolovar
Reproduction Plato Clock.
The Last Plato Clock
In 1969 Charles O. Terwilliger, as head of
the Horolovar company, brought the Plato Clock
history full circle, by producing a reproduction
of the original, cylindrical brass and glass
clock with the handled top, also known as
Design 1.
Terwilliger, in promotional material, described
this clock as "so close to the original in
outward appearance that only an expert can
tell them apart" but adding that unlike the
original one day clock, the Horolovar clock
had a "7-jewel, 8-day movement."
As mentioned, the clock was manufactured by
Karl Lauffer Uhrenfabrik, Schwenningen, Germany
and sold under the name Horolovar.
The bottom plate of these clocks reads "West
Germany, Seven (7) Jewels unadjusted, The
Horolovar Company, Bronxville, New York."
The production of the clock ended in 1971.
Collectors refer to these clocks as "the Horolovar
Plato Clock."
The Plato Clock - Artistic style and Place
in Horology
It is my opinion that the original Plato clocks
are of two distinct styles.
The original cylindrical clock and the rectangular
shaped clock, both of which have handles on
top, are styled after mid to late 19th century
carriage clocks - the corniche and oval styles.
These carriage clock styles were very prevalent
at the time of the initial production of the
Plato Clocks.
Now concerning the other two styles (the ones
with the figurine and the button on top) - this
pair could probably be best described as having
the style that chronologically preceded Art
Deco, namely, Art Nouveau.
Art Nouveau is a style of art, architecture
and applied art, highly popular between 1890
and 1910, often described as an ornamental
art form, Art Nouveau is defined by asymmetrical,
long, organic, natural lines.
These usually long, undulating lines are often
represented by natural objects such as vines,
stalks and flowers.
In discussions of Art Nouveau you will nearly
always hear mention of the whiplash line.
These lines rhythmically bend back on themselves,
seeming to hold a force about to be released,
like a whip.
In addition, in many Art Nouveau popular art
works and posters, it seems to me that there
nearly always exists one main subject, very
often a woman's upper torso and face, or her
full form with its naturally flowing curves,
with a very ornamental, somewhat flat background
of repeating patterns and flowing lines.
The colors used in Art Nouveau frequently
seem muted and often pastel-like.
Art Nouveau came on the scene just as lithography
printing became an economical reproduction
method.
This resulted in an explosion of posters for
use in advertising as well as an increased
availability of art for the general public.
Perhaps the use of beautiful women in advertising
had it's start during this period as you can
see all types of products advertised in this
style featuring women.
Of particular interest for our discussion
is the work of Alphonse Mucha, a Czech artist
living in Paris during the Art Nouveau period.
As previously mentioned, Mucha painted the
French Poster for the 1904 World's Fair where
the Plato Clock was reportedly unveiled.
But Mucha is best known for his distinctive,
decorative, theatrical advertising posters
of Sarah Bernhardt.
This becomes very important for us as you
will soon see.
Sarah Bernhardt was an internationally known
French stage actress, very active in the time
period of the Plato clocks - the late 19th
and early 20th centuries.
Bernhardt commissioned Mucha to produce many
posters for her theater performances featuring
herself.
These have come to be well recognized works
of art of the Art Nouveau style, and are highly
prized in many art circles.
So what do Mucha and Bernhardt have to do
with Plato Clocks.
Now that we have a basic understanding of
the Art Nouveau style, we can see that the
two original Plato Clocks without handles
have elements, clearly of the Art Nouveau
style.
While some describe the figure on the top
of the domed Plato Clock as an "angel" or
simply "a figurine," we must now conclude
that it is simply a depiction of a woman with
long flowing hair.
There are no angel wings here, but there are
flowers and flowing lines.
I have no proof of this, and have not read
it anywhere else, but I'd like to made the
bold assertion, that the figure on top of
the Plato clock, is actually a facsimile of,
you may have guessed it, Sarah Bernhardt.
Obviously no one would make that statement
during their marketing, when Bernhardt was
active.
Yet most people would be familiar with the
style and the subject.
Yes, I believe that this clock could be described
as being adorned with an Art Nouveau inspired
figure of a woman, highly suggestive of Sarah
Bernhardt.
While the Plato Clocks are frequently described
in glowing terms on auction sites, it seems
important to accept that the clocks were not
of the highest grade and quality, since they
were actually intended to be mass produced
and marketed to the general public.
The Art Nouveau styling is there, but it's
not high art.
And the quality of all the early Plato clocks
could be considered good, but it was not considered
to be of the highest quality.
This can be seen when you consider the quality
of fine carriage clocks from the same period.
In the book "A Century of Fine Carriage Clocks"
by Joseph Faneli and edited by our very own,
Charles Terwilliger, we can see the high level
of artisanship in the clocks of this same
period.
The Plato Clocks do not even approach the
artistic quality, manufacturing standards
or high grade of inner clock works of the
fine carriage clocks of the 19th and early
20th centuries.
This should not be taken as insult to these
historical clocks and those that collect them.
It's just a matter of horological fact.
Even Charles Terwilliger, clearly a fan of
the Plato Clock, admitted as much, describing
his Horolovar reproduction as having an upgraded
movement giving it "timekeeping qualities
never dreamed of in the original model."
So How are Plato Clocks viewed by Traditional
Horologists
The NAWCC established the world renowned National
Watch & Clock Museum - now the "largest and
most comprehensive horological collection
in North America" with well over 12,000 items.
You might expect there to be a complete section
detailing the history and importance of the
Plato Clocks.
Unfortunately for flip clock fans, you'd be
very disappointed.
If you look hard enough, you'll find an example
of the rectangular Plato clock.
But the clock is mixed in among various "Novelty
Clocks."
In fact, this original Plato clock rests next
to a clock with a doll swinging from a tree
branch, sitting on a shelf above some Lux
figurine clocks.
The clock does sit behind a glass case at
the very least.
But this case stands next to a wall full of
those animal clocks with the moving eyes and
swinging tails for pendulums.
You now probably will not be surprised to
learn that on your visit to the National Watch
& Clock Museum you will find no flip clock
section.
So where does this leave us flip clock fans
regarding the Plato Clock?
In my opinion, right back where we started.
Nothing has changed except that we now have
a better knowledge and understanding of the
Plato Clock and it's place in history and
horology.
The historical, early American Plato Clocks
were mass produced, lower quality clocks.
The foreign produced Plato Clocks of the same
time period, typically exhibited much higher
quality and style but were definitely based
on the ingenious and forward thinking American
design.
All Plato Clocks are considered curious, novelty
clocks that frankly did not catch on with
the public, and probably for that reason,
production was limited, making them today,
highly collectible.
Flip Clock Fans would like to thank the following
individuals whose help with information and
establishing some dates and details were invaluable:
Chris Nimon, owner of The Horolovar Company,
Lancaster, Ohio.
Robert Terwilliger, son of the late and great
Charles O Terwilliger
