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#406707 Tue Apr 02 2013 08:43 AM
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Another fellow and I are trying to determine the originality of this recently found Cities Service clock. I have never seen this particular clock before and wanted to present it to the Old Gas community for their opinions?
We have a few facts--the clock body is an actual 1940's piece that is witout a doubt original equiptment. The good condition of the face is what has me concerned. Not to say that its not possible to survive this well, just suspect is all. The interior of the clock is in a state of dirtiness that would be hard to fake, and indicates that this clock has been in the same location for quite a long time. The back of the face can be seen thru the bulb access doors on the back and the numerals and indicator lines can be felt from the back. They have a raised feel to them, much as an old ad glass would feel. Definitely not smooth and covered over with any film or coating.
The clock was supposedly hanging in an old Citgo station for a number of years(not substantiated).
At first I was very skeptical about the originality, but am starting to lean more towards it being an original piece? What are your thoughts?

Cities Service clock-resized.jpg

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Notchcad #406710 Tue Apr 02 2013 08:49 AM
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Here is a pic of the back side!

Cities Clock Back-resized.jpg

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K W FRITH #406712 Tue Apr 02 2013 08:52 AM
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nice looking clock.. cool


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i like it! but I would be sure to check that inner ad glass real close, looks real nice.

does the backside of the inner glass feel smooth, or does it feel chalky? It should feel chalky because it is lead-based paint. All of the authentic pam clocks I have had or seen, you couldn't hardly feel the lettering from the backside and it felt like a used chalkboard sort of.

you could also lead test the back, but thats a bit more invasive.

i have seen less authentic cities service clocks than the fingers on my hands, so good luck - proceed with caution. to me it kind of looks like a Postal Telegraph Clock. I have one at home, whats the dimensions?

Last edited by baileybee; Tue Apr 02 2013 09:14 AM.

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BryceG #406717 Tue Apr 02 2013 09:18 AM
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About 20 inches in diameter and 4 inches deep.

Last edited by K W FRITH; Tue Apr 02 2013 09:18 AM. Reason: sp

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K W FRITH #406723 Tue Apr 02 2013 09:32 AM
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I lean more towards original clock, repo/fantasy face. Where are the clock experts when you need one or two? I hope that I am wrong for you Kevin.


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I would say the clock is older than that logo.


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if it were me... and its not... but if its cheap enough (<$175) just roll with it and get it. Even a decent postal telegraph clock costs $150. But if its going to cost you in the $300+ range, I would say its going to be hard to say that the inner face is original.

plus if you decide to get rid of it, Ebay users would probably bid it to $400+ smile


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I don't know clocks as well as I would like...

I've owned a few "original" clocks from gas stations... That I personally took off the walls, when we "broke down" the stations for salvage... One thing that was almost uniform on each and every clock. Was that the clock faces were not in pristine shape... Ultra-violet rays from the Sun and from the surrounding lighting did a number on the faces... Bleached them out and in quite a few instances turned "white faces" into cream/yellow faces... Some times even light brown/dark brown depending on the face material....

Remember early Fluorescent lighting from the late 40s through the 70s? Not only would it hum, but too often it sang.... These old fixtures and lamps would put out so much leaking ultra-violet and stray electrical energy that it could change the color of ceiling tiles and if the ballasts were really bad, the leaking energy could even bleach out wall colors.... (early incandescent fixtures weren't any better... look at early painted fixture shades and see how much the color of the paint has been altered... I've even seen it on porcelain shades... and who hasn't seen a ceramic socket that wasn't changed in color)

Every time I see a supposed "vintage Original" color with a nice white face... I jump to an immediate conclusion that the face has been altered... I very well could be wrong in some instances. But I don't believe I am wrong too often....

The nice white face in this clock, IMO, doesn't "stand up to the test"... My opinion is based on my own experiences; For whatever that is worth?....


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does it look like the clock has been taken apart in last few years kevin.....like any marks on screws or nuts where something might have been opened up??


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minuteman #406749 Tue Apr 02 2013 10:54 AM
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Kim--I don't have it in front of me, but from the description my friend gave me, it sounds like it looked untouched as far as being taken apart. There was dirt between the clock case and the bulb covers and the original gasket (along with a bunch of dirt) is still in place under the face cover rim. Also the screws didn't show any sign of being touched.


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K W FRITH #406767 Tue Apr 02 2013 12:44 PM
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is there crazing in the face when lit up?
as evidence of hot bulbs roasting away the paint over the years?

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Like others I lean toward this being a vintage clock with a replaced face. That face could either be a reproduction or from another clock similar in size. The hour and minute hands are not a color I would expect to see on a Cities Service clock.




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some clocks and especially telechrons used a baked on translucent porcelain face..this company could have also used the same process and could be why it held up so well, and i have never seen a porcelain finshed telechron fade....so in my opinion if it is porcelain, its real and if its painted, most like been replaced...that would be an easy test...porcelain faces won't scratch, peel, and paint remover won't touch it....

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Looks like a hodge podge to me, I say buy it cheap.

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