‘Butterfly’ Clock

Kroeger Clock no. 1978, ca. 1890 (MC0014)

Daniel Teichroew and his family brought this clock with them when they emigrated from Russia to Canada in 1902. They settled in Edenburg, Manitoba, Canada (near Gretna). Early in the 1920s Sara (Redekopp) Teichroew gave the clock to missionary Peter William Penner (1876–1953), who took it to India with him. The clock was probably repainted while the Penners were in India. It stayed in Penner's family until his death, and then was returned to the descendants of David Teichroew in 1962. It was in Rosa Buhr Wieler and Freda Bain’s possession until they donated it to Mennonite Heritage Village in Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada, in 1993. Judging by the serial number, the clock was made prior to 1897.

• Description Thirty-hour wall clock with pendulum and weight-driven movement, made by Kroeger Clockmakers in Rosenthal, Russian Empire (now Ukraine), ca. 1890, serial number 1978. Arched dial with a raised chapter ring is dark yellow with a single black border around the perimeter. Arch has a floral decal surrounded by butterfly decals. Spandrels are rose decals. White chapter ring with black Roman numerals. Inside the chapter ring is painted a textured, metallic gold, with the year ‘1897’ written below the hands. Two hands; bell function; chain drive; four weights.

• Mennonite Clock Number MC0014

• Object Name Kroeger Clock

• Serial Number 1978

• Mennonite Heritage Village Accession Number 1993.33.1

• Date Created ca. 1890

• Maker Kroeger Clockmakers

• Location Made Rosenthal, Chortitza Colony, Russian Empire (now Ukraine)

• Other Markings No. 1978 (stamped on mechanism); 0 (stamped on iron plates and some gears); 10 (stamped on doors); 612, 842, 468 (scratched on to the left-hand door of mechanism)

• Movement Type Iron plate

• Functions Bell

• Owner Mennonite Heritage Village

• Publications Arthur Kroeger, Kroeger Clocks (Steinbach, MB: Mennonite Heritage Village, 2012), pp. 111–113.