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History of Revere Clocks
The Herschede Connection and Founding (1926)
The Revere Clock Company was founded in April 1926 by Walter Herschede in Cincinnati, Ohio. However, the company's story is inextricably linked to the larger history of the Herschede Hall Clock Company and the revolutionary Telechron electric clock technology.
Why Revere Was Created:
Walter Herschede became interested in synchronous clocks in the 1920s, but did not want to risk the good name of his company by associating it too quickly with the new technology. Thus, he founded the Revere Clock Company as a division of Herschede that would market clocks driven by Telechron motors.
This was a strategic decision—Herschede was already famous for high-quality mechanical hall clocks with tubular bell chimes, and Walter Herschede didn't want to jeopardize that reputation by rushing into the unproven electric clock market. By creating Revere as a separate brand, he could explore the new technology without risking the Herschede name.
The Partnership with Henry Warren:
In 1925, Walter began to work with Mr. Warren to develop electric movement chime clocks. By April of 1926, the Revere Clock Company came into being. This collaboration with Henry Ellis Warren, the inventor of the Telechron synchronous motor, was crucial to Revere's success.
The Herschede Family Legacy
To understand Revere, one must understand the Herschede family's clockmaking tradition:
Franklin "Frank" Herschede was born on July 30, 1857 in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1873, at the age of 16, he began working as an apprentice watch and clock repairman for Charles Cook. In 1877, he went into business for himself.
In 1885 he began to import and sell clocks with movements made by the Elliot Company. Around this time J. Harrington of England had patented his invention of the tubular bell chime. Having recognized the popularity of this new method of producing the chime tones for large clocks he began to purchase and distribute clocks of this type. After 1902 he began to produce the tubular bell chimes on his own and install them in Herschede clocks.
On December 29, 1902 the Herschede Hall Clock Company was incorporated. Frank Herschede died on September 15, 1922, and Walter was named president in January of 1923.
The Telechron Technology
Understanding Revere clocks requires understanding the revolutionary Telechron synchronous motor they used:
Henry Warren's Innovation:
Henry Warren established the company in 1912 in Ashland, Massachusetts. Initially, it was called "The Warren Clock Company," producing battery-powered clocks. These proved unreliable, however, since batteries weakened quickly, which resulted in inaccurate time-keeping. Warren saw electric motors as the solution to this problem.
In 1915, he invented a self-starting synchronous motor consisting of a rotor and a coil, which was patented in 1918. A synchronous motor spins at the same rate as the cycle of the alternating current driving it.
The Power Interruption Indicator:
Warren, foreseeing this difficulty, provided his clocks with an "indicating device": a red dot that would appear on the dial whenever the power failed. This red dot alerted the consumer to the need to reset the clock (by obtaining the accurate time through the telephone, for example, or from a radio), after which the indicating device could be switched back to the dial color.
Revere Product Line
The Revere Clock Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.A. Made chime and strike clocks using Telechron motors. 96 page catalog of Revere chime and strike clocks, mantel and floor. Revere clocks, Telechron motored.
Revere specialized in electrically-driven chiming clocks, including:
- Mantel clocks - Table and shelf models with Westminster and other chimes
- Floor clocks - Tall case (grandfather) clocks with electric movements
- Wall clocks - Various styles with chiming mechanisms
These clocks combined traditional, elegant cabinetry in the Herschede style with the modern convenience of Telechron's reliable electric motors. Unlike simple electric time-only clocks, Revere clocks featured complex chiming mechanisms powered by the Telechron motors.
The Electric Clock Market Boom (1927-1937)
According to Jim Linz' definitive book, Electrifying Time, sales of Telechron clocks "increased from 87,000 in 1927 to almost 4.3 million in 1937". This explosive growth occurred despite the Great Depression, which began in October 1929.
By 1933, roughly sixty percent of all clocks made and sold annually—with and without alarms—were electric. This market transformation created enormous opportunities for companies like Revere that offered premium electric clocks.
In 1929 sales reached their all-time high of $1,200,000 but by the time of the stock market crash in October of that same year sales had fallen to $242,000. Despite this dramatic initial impact from the Depression, the Herschede companies (including Revere) eventually recovered.
Design and Quality
Telechron clocks were fine examples of robust and esthetic industrial design. Revere clocks, in particular, maintained the high-quality cabinetry standards that Herschede was famous for, combining them with reliable Telechron movements.
The business worked with some of the best designers of the day, including John P. Rainbault and Leo Ivan Bruce (1911–1973). Telechron clocks are a genuine reflection of their own period in the development of their designs.
Then, two of the finest U.S. mechanical clock companies, Revere and Herschede, contracted with Telechron to make electric versions of their clocks. This partnership brought together the best of both worlds: Herschede's craftsmanship and Telechron's technology.
Corporate Evolution and Diversification
The Herschede/Revere companies faced challenges during the Depression and beyond:
A continued decline of the clock business led the company to begin making parking meters in 1936. Later, during World War II, Herschede began supplying the U.S. military with defense related material.
The Move to Mississippi (1959-1960)
Between 1959-60 the company moved from Cincinnati, Ohio to Starkville, Mississippi. Its headquarters was in Starkville, Mississippi (though this refers to the later period after the relocation).
Decline and End of Production
During a time of financial trouble, the company was sold in 1967 to John R. Arnold, a furniture maker and subsequently to Howard W. Klein of St. Louis. The Herschede Hall Clock Company folded completely in 1984.
The Revere brand appears to have been discontinued sometime after the company's relocation to Mississippi, though exact dates are unclear. By the time Herschede closed in 1984, Revere clocks had long since ceased production.
Telechron's Fate
General Electric progressively incorporated Telechron into its operations when Warren resigned in 1943. In 1943, when Henry Warren retired, General Electric acquired a controlling interest in the firm and continued making electric clocks until 1979.
This meant that the Telechron motors that powered Revere clocks became increasingly associated with the General Electric brand rather than as a separate entity.
Collectibility and Legacy Today
Below is a serial numbers chart for Herschede clocks, including mechanical and electric clocks sold under the Herschede, Revere, and General Electric brands. This documentation helps collectors identify and date these clocks.
One of the attributes of Telechrons that impresses me is that they still work. Revere clocks, built with quality Telechron motors and solid Herschede cabinetry, remain functional and collectible today.
The surviving 1930 96-page catalog shows the breadth of Revere's product line at its peak, with numerous models of chiming mantel and floor clocks that represented the height of electric clock technology for that era.
Summary
Revere Clock Company (1926-1960s) represents a fascinating marriage of old and new technology. Founded by Walter Herschede as a way to explore electric clocks without risking the Herschede brand name, Revere combined traditional fine cabinetry with Henry Warren's revolutionary Telechron synchronous electric motors. The company produced high-quality chiming electric clocks during the golden age of American electric clockmaking, surviving the Depression but eventually succumbing to changing markets and corporate consolidation. Today, Revere clocks remain prized by collectors for their quality construction, elegant design, and reliable Telechron movements.
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