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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Clock · Mantel alarm clock

Smiths English Clocks Ltd Red Riding Hood Alarm Clock

Partially verified

This mantel alarm clock, produced in 1952 by Smiths English Clocks Ltd in Cricklewood, England, features a white plastic case and a pictorial dial. The dial displays an illustration of Red Riding Hood and a wolf within a forest setting. The clock incorporates a musical alarm mechanism that plays the tune 'Who's afraid of the big bad wolf' using a steel comb engaged by pins on a brass cylinder. The wolf character on the dial is designed with a stick that moves to beat the balance of the clock. Time is indicated by black hands against white Arabic numerals, complemented by a dedicated copper hand for setting the alarm function. The movement is spring-wound and utilizes a lever escapement. Inscriptions on the dial and case back confirm the manufacturer and origin.

Front view of the Smiths English Clocks Ltd 'Red Riding Hood' alarm clock, displaying the dial illustration, registration number 25244, and scale marker.
Front view of the Smiths English Clocks Ltd 'Red Riding Hood' alarm clock, displaying the dial illustration, registration number 25244, and scale marker. — Museums Victoria. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
collections.museumsvictoria.com.au
Category
Clock · Mantel alarm clock
Maker / attribution
Smiths English Clocks Ltd
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
ST 25244
Source-reported date
1952
Source-reported place
England

Source-reported attribution and specifications are not independent authentication. A listing does not establish present ownership, current display, availability or permission to reproduce.

Object description

Case and Dial

The clock is housed in a white plastic case featuring a mantel-style silhouette with a stepped base. The front display is defined by a painted dial depicting a forest scene with the figures of Red Riding Hood and the wolf.

The layout includes white Arabic numerals arranged around the perimeter of the illustration. Three hands are present: two black hands for the standard timekeeping function and a short copper hand intended for setting the alarm. The dial is signed with the brand identification.

Evidence for this section
  • “Mantel alarm clock with white plastic case.”
  • “Dial is painted with scene of red riding hood and wolf in woods.”
  • “White arabic numerals, black hands for time, and a short copper hand for alarm.”
  • “Dial is marked 'Smiths Music Call' and 'Made in Great Britain'.”

Movement and Mechanism

The timepiece is powered by a spring-wound mechanism regulated by a lever escapement. A distinctive feature is the integrated musical alarm, which performs the melody 'Who's afraid of the big bad wolf' through a steel comb that is struck by pins mounted on a rotating brass cylinder.

The clock also includes an animated element where the wolf figure on the dial holds a stick that beats against the clock's balance, synchronizing visual movement with the operation of the timepiece. The internal components are constructed to facilitate both standard timekeeping and the specific musical alarm function.

Evidence for this section
  • “Spring wound; lever escapement.”
  • “The wolf holds a stick which beats the balance.”
  • “The alarm plays the tune 'Who's afraid of the big bad wolf' by means of a steel comb activated by pins on a brass cylinder.”

Signatures and Identification

The object is identified by the registration number ST 25244. The dial face carries the inscription 'Smiths Music Call' alongside the manufacturing origin 'Made in Great Britain'.

Further manufacturer details are found on the back of the case, which bears the mark 'Smiths English Clocks Limited, Made in England'. These markings verify the manufacturer as Smiths English Clocks Ltd, based in Cricklewood, England, with the date of production cited as 1952.

Evidence for this section
  • “Registration number: ST 25244”
  • “Dial is marked 'Smiths Music Call' and 'Made in Great Britain'.”
  • “Back of case marked 'Smiths English Clocks Limited, Made in England'.”

Open research questions

  • What is the specific patent or model registration date for this musical animation mechanism?
  • Are there variations in the color of the case for this specific model?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Smiths English Clocks Ltd Red Riding Hood Alarm Clock
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
ManufacturerSmiths English Clocks Ltd“Manufacturer, name: Smiths English Clocks Ltd”
Date1952“date: 1952”
MaterialPlastic“white plastic case”
EscapementLever“lever escapement”
Registration NumberST 25244“Registration number: ST 25244”
Alarm FeatureMusical“The alarm plays the tune 'Who's afraid of the big bad wolf' by means of a steel comb activated by pins on a brass cylinder.”
Dial InscriptionSmiths Music Call“Dial is marked 'Smiths Music Call'”

Visible details

  • Pictorial dial featuring Red Riding Hood and wolf
  • White plastic case with footed base
  • Copper alarm-setting hand visible on the dial
  • Arabic numerals for time display

Research qualifications

  • The exact mechanical internal state is not detailed beyond the general description of the movement
  • The operational status of the musical alarm mechanism is not confirmed in the source

Photograph identity and source facts were screened before import; rights clearance remains pending.

Consulted source

Alarm Clock - Red Riding Hood, Smiths English Clocks Ltd, 1952

Reviewed 2026-10-26 · Record 3502bb82f1

Terms in this record

Glossary explanations for terms named in this object’s record.