‘Frankenclock’

Mandtler Clock, ca.1860 (MC0257)

This clock belonged to the donor's maternal grandfather, who lived in Schönfeld, Russian Empire (now Ukraine). The clock was left behind in the USSR when the donor's mother came to Canada with an aunt and uncle in 1926. It was later brought to Canada by relatives and given to the donor's uncle in the 1960s, and later given to the donor. It was donated to the Manitoba Museum in Winnipeg, Canada, in 2014.

• Description Thirty-hour wall clock with pendulum and weight-driven movement, possibly made by a Mandtler clockmaker in Lindenau, Russian Empire (now Ukraine), in 1860. Arched dial is brown with a yellow border around the perimeter and across the arch. Arch has a hand-painted gold scroll containing the date '1860' and below the scroll are the initials 'A.K.' in Gothic letters. Spandrels are hand-painted yellow scrolls. Chapter ring is black with yellow inner and outer borders and yellow Roman numerals. Inner and outer rings denoting the minutes and the date are white with black Arabic numbers, and have yellow borders as well. Two hands; bell and calendar functions; rope drive; four weights.

• Mennonite Clock Number MC0257

• Object Name Mandtler Clock

• The Manitoba Museum Accession Number H9-38-196

• Date Created ca. 1860

• Maker Possibly Gerhard Mandtler (1821–1904)

• Location Made Possibly Lindenau, Molotschna Colony, Russian Empire (now Ukraine)

• Other Markings P K 1867 (stamped on wheel)

• Movement Type Iron plate

• Functions Bell; Calendar

• Owner The Manitoba Museum

• Notes According to files at the Manitoba Museum, Arthur Kroeger thought this was a Mandtler clock that Peter Kroeker provided with a new dial in Lichtenau in 1867. If this is correct, the clock would have been made in 1860 and Peter Kroeker would have made a new dial seven years later and stamped his mark on the back inside of the clock. However, there is no Mandtler mark, and this clock does not have the notched doors typical of Mandtler clocks (see James O. Harms, “The Search for Jacob Mandtler, Clockmaker,” Mennonite Life, Summer 2010 vol. 64).

  According to Arthur Kroeger, the Frankenclock originally had a calendar function, which was removed at an unknown date for an unknown reason.

  For another clock with the same markings on the hour wheel see the ‘Black and White Werder’ (MC0037). Could the ‘Frankenclock’ have been made by Peter Kroeger (1781–?) and fitted with a Mandtler-made dial later?