Tim Akins' Standard Electric Time Collection

This collection is owned by Tim Akins in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Tim and I have been conversing over e-mail for quite a while, as he initially sent me e-mail inquiring about how to get these systems working! Well, through many successful ebay bids and some other purchases, Tim has put together a very impressive Standard Electric Time system of his own to compliment the massive clock collection he maintains. We had the opportunity to meet at his house in May 2001. Here are pictures of his Standard Electric pieces.

	MODEL: AR-3 - Flush Mount - 24VDC DIAL DIAMETER: 10 inch DATE: 1940 LOCATION PURCHASED FROM: Illinois SPECIAL NOTES: This flush mount clock was covered in several layers of paint. Once removed I found this beautiful copper bezel underneath. This clock is rather heavy and has two crystals sandwiched together. Evidently, it was used in a boiler room as the double glass would not fog up.
	MODEL: AR-2 - Surface Mount - 24VDC DIAL DIAMETER: 12-inch DATE: None found LOCATION PURCHASED FROM: Wyoming SPECIAL NOTES: This was the first slave clock I purchased in 1983 and found it in a local thrift store for $4. Missing the glass, I originally replaced the works with a quartz movement until I installed my system, then reinstalled an AR-2 set of works. The original works are still in a moving box I intend to find to put back into service.
	MODEL: None listed - Surface mount - 1.5VDC Series - No Correction DIAL DIAMETER: 8-inch, 12-inch square clock DATE: None found LOCATION PURCHASED FROM: Hollowell, Maine SPECIAL NOTES: When purchased it was covered in a heavy cream colored enamel. I had a professional refinish this who asked where it came from as he discovered it was 'virgin oak' which was from the very early 1900's as the grains of the wood were so close together. I located one like this in a 1914 Standard Electric catalog. It has a brass bezel which opens from the front to set the hands; the dial is metal and note the Serpentine hands with no 'tails' to balance them out. Also, off the back of the mechanism container are two screw type lugs to hold the electric wires securely to the metal mechanism case.
	MODEL: None listed - Surface Mount - 1.5VDC Series - no correction DIAL DIAMETER: 12-inch DATE: None found LOCATION PURCHASED FROM: Cincinnati, Ohio SPECIAL NOTES: This wooden bezel can be opened to set the time from the front as well. Still has the original stain on it.
	MODEL: AR-3 - Surface mount - 24VDC DIAL DIAMETER: 12-inch DATE: 1940 LOCATION PURCHASED FROM: New York SPECIAL NOTES: Note the wooden box cowbell below it also tied into the signaling system. I saw one of these in a 1932 Standard Electric catalog. Editor's Note: I sold this one to Tim, it's originally from New England.
	MODEL: None listed - Surface mount - 1.5VDC Series - No Correction DIAL DIAMETER: 12-inch DATE: None found LOCATION PURCHASED FROM: Massachusetts SPECIAL NOTES: This is the original stain/varnish. Clock opens on hinges in order to set it from the back. It still has the original (and working) wood box buzzer.
	MODEL: #1 - Surface Mount - 1.5VDC Series - No Correction DIAL DIAMETER: 12-inch DATE: 1955 LOCATION PURCHASED FROM: California
	MODELS: Slave clocks - AR-2's - 24VDC. Master clock is an AR2A with six bell circuits DIAL DIAMETERS: 12-inch DATES: From top left, 1966, 1990, 1966 and master clock is from 1957 LOCATION PURCHASED FROM: Slave clocks from Florida and the master clock and bellboard are from Massachusetts SPECIAL NOTES: The bellboard is from 1956 and is wired for both AC & DC signals, the small corridor gong is from Massachusetts. Refer to first picture of above set up to see antique brass firebell... found in Cheyenne antique store and used in a firehouse in Nebraska until its retirement
	MODEL: AR-2 - 24VDC - Flush Mount DIAL DIAMETER: 16-inch DATE: 1954 LOCATION PURCHASED FROM: Connecticut SPECIAL NOTES: Clock was used in a school gymnasium
	MODEL: AR-2 - 24VDC - Flush Mount DIAL DIAMETER: 12-inch DATE: 1966 LOCATION PURCHASED FROM: Florida SPECIAL NOTES: An art deco face I've not come across many of - seems like these are getting harder to find.
	MODEL: AR-3 - 24VDC - Surface mount DIAL DIAMETER: 12-inch DATE: None found LOCATION PURCHASED FROM: Connecticut SPECIAL NOTES: Originally painted PINK, I stripped it down to find the aluminum underneath. Also had a white face with Roman Numerals, I changed it to the silver art deco face
	MODEL: AR-3 - 24VDC - Surface Mount DIAL DIAMETER: 12-inch DATE: None found LOCATION PURCHASED FROM: New York SPECIAL NOTES: Check out the different logo used in bottom picture. Editor's Note: I was amazed when I saw this clock in Tim's collection because I had never seen this representation of The Standard Electric Time logo before. Now that I think about it, this maybe a newer version of the "classic" (or L.A.) arabic numerals face, and the designers decided to write out "The Standard Electric Time Co." like they did on the original version instead of putting the Standard logo. But that's just a hunch.
	MODEL: AR-2 - 24VDC - Surface mount DIAL DIAMETER: 12-inch DATE: None found
	MODELS (left to right): International partially hidden, 2 wire, no correction for roman numeral models; silver slave is AR-2, all 24VDC DIAL DIAMETERS: 12 inch DATES: None found LOCATIONS: Roman numeral slaves from Philadelphia, silver from California SPECIAL NOTES: Both of the roman numeral slaves have the original buzzers still in them; one of the clocks was badly eaten away by some sore of corrosion and replacement coils had to be installed... since the photo all of these have been refurbished and are running well.
	Homemade master clock. The INTERNATIONAL slave clock shown is one of two identical ones from a school in New Hampshire. Dated 1937, they originally had speakers in the bottom of the cases. Both still had the original buzzers in them. The cabinets were stripped to the finish you see here. These were my first ebay purchases of a number of slave clocks. The homemade master is my own design. Using SPDT switches mounted in the ring (behind the skeleton numbers ring) are also mounted red and green lights which change from green to red as the switches are tripped. I used a "B" Telechron rotor form a Revere chime clock with a one RPM counterclockwise cycle and as the wooden dowel (with sprinkler riser) rides around the ring it gives a half second trip to the slaves which are powered by a separate DC power supply. Obviously, no correction, but the unit keeps time beautifully. The bottom row of buttons are for separate setting of the slaves, buzzer tripping and elevator chime ring directly above the clock. I left the transformers in full view above the five power switches directly below them. Currently, this runs both International slaves.
	MODEL: None shown - 1.5VDC Series - no correction - surface mount DIAL DIAMETER: 12-inch DATE: None found LOCATION PURCHASED FROM: Cincinnati, Ohio SPECIAL NOTES: This clock was missing the entire front bezel and had to be reconstructed to match the rest of the clock case. The wooden case had a number of layers of paint on it in shades of brown and black and was stripped down to find the warm oak color you see here.

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