Welcome to
the
Telechron
Gallery
The Warren Telechron Company
Ashland, Massachusetts
History
The Warren Clock Company was formed in 1912 with Mr. Henry Warren as President. It was incorporated in 1914. The company, located in Ashland, Mass., started by producing a new type of clock run by batteries. Prior to that, clocks were either wound or run by weights. The battery clocks were expensive and delicate. Mr. Warren experimented and, in 1916, he succeeded in using household alternating current to power a small synchronous self starting motor to operate clocks. Unfortunately, variations in the speed of the generators in the local powerhouse caused his clocks to vary as much as 15 minutes each day.
The Master Clock
To eliminate variations in the frequency of the generators, Mr. Warren invented the Warren Master Clock, This clock was actually two clocks together. One would be run by a pendulum kept by signals from the Naval Observatory in Washington. The other would be run by one of his synchronous motors connected to the power produced at the plant. The operator would then adjust the speed of the generators so the two clocks would match. After a convincing demonstration, powerhouses all across the country began installing Warren Master Clocks.
In 1917, General Electric purchased half of the Warren Company which operated under Mr. Warren. In 1923, Mr. Warren applied the name Telechron, meaning "time from a distance" in Greek, to the company's products. In 1926 the name was changed to "The Warren Telechron Company". Mr. Warren retired in 1943. He had received 135 patents in his lifetime.
Durability
Telechron Clocks are the most durable ever made. The rotor part of the motor is in a sealed case filled with lubricating oil safe from dust and grime. Turning at 3.6 rpm, these motors have been known to run for years. The Telechron Company continued to manufacture clocks until 1992 when the company closed.
Collectabilty
Telechron
Clocks are among the most beautiful ever made, especially the ones produced
during and prior to World War Two. The materials used to make the clocks
included chrome and woods imported from all over the world. The designers were
especially creative during the "Art Deco" period, and many of the
clocks built during that time are sought after by collectors. The basic design
hardly changed over the years making replacement parts plentiful.
Identification
Telechrons
appeared over the years with different names on the face or rear. Here is a
rough guide to help you identify the year of manufacture:
1919-1938
Warren Telechron
1938-1952 Telechron, Inc. , Telechron
1952-1953 Telechron/GE
1953-1960 GE Telechron
1960 - 1992 General Electric
The Revere Clock Company of Cincinnati, Ohio manufactured strike and chime clocks with Telechron Motors in the 1930's. These clocks, usually with a wood cabinet, were priced from $21.50 to $660.00 at a time when the "regular" Telechron Clocks were priced from $3.95 to $17.50. The Revere clocks are also pictured in The Gallery.
The Gallery
The clocks in the gallery are listed by model number. From the information I have received from other collectors the model number indicated what the clocks purpose was.
| If the model number begins with: | The clock is a: |
| 1 | Commercial Clock |
| 2 | Kitchen or Wall Clock |
| 3 | Three Inch Face Clock |
| 4 | Decorative Clock |
| 5 | Occasional Clock |
| 6 | Strike or Chime Clock |
| 7 | Alarm Clock |
| 8 | Digital, Timer or Clock Radio |
In some of clocks, you will find that the case and design are the same, but the model number is different. This is because one is an alarm clock, the other is not. There are also letter designations at the end of a model number that usually denotes the color.
The first letter usually designates the type of rotor (motor part) inside the clock.
Click on the links below to see the clocks you are interested in.
You can enlarge a photo by clicking on it
Digital, Timers and Clock Radios
Why Telechron Clocks are Superior
(from a salesman's Brochure)
Inside the Web has discontinued offering Message Boards,
therefore, there is no longer a
"Telechron Gallery Message Board"
I am not an expert on these clocks...I just enjoy them!
Please do not send me any photos or e-mail attachments without asking first!
I do not do appraisals...just check EBAY for a real time item worth.
I do not do repairs. Check the Links page for help.
