--- Antique Metronomes For Sale ---

Descriptions:

 Please take the time to read an items description carefully before deciding on a purchase. We will try to list any mechanical faults as well as all cosmetic issues with each individual unit. If you are purchasing a metronome that will be used for an occasional practice aid we strongly suggest choosing a piece that operates as close as possible to 60 beats per minute. This generally means that the metronome will operate relatively accurately on all tempo settings down the scale. Inaccuracies on a units default beats per minute, shown below can be remedied by simply setting the pendulum weight to account for the +/- beat, i.e. if a metronome has a target tempo of 60bpm but operates at 64bpm, setting the pendulum weight to 56bpm ( slower tempo ) should result in 60 beats per minute.
 It is quite common for units with a bell, to have operational issues on one of the four settings, if this is a problem it will be reflected in the metronomes description.
Metronomes sold on this website are NOT intended to be sold as accurate time keeping devices but as attractive collectible shelf or display items.
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For Items M101 - M108, click here.

R.Cocks or Cramer & Co Rosewood Victorian Metronome + BELL  ( SOLD - Order Number - M109 )

 Another great metronome from one of the London firms manufacturing during the Victorian era and dating this particular metronome to around 1880. Finished with Rosewood veneered external panelling over a quality Mahogany base, Rosewood door and tempo scale side panels and matched with full brass gilded external fittings, it is typical of the high quality manufacture and workmanship encountered from both Cocks and Cramer. Visually identical, it is impossible to tell their wares apart unless they are company marked, for reasons unknown to us, both firms appeared to produce a somewhat generic metronome later in their production phase, opting for a generic 'Best English Make' door emblem, no longer serial numbering their mechanisms and no company dedication to the lower third of the tempo scale. We suspect some sort of company collaboration, but why or when this occurred is somewhat of a mystery.
 Either way, this metronome is unmarked regarding a manufacturer. It still retains all of the quality features of earlier production units, a hand fitted, filed and cut mechanism and hand impressed or punched tempo scale, along with all external fittings, custom manufactured and made to suit each individual metronome. The fittings on this metronome are all original, still holding much of the original gilt finish, this includes the feet ( rear foot re-glued in place, not by us but appears stable ), the door emblem has been polished over the years so has lost the gilt finish but is still a good match visually. The external woodwork has suffered from water spotting in certain areas and evident in good light and on close inspection from a distance closer than 4 ft. It is not as bad as the pictures make it look however and although the woodwork was very dry having never been treated during the course of 130+ years, when we received it, it has now had a light coating of Renaissance wax which has relieved it to a degree. We suggest the new owner does the same, every 6 months or so, not only to rejuvenate the appearance but also overtime these dry water spots should become far less evident.
 The bad points out of the way, it is still a very attractive and mechanically sound metronome, it displays very well, darker in hand than shown in the pictures. It supplies 60 beats per minute for a total runtime of around 44 minutes from a full wind. It has a loud and well balanced tempo and operates well even on the very slow pendulum settings, the bell works on all four ring settings, crisp and audible. The tempo scale is the earlier variety, broader than the usual later production scales normally used, it also has great unique numbering, individual to every London made metronome as these where hand punched and act a little like a finger-print. This worker was either a trainee or a little boss eyed :).
 No chips or damage to the external woodwork, all original parts and fittings, excellent operationally and finished in a very desirable wood type, this is an excellent example of one of the finest metronomes ever manufactured.

Beats per Min: 60   Operating Time: 44 Minutes   

 Tempo Boxwood Faux Oak Metronome  ( £79 - Order Number - M110  )

 I have owned a few of these over the years and I am still no closer to being able to positively identify the Country of origin.  I think it was possibly American production aimed at both their own and the UK market. It has great retro appeal, produced in the 50's or 60's ( 66D hand written to base, which could indicate April 1966 ) and although I try to restrict metronomes advertised on this website to pre-1940 these have always proved to be extremely reliable and consistent performers providing an excellent tempo " forgive the pun " and a loud, if somewhat boxy audible tone to the beat.
 This boxy tone is a result of the exterior woodwork choice which I think is a false oak, it is very lightweight and although quite pleasing and convincing on the eye, it is not until you pick the metronome up that you realise that is a boxwood alternative. This metronome is very reliable, useable as a practise aid although it does have one slight issue. On manufacture the firm chose to use a plastic tempo scale, over the years and having been pinned in place, these labels are prone to shrinkage, both ends of this particular units label had curled ( upper end has been re-glued and pinned, lower end still has a slight curl ) this means the original scale speed settings in relation to the pendulum setting have moved slightly resulting in an incorrect tempo. This is easily rectified by setting the pendulum weight to where the original corresponding mark would have been, i.e to achieve a 60 beats per minute, just set the pendulum to roughly 4 bmp slower than the required tempo ( 56bpm ).
 It comes with quaint little Bakelite feet, gold washed fittings and a unit that in general is in excellent condition. It also has the bonus of being a relatively scarce manufacturer ( try to find another? ) the front emblem reading " Tempo, Dallas, England". The mechanism is numbered "395" which kind of backs up my theory that very limited numbers of metronomes by this manufacturer where ever produced.
A nice reliable and unusual metronome with  great retro appeal .

