how do I wind a french mantel clock?

Open the glass bezel on the front and insert the key into the small holes on the dial. Most have two holes. One winds the time and the other winds the strike mechanism. Always turn the key gently in a clockwise direction until you feel solid resistance. Stop when it feels tight to avoid breaking the mainspring.

My clock runs for about ten minutes and then just stops ticking, even though I know the spring is fully wound up. Why does it do this?

The movement is likely out of beat. This happens when the case sits unevenly on the surface, causing the pendulum to swing further to one side. You can often fix this by adjusting the small screw feet under the base. Listen to the tick as you adjust them until the sound is even on both sides. If levelling the case fails, the internal oil may have dried out. The movement will need stripping and cleaning by a clockmaker.

how to clean dirty ormolu bronze?

Never use standard metal polish or abrasive cloths. They will strip the thin gold layer right off the base. Just dust it with a soft dry brush.

I inherited a heavy gold clock with a figure on top, but there is no bell inside and the back door is missing. Can a part like a bell just be added back in?

Yes, a clockmaker can fit a replacement bell quite easily. The strike train relies on a specific size of silvered bell to produce the correct tone, and these are standard trade parts. Missing back doors are a common issue with antique ormolu clocks. The original doors were simple pierced brass frets lined with fabric, which often fell off during handling. You can have a plain brass replacement cut to fit the aperture. It protects the movement from dust, even if it lacks the decorative piercing.

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Victorian Ormolu Clocks

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These striking timepieces feature cast bronze cases heavily coated in ground gold, created primarily in eighteenth and nineteenth-century France to anchor the mantelpieces of grand reception rooms.