ANSONIA "SONIA No. 1" - Westminster Chime Antique Mantle Shelf Clock 

Most interesting. I've just been told about this type of clock with the inset spirit level by a clock repairer in the Borders, Scotland. Never seen this before. Certainly Atmos clocks have spirit levels, set into the base. Thanks for sharing. Gaius, Scotland

I was given a non-working Sonia No.1 clock. A friend got it working again, and it is keeping good time and playing a sweet Westminister chime. We couldn't figure out what the third wind-up spring was for, because the spring is broken. Thanks to your video, I now know that the hourly gong is supposed to sound like. Now I am on a mission to find a replacement gong spring. Do you know where I can find such a spring?

I just received an Ansonia Sonia #1 that belonged to my parents. It seems to be running and chiming correctly. It stopped yesterday so I knew I had to wind it. The center and left wind-up springs wound okay. They were very tight and I was only able to wind about 1 turn The third one on the right will not wind at all. When I tried to wind it, it would just spring back a little. It didn’t feel right and I am afraid of breaking it. Like I said it seems to be working correctly. Can you tell me what each of the springs is for, and do I need to do anything about that one on the right? Thanks!

I have one for sale. How do I find the value?

this clock needed some cleaning onto them wheels it's a very slow chimes.....

Oh, nice clock you inherited. Enjoy!

Why are the hammers driven by chains and not by hard rods?

Hi Michael, A lovely clock. TimeSavers.com stocks many parts. Trick is, you'll have to know the dimensions of your strike spring...lenght, width, and thickness. That's how they're sold. My guess is that the old spring is still in the barrel but broken? Measure the old spring. Some decent digital calipers can be had cheap at Harbor Freight. Then choose from the list on TimeSavers. If they don't have the exact, which I would think they do, you can get a bit shorter, narrower, or thinner, but not wider, as it will not fit in your barrel. Best of luck.

Sorry to say, your description is not precise enough. And there are just too many unqualified variables to make meaningful guesses. Perhaps my brief description of how things should work will help you. You should be able to wind a spring that has run down at least 10 half turns. If can only wind it one or twice around, being out of energy was not the reason it stopped. It could need service, or likely it is not level... research what it means for a clock to be "in beat". You would need a pair of pliers and a gorilla's grip strength to break a spring by winding. Clock cannot be "overwound"...no such thing. There are only clocks not running, that people have continued to wind until tight. If memory serves...and typical of chiming clocks, the left winding is for the strike or hour count, the middle is for the time, and the right is for the chime or music. The separate gear groups are called gear trains. Strike, time, and chime.