Beats per Min: 60*     Operating Time: 46 Minutes  

 Theodor Weisser Early Travel / Portable Metronome (  £139 - Order Number - M111 )

  A very rare and fully operational metronome from the German designer Theodor Weisser. Patents where submitted in 1904 so we estimate that this unit dates to between 1904-1910. ( Patents can be viewed here > Patent1 - Patent2 ). The design came with two variants, with or without a bell, this particular metronome is without the bell function.
 The metronome itself is designed to be very lightweight, constructed using the lightest wood ( possibly Ochroma Pyramidale or Balsa wood ) for the box base and a leaf style steel pendulum arm. The mechanism is also very lightweight, finely designed and manufactured to a very high standard, due to the relatively small size of the base unit, the mechanism is precision made to keep the metronome as portable as possible. The external fittings are gilded brass, all original to the metronome and without damage, the pendulum arm is fully legible, a few lightweight sliding marks and minor tarnish but overall is very good indeed. The audible tempo is quiet by design, it keeps good time at 60 beats per minute for an overall runtime of around 35-40 minutes but is more of a visual timing device than your typical pyramid metronome.
 Considering the very light construction throughout, this metronome is a stand out and very rare almost museum quality example of a metronome that was in production for a very short time only. The majority of examples that do become available today are either non-working, damaged or incomplete. Not only is this example fully working ( after a service ), it comes in the original inner card box and outer transportable pencil style wooden box. It also retains the majority of the stained finish to the base unit, with the whole metronome in fantastic condition considering it is over 100 years old. 
 Along with the metronome, in the storage box are two flat steel plates with holes, we have no idea what these are for or if indeed that they are in fact anything to do with the metronome but will be included regardless. We also need to mention that once wound and operation begins, there is no easy way to cease operation as the unit has no home position or retainer for the pendulum arm, this means it needs to either run down fully or be stored partially wound.
 As a highly collectible and rare one off shelf display metronome, this example ticks every category, what you do not get is the use of the highest quality materials usually evident on the pyramid style metronomes from the same era, however this metronome was designed to be portable and in order to do that compromise was required. Should not be considered as a practise metronome due to the quiet nature of the action but as a collectible and rare antique, this one is exceptional, try to find another!. Please see the dimensions below as it may prove to be smaller than expected.
Overall height including the pendulum arm: 7.5"
Base height and width: 3 x 2"
Storage Box Dimensions: 9 x 3 x 3"

Beats per Min: 60     Operating Time: 40 Minutes 

 Jaccard Bakelite Swiss Made Metronome + BELL  ( SOLD - Order Number - M112 )

   This precision made metronome by the Swiss company of Jaccard has a great even and well balanced tempo, manufactured around 1940-50 it has great retro appeal and a quality machine engineered mechanism. These metronomes are very well made, featuring a metallic tempo scale and completely sealed mechanism compartment, there is very little that can affect their performance other than poor user handling or winding faults. There is no winding ratchet or audible clicking when winding these units so care must be taken when winding to ensure that the metronome is not over-wound, it is important to stop winding when resistance is felt or to get into a habit of only turning the key 18/19 half turns from flat. This particular metronome is in very good condition, it comes with a working bell that works on all four settings and although not the loudest bell we have encountered, it is functional.
 The lower mechanism protective door is a heavy duty card factory addition, held in place by four screws, the mechanism has a serial number of " 0068,576 " giving an indication of exactly how many of these quality metronomes actually left the factory.  The exterior Bakelite panels are easily cleaned, needing nothing more than a clean  damp cloth and although resilient to heavy handling, these do not like being dropped!. As with most Swiss manufactured mechanical collectibles from the early / mid Twentieth Century, these metronomes are very accurate regarding the tempo with the bell disabled ( can effect the tempo when engaged ) and are engineered to very high standards. Bakelite objects in any form are becoming very collectible and these metronomes from Jaccard are very much under-appreciated, while they may not offer the visual variations of wood styled early metronomes, they do offer reliability and a very clean cut appearance that is easy to maintain. This one runs at 60 beats per minute for around 40 minutes with 18/19 half turns of the winding key from flat.

