# COCA COLA CLOCK / REAL OR FAKE?



## SODAPOPBOB (Jan 13, 2011)

HELP !!!

 This afternoon I purchased the clock shown below (with additional photos to follow) and need a little help identifying and confirming whether it is an authentic Coca Cola clock or some kind of fake. I decided to purchase it first before doing the usual research as I didnâ€™t want this one to get away from like similar situations that have occurred in the past. I paid less than $100.00 for it and just figured it was a worthwhile gamble.

 Here are some of itâ€™s features. (But I suppose someone will either recognize it or they won't). Please see photos that follow.

 1. It is marked â€œEdwardsâ€ on the face which has a large â€œEâ€ inside of a triangle.
 2. The housing is made of metal and not aluminum - and is quite heavy.
 3. It has a glass cover.
 4. It has no second hand, but may have originally.
 5. The Coca Cola is either a decal or painted on the inside of the glass. (To be determined).
 6. It was originally an electric clock, which has been converted to a AA battery mechanism.
 7. There is clear evidence where the original clock motor was mounted.
 8. It is not currently working - but remember itâ€™s a cheap battery mech than can be replaced.

 I have already done quite a bit of research on it which included a study of the Edwards Company itself as well as trying to find a connection between Edwards and Coca Cola. All of which did not produce a single bit of solid evidence, except that the clock itself is genuine and very well made. The antique dealer I bought it from thought it was something new because of the AA battery mech. But I did not point out to her that it had been converted. I just figured it was my gain and her loss in the event that it was an original Coca Cola clock. As you know, lots of dealers donâ€™t research their stuff and just price a lot of items based on what they paid for them. 

 I know the clock itself is genuine - but what I donâ€™t know is how old it is and whether or not it is a genuine Coca Cola related item. I also do not believe it is a reproduction. And this is where I need your help. Please let me know if you recognize it and/or have additional information that will assist in itâ€™s proper identification.

 Thanks in advance for your time and interest.

 SODAPOPBOB

 1st photo of 3 â€¦ Clock Front.


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## SODAPOPBOB (Jan 13, 2011)

2nd Photo ... Back.  Notice the faint outline where the original motor was mounted.


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## SODAPOPBOB (Jan 13, 2011)

3rd and last photo ... Closeup of the Edwards Company tag.


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## SODAPOPBOB (Jan 13, 2011)

I forgot this little snippet I found regarding Edwards Clocks.







 Edwards clocks are used in industrial plants, offices, schools, health facilities, public buildings, and transportation terminals. Use wherever an attractive, quality time piece is required.[/align][/align]


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## ironmountain (Jan 13, 2011)

I did a bit of research and found this:

 "In the 1930s, and especially after World War II, Coke switched from pendulum clocks to cheaper, more reliable electric clocks. On these clocks, the Coke logo was placed either on the actual face of the clock or on the glass over the face. These clocks were made of wood and metal at first, but by the 1950s, plastic was more common. These later clocks were generally not dated and were produced by a variety of manufacturers, so collectors must rely on slogans, designs, and materials to identify the year or decade in which a clock was produced."   http://www.collectorsweekly.com/coca-cola/clocks

 Looks like this model of Edwards Signaling. the 1882:    http://www.edwards-signals.com/index.cfm?pid=338&level=12  But that just has the same info as your reference in the post.


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## celerycola (Jan 13, 2011)

The old slogan "Delicious and Refreshing" and "Trade Mark" in the tail of "Coca" are from an earlier period than the clock.


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## OsiaBoyce (Jan 13, 2011)

A non-working fraud it may be, but at least it's right twice a day. 

 I hope it was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay less than a hundred.........say like free.


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## coboltmoon (Jan 13, 2011)

The Edwards sticker looks like an old one.  Did you notice that Edwards address does not have a zip code pre 1964.


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## Eric (Jan 13, 2011)

New decal on a old clock... Didn't come from the factory that way.... Probably a decal on the back of glass...
 Fonts are not correct on the decal... fantacy piece is my vote.


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## SODAPOPBOB (Jan 13, 2011)

Ironmountain - Celerycola - Coboltmoon - Eric
 Thanks for the helpful replies. I wholeheartedly agree there are questionable aspects to the clock. Thus my main reason for posing my questions to fellow collectors. I think in time I will be able to identify the clock itself. But determining whether it was made for and endorsed by the Coca Cola company will likely be more of a challenge.

 Currently I am seeking contact information for the Edwards Company itself, who apparently are still in operation under the sub-name â€œSignal Corp.â€ I have already sent several e-mail inquiries, including one to a Canada based museum. The Edwards Co. opened a plant in Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada in 1950. I also found a mailing address for Cheshire, Connecticut.

 Regarding the slogan â€œDelicious and Refreshing,â€ that was first introduced in 1904. And as far as I know the trademark info on the â€œtailâ€ of the Coca Cola script was last used in 1941. ?

 My intent is not to re-sell the clock, but rather to restore it to it's original working condition and hang it on my wall as a nice display piece. I like it irregardless of itâ€™s authenticity. Of course, I wonâ€™t deny it would make it just that much more interesting to discover it is in fact a genuine Coca Cola related collectible. I suppose only with time and more research will I likely ever know for certain.

 My present opinion is that it is without question an original and very well made Edwards Company clock. (Date unknown). But the Coca Cola aspect of it still has me stumped â€¦ with the majority of indicators suggesting that it may very well be a fake of some kind. (Question mark). ?

 Thanks again,

 SPBOB

 By the way ... I paid $25.00 + tax = $31.25 for it. It will probably cost me at least $100.00 to find a dang replacement motor for it.  Lol  []

 (Newer decal on an older clock currently gets my vote as well).

