Welcome To Horton's Antique Clock Auction

So far the media has not succeeded in slowing down antique clock collectors, but they have
touted their gloom and doom long enough to affect some other segments of our economy.
They apparently are convincing a lot of folks that the country is in the throes of a recession.
Not to say we are not, or will not be, but so far the country has not had two successive quarters
of negative growth, the definition of a recession. Another item of interest, since 1948 we
have had 10 recessions, the shortest was 6 months, the longest 16 months, and the average
was about 10 months. If collectors were to stop buying clocks, I would probably have the
largest clock collection in the world, because I just keep buying collections of nice clocks.
Our May 2008 auction was as good as any we have had in over 20 years. Maybe it was
because we had scores of early clocks, but I do not think so. Big clocks sold, little clocks
sold, expensive clocks sold, and inexpensive clocks sold. We sold over 50 clocks the first two
weeks after the auction ended, for our minimum price plus 10%.

In addition to the balance of Lee Smith’s collection, this catalog has part of a collection of
over 150 rare clocks that were purchased from Sotheby’s and Christie’s Auctions over a 30
year period by an Oklahoma City couple, plus other rare and unusual pieces they bought
overseas. I have been struggling with that collection for over two years trying to catalog them
for this auction. I had no reference material to help with the descriptions of the many unusual
clocks, particularly some small French and Swiss desk clocks, and other rare clocks, such
as a 16th century Dutch table clock. I considered sending to Sotheby’s, and/or Christie’s, but
I decided our customers deserved an opportunity to bid on them. We will put the remainder
of that collection in the January 2009 auction.

I hope you find some things of interest in this catalog.

Horton’s Antique Clocks

Carroll Horton & Joe Brewer