Beats per Min: 60     Operating Time: 40 Minutes

 JTL Mahogany Metronome ( SOLD  - Order Number - M113 ) REWORKED

 Dating to around the mid 1920's, this mid production piece from the French manufacturer Jerome Thibouville Lamy is in extremely good condition. The original exterior woodwork had suffered from water spotting at some point during it's life which was a little unsightly so we chose to rework the finish on this metronome. Finished with Mahogany panelling, it has been sanded, stained and had several coats of tru-oil applied. Tru-oil, a mixture of various nourishing oils which enhances the wood grain and resists water damage, provides a semi durable finish with a polished appearance and will not yellow or crack over time. The finish feels more like a varnish than an oil so will not leave finger-prints or handling marks. The exterior is flawless, no deep scratches or marks or any sign of damage or seam splits etc. The front door emblem retains all of the original burnished finish, with the winding key and other fittings showing a good age patina as you would expect on a metronome nearly a 100 years old.
 The tempo scale is virtually unmarked, crisp and fully readable and clearly marked to the lower third with the JTL moniker, the upper pendulum weight slides well, with the mechanism in extremely fine condition, having been protected well by the original lower protective door still in place. The unit runs at 60 beats per minute, with a nice even and not too over-powering audible tick. The total runtime at 60bpm from a full wind is around 43 minutes.
 We like them like this because it means we have very little to list in the description regarding faults, basically there aren't any, the unit has all original parts including the feet, a good reliable mechanism, an exterior that displays very well, and that still has an antiqued appearance and is fully protected from the elements and it is a no-nonsense performer. There is no serial number on this metronome, however we can tell by the make up of the mechanism that it is the later production type utilised by Paquet and JTL. No bell with this metronome.

Beats per Min: 60      Operating Time: 43 Minutes  

 Thorens Mahogany Metronome  ( £89 - Order Number - M114 )

  Coppered fittings on this treated Mahogany metronome from Thorens. It is not numbered although the Swiss firm did normally serialise their production metronomes, it makes this one a little hard to date but it is certainly pre-1930. The scale is marked with the anchor logo for the firm and their metronomes, although on first appearances look identical to Paquet metronomes, they are slightly larger in dimensions and in a lot cases feature better quality materials. This metronome does have a few flaws that need mentioning, firstly there is what looks like an oil mark or finishing flaw to the front lower right, this appears to be under the top gloss lacquer so in all likelihood was something that developed after release from the factory. It is not too distracting and could be mistaken for graining but needs to be mentioned, secondly the mechanism runs slow ( mainspring wear ), this can be remedied by simply setting the upper pendulum weight one notch below the required tempo. It also has a tendency to ever so slightly  favour the left swing of the pendulum, this is down to wear on the escapement. With that being said and making the unit sound a lot worse than it actually performs, the tempo it maintains is good, supplying a very decent total runtime of 50 minutes. It is in totally original condition, retaining all of the factory parts and feet, winding key and and lower door still in place.
 There are a couple of minor dings to the exterior woodwork, nothing too bad and the metronome looks a lot better in hand than what appears in the images for some reason, possibly due to reflection of the intact lacquered finish.
 A nice honest piece, roughly 100 years old, Swiss manufactured and all original, it has been priced to reflect the slight issues with the mechanism although it performs admirably once you get used to it's idiosyncrasies.

Beats per Min: 56    Operating Time:  50 Minutes

 R.Cocks or Cramer Walnut Victorian Metronome ( SOLD - Order Number - M115 )

 A little difficult to determine the wood type used on this Victorian metronome from either the Robert Cocks or the Cramer company. I am pretty sure it is a Walnut veneer over a Mahogany base wood but the veneer is so thinly applied and in such good condition it is hard to spot the seams. It may be solid mahogany but in either case it displays wonderful grain and is in very good condition. In hand it a slightly lighter shade than is shown in the pictures below, more of a chocolate colour, there is a finger nail type dent to the rear panel and a light scratch to the door panel under the emblem, and also a very light scuff to the front lower panel right side, but nothing that seriously detracts. The boxwood hand impressed tempo scale is flanked by Rosewood panels and the unit is fitted with all original brass gilded parts with the exception of the winding key which in an aged and perfectly matching replacement.
 In certain light and at certain angles, on close inspection, the wear to the original external lacquer is visible, this is quite common and unavoidable on metronomes from this period and that have experienced nearly 150 years of handling. The mechanism is very good both visually and mechanically, factory stamped and numbered 7009 dates this metronome to around 1880, it supplies a well toned 60 beats per minute for around 45 minutes runtime. There are two hand-written signatures on this metronome, one to the interior mechanism housing casing and one to the lower mechanism door panel, neither of which I am able to decipher. Probably the original assemblers mark. This metronome is also fitted with rather unusual over-sized brass ball feet, probably original but hard to tell for sure. The anti-overwind feature that came as standard on these early metronomes and which in many cases is broken or lost, is still intact and functioning on this particular unit, always a bonus. 
 All in all, this is a very nice original Victorian metronome from the later stages of production for the Cocks / Cramer firms, attractive and mechanically sound, they are becoming increasingly difficult to find in this condition.

Beats per Min: 60      Operating Time: 44 Minutes  

 Robert Cocks & Co Victorian Rosewood Metronome + Bell  ( SOLD - Order Number - M116 )

 This outstanding and very early Victorian