This item is typically worth $50 – $100,000, depending on reference, condition, originality, and provenance.
Market values current as of July 2026Antique clocks span a remarkable range of forms, each with its own collecting tradition. Tall-case (grandfather/longcase) clocks are the giants of the field, from hand-built 18th-century American examples to English mahogany cases by London masters. Mantel clocks include French gilt-bronze (ormolu) garnitures and American shelf clocks; wall clocks cover American banjo forms and weight-driven Vienna regulators; carriage clocks are the small brass-cased traveling clocks the French perfected. Where a clock lands on the value scale depends far less on age alone than on maker, the quality and originality of the movement, and whether case, dial, and mechanism have stayed together.
The result is one of the widest value spreads in all of collecting. A common early-20th-century mantel or wall clock may sell for well under $200, while a signed piece by a documented master, or a clock with royal provenance, can reach six and seven figures. Most antique clocks that reach the general market fall into the low hundreds to a few thousand dollars, and prices for ordinary mass-produced examples have softened. The exceptional pieces still command exceptional sums, which is exactly why accurate identification of the maker matters so much.
Most antique clocks that reach the open market sell for roughly $50 to $5,000, with common mass-produced mantel and wall clocks often under $200; fine signed examples by documented makers reach $10,000–$100,000+, and record pieces with important makers or royal provenance have sold into the millions.
Most valuable antique clock types
Figures below are drawn from collector guides and auction data and reflect strong-condition examples; actual prices vary with condition and completeness.
| Item | Typical value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Early American tall-case clocks (18th c., Philadelphia/New England) | $5,000–$600,000+ | Documented Chippendale examples top the American market; a Philadelphia case with a dial signed Edward Duffield made $386,500 (Christie's NY). |
| Simon Willard (American tall-case & banjo) | $3,000–$50,000+ | Willard patented the banjo timepiece (1802). A signed tall-case sold for $32,900; banjo clocks commonly a few thousand. |
| English longcase & bracket (Tompion, Graham era) | $10,000–$2,000,000+ | Thomas Tompion, "Father of English Clockmaking." His Royal Tompion table clock sold for £1.93M at Bonhams. |
| French gilt-bronze (ormolu) mantel clocks | $2,000–$50,000 | Fine ormolu-and-porcelain with signed movements command premiums; decorative examples $500–$3,000. |
| Vienna regulators (Austrian wall clocks) | $100–$5,000 | Early precision Biedermeier examples at the top, late mass-produced ones at the bottom. |
| Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos (near-perpetual-motion clock) | $500–$16,000+ | Working condition and rare limited-edition cases drive the top; average ~$3,900. |
| Carriage clocks (French, 19th c.) | $100–$188,500 | Plain brass a few hundred dollars; enamel-paneled, grande-sonnerie and repeating clocks reach thousands. |
| Complicated / automaton clocks (Breguet etc.) | $50,000–$6,800,000 | The Duc d'Orléans Breguet Sympathique sold for ~$6.8M — the record for any clock. A ceiling reference. |
What it actually sells for
Clock value is driven by a stack of factors. The maker is first: a documented, signed workshop by a recognized name (Willard, Tompion, Graham, Breguet, Jaeger-LeCoultre) transforms an otherwise ordinary form. Then the movement — its quality, complexity (striking, chiming, repeating, calendar, automaton, moon-phase), and above all its originality. Case quality and materials, age, and whether case, dial, and movement are the original "marriage" all move the number. Working, original condition matters enormously: an unrestored, running clock with its correct dial, weights, and pendulum is worth a substantial multiple of the same clock that has been over-restored or married.
The broader direction is important context. Prices for common, mass-produced antique clocks — much of the "brown furniture" category — have softened for years as supply outstrips demand and fewer people collect mechanical clocks for decoration. The very top of the market has behaved differently: rare, original, well-documented pieces by important makers continue to hold value and set records, so quality and provenance increasingly separate the winners from the field.
Notable and record results include:
- Duc d'Orléans Breguet Sympathique clock (No.128) — the record for any clock at auction — ~$6.8 million (Sotheby's New York, December 2012)
- The "Royal Tompion" clock made by Thomas Tompion for Queen Mary II, 1693 — £1,935,062 (Bonhams)
- Philadelphia Chippendale tall-case clock, dial signed Edward Duffield — $386,500 (Christie's New York, 2010)
Where and how to sell an antique clock
High-value or signed clocks do best at major auction houses or NAWCC-affiliated specialist clock auctioneers — compare auction house fees and browse antique specialists. Common clocks sell through regional estate auctioneers and dealers. Before selling, get a free AI valuation from a photo, or read our antique identification guide.
Trusted resources
- NAWCC — National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors
- NAWCC "The Index" — Identification & Dating resources
- Sotheby's — How to Sell Your Antique Clock
- Bonhams — Clocks department
- Bonhams — William and Mary "Royal Tompion" Clock Achieves £1.93M
What Drives the Value
- Maker / documented signed attribution (recognized workshop vs. anonymous or retailer-signed)
- Movement quality, complications and originality
- Originality of the "marriage" — matching original case, dial, and movement
- Working condition vs. non-running; degree and quality of prior restoration
- Case material and craftsmanship (figured mahogany/walnut, ormolu, enamel panels)
- Age and rarity of the form or a specific model/limited edition
- Provenance and documentation (royal or notable ownership, exhibition medal stamps)
Identification Checklist
- Check the movement backplate first — English movements were often signed; American and German movements carry stamped trademarks or patent dates
- Read the dial signature carefully but with caution — retailers often put their own name on clocks made by others
- Copy the maker name, spelling and any town exactly, then verify against maker directories (NAWCC databases)
- Date by case style — bonnet/hood shape, dial arch, spandrels help place the period and region
- Identify the movement type (weight- vs spring-driven, count-wheel vs rack striking) to narrow era and origin
- For French pieces, look for maker/supplier stamps and "médaille" (exhibition medal) marks on higher-quality movements
How to Spot a Fake
- Watch for a "marriage" — a case and movement that never belonged together; extra or filled holes and a poorly fitting seatboard are giveaways
- Confirm the dial belongs to the movement: spare mounting holes, mismatched patina, or a repainted dial warrant scrutiny
- Check age consistency — a movement that looks a century older or younger than its case deserves a closer look
- Spot reproductions by unstamped or generic movements, light or hollow cases, new hardware, and modern machine-printed dials