 Trademark on tail info.


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## SODAPOPBOB (Jan 13, 2011)

Correction ... I forgot I bought another little do-dad along with the clock. The clock itself was $25.00 + 8% tax = $27.17  []


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## cowseatmaize (Jan 13, 2011)

I'm no expert but it would appear to me that even if it is a repro it's an old one. Glass face and metal back? The worst I could see is an old school clock that was modified. I bet it still displays nicely. Hang it up.


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## SODAPOPBOB (Jan 13, 2011)

Eric  ~

 Thanks a million for the support. I especially appreciate it coming from a moderator/administrator. Even as we speak I am working on a means of hanging it up. I'm tempted to open it up and see what makes it tick (or in this case ... "not" tick) but I think I will wait on doing that until I can find out more about it. Who knows, it may eventually turn out to be worth more without the Coca Cola decal.  ???

 Thanks again,

 Bob


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## AntiqueMeds (Jan 13, 2011)

That is the type of clock that was used in schools and gov offices where there was one master control that set all the slaved clocks remotely. I think that was the only way they could be set and prob the reason they replaced the works. These were plain utility clocks and it seems unlikely they would have advertising on them.

 http://cgi.ebay.com/Edwards-Office-Wall-Clock-Hard-Wired-Used-120V-/150544286663?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item230d2383c7


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## cowseatmaize (Jan 13, 2011)

> (or in this case ... "not" tick)


 98% of the time I've found that it's the lack of toc. Check that first.[]


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## SODAPOPBOB (Jan 13, 2011)

Eric ~  Will do! Thanks again.

 AntiqueMeds ~ 

 Thanks. I was just researching the slave/remote aspect to Edwards clocks. And I agree it would be unlikely to have a Coca Cola decal on such a clock as this.

 Also, I just received the following reply from a museum curator in Canada. He also mentions the slave/remote aspect. I intend to follow up on the GE/UTC connection.

 SPBOB

 Copy/Pasted Reply

 January 13, 2011

 Good afternoon Bob,

 Thanks for contacting our unique museum with your question and pictures concerning your Edwards clock. 
 We had no details about Edwards clocks, so I just checked Google now and discovered an excellent web site.  Edwards was an American company founded in 1872 to develop products based on that new energy source, electricity.  Edwards did have a branch company in Canada as well, based in Montreal (starting 1929) and at least one factory (new one opened in Owen Sound, Ontario 1950). The company was purchased by GE in 2005, then taken over by United Technologies Corp in 2010, still in business today.

 There is no reference to master/slave clock systems in the detailed history, so maybe they were just a sideline product.  But such systems are consistent with the hundreds of other products based on electric control and alarm systems. These slave clocks were most likely produced in the 1950s to the 1980s or even later.

 We have a large, old (1950s/60s??) donated slave clock with an Edwards of Canada label. Many companies made advertising clocks under contract for various advertisers, including Coca Cola.  Yours looks to be in great condition and relatively new.  It could well be original and not a repro.

 Sincerely,


 Allan

 Allan Symons

 Manager and Curator 
 The Canadian Clock Museum 
 Deep River, Ontario  [/align]


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## towhead (Jan 13, 2011)

Found this, but I can't get to EBay from here to see what it says....-Julie

cgi.ebay.co.uk[/b]/*Edwards*-Slave-Wall-*Clock*-1-Electrical


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## towhead (Jan 13, 2011)

Is the glass convex?  -Julie


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## whittled (Jan 13, 2011)

This is a bit off topic. I remember from somewhere about RR time. One clock was kept in Chicago and the railway men kept a special pocket watch to sync all the clocks on the route. It's almost that, just not automatic.
 Now back to your regularly scheduled program.


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## SODAPOPBOB (Jan 13, 2011)

Julie ~ 

 The glass appears to be of high quality (thick) and is rounded and slightly flatened on the very face where the decal is adhered to the inside. Thanks for the e-bay info ... but I am having a little difficulty finding the actual one you posted. I do know it is a United Kingdom (UK) listing and that may be part of the problem I'm having with it.

 Whittled ~

 This entire thread is a bit off-topic. I may have to pull the "plug" (pun intended) on it before someone reminds me this is a "soda bottle" forum and not a clock forum. With that said I will concede that the clock is very likely someone's attempt to pawn off an otherwise older clock as that of a genuine Coca Cola collectible. But I still like it and intend to get it working properly if at all possible. If nothing else I would still like to find some way of accurately dating it. 

 Thanks again to all,

 SPBOB


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## SODAPOPBOB (Jan 13, 2011)

I just spoke on the phone with an Edwards/UTC/Signal Corp. customer service employee and got their current e-mail address. I also sent them a detailed message (with photos) regarding every aspect of the clock that I know of. They will also be checking for possible replacement parts. I suppose if anyone knows the answers to my questions, they should (I hope). I will let you know when I hear back from them.

 SPBOB


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## towhead (Jan 14, 2011)

I think the thick convex glass might indicate an older clock....but did it come with the Coca Cola logo?  -Julie 

 Maybe this will work:  http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Edwards-Slave-Wall-Clock-1-Electrical


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## ironmountain (Jan 14, 2011)

whittled....that's where the Ball Watch Company became the American standard for watches. April 19, 1891 near Cleveland, a mail train was coming from one direction and at another town 25miles away, the Engineer and Conductor of Accomodation were instructed to let the faster train pass them....The engineer's watch stopped for 4minutes. The trains collided...The railroad (Lake Shore) appointed Webb Ball to develop and implement a timing system."  extracted from www.ballwatchusa.com....


 sorry to "derail" the thread...


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