Vintage Chess Clocks

Chess clocks have to be pretty unusual to be featured here on Top eBay Chess Items by Price (March 2010). The last time we saw one was Not for Blitz or Bullet (May 2021), where I wrote,

Chess clocks frequently appear on the initial short list for 'Top eBay Chess Items', but rarely make the final cut. Although important as a chess accessory, there's not much to add about them.

For more posts featuring clocks, follow the link in 'Not for Blitz or Bullet' back to 'Double Dutch Clocks'. Repeat until no more links.

For this first eBay post of the New Year there was nothing particularly inspiring on the short list, so let's have another post on clocks. The composite image below shows the first items for 'Top eBay Chess Clocks by Price' over the past three months.

Although the basic info for the eight items is readable (barely), I'll copy the most important info to this post. • Top row, left to right:-

• Vintage Allan Troy Chess Clock-Swiss made Heuer Chess Clock Looping PG; $5,000.00; Best offer accepted
• Vintage Allan Troy Chess Clock-Jerger "Blitz" chess clock The Queen's Gambit PG; $610.00; Best offer accepted
• Vintage Heuer Chess Clock Timer in Very Good Condition; $650.00; Best offer accepted
• Black Bakelite JANTAR USSR vintage Chess Tournament Clock; $550.00; or Best Offer

Bottom row, left to right:-

• Black Bakelite JANTAR USSR vintage Chess Tournament Clock; $550.00; Best offer accepted
• Jantar Amber Vintage USSR Russian Tournament Wooden Chess Clock 1963; $545.00; Best offer accepted
• Legendary Russian Chess Tournament Mechanical Clock Timer made in USSR in 1954; $510.00; Best offer accepted
• US Electric Schachuhr Chess Clock Timer "Sessions" from the 50-er Works; $517.43; Buy It Now

As with so much of eBay, all is not what it appears to be, especially the final price. A year ago I discussed the type of sale involving the first two items, 'Vintage Allan Troy...', in a post titled 'A Private Party Deal' (January 2021).

Half of the items are for Jantar clocks. The last item in the top row and the first two items in the bottom row are all from the same seller. The model of the third item in the bottom row isn't identified, but the photo also shows a Jantar clock. Its description said,

Legendary vintage Russian Chess Tournament Mechanical Clock Timer made in USSR in the 1954. Bakelite case, manual winding. The chess clock was made in 1954 at the third Moscow watch factory. The main products of the watch factory [were] military watch devices and equipment, but they also produced civil clocks, for example, like this fine specimen. The chess clock was made at the height of the popularity of chess and it [was a] direct participant of many great chess battles.

The clock is in full working condition. The mechanism has been recently serviced to ensure it winds and sets smoothly while keeping great, accurate time. Dimensions of item 260 x 153 x 64 mm (10,23" x 6,02" x 2,51").

All of these items were sold in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Coincidence?