Clock type · Domestic
Wall Clocks
VerifiedClocks designed to be mounted directly on a wall rather than standing or sitting on furniture, encompassing lantern, Vienna regulator, Comtoise, banjo and later factory-made forms.
Background
A wall clock is a type of large clock that is designed to be fastened directly to a wall. This category encompasses a wide variety of clock types ranging from the cuckoo clock to the regulator.
The distinction between wall clocks and bracket clocks is sometimes indistinct. Historically, bracket clocks were not only placed on furniture but were also mounted on consoles on the wall.
Written from the sources listed below; each statement was checked against the cited text.
Movement & mechanism
- Weight- or spring-driven depending on type and period
- Pendulum regulated, usually with an anchor or, in precision examples, deadbeat escapement
- Often designed with minimal depth to sit flush against a wall
Identification
- Wall mounting brackets or a keyhole slot on the case back
- Case depth is typically shallow compared with longcase or mantel forms
- Weight-driven wall clocks often use a shorter pendulum than a longcase seconds pendulum
Terminology
- Dial clock — a large round-dial wall clock, often used publicly (see tavern clocks)
- Drop — the length a driving weight is able to fall, limiting running duration in weight-driven wall clocks
Known variations
- Dial (tavern) clocks
- Vienna regulators
- Comtoise clocks
- Banjo clocks
- Schoolhouse clocks
Collecting notes
This is a broad umbrella category; collectors more often specialise in one of its named sub-types (Vienna regulator, Comtoise, banjo) than in 'wall clocks' generally.
Photographs
Photographs are illustrative examples of the type, not necessarily the exact object described. Verify details against the source file page.
Sources & references
- Wanduhr, Wikipedia (German), retrieved 2026-10-28 (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Britten, F. J., Old Clocks and Watches and Their Makers
Where sources disagree, the disagreement is stated rather than resolved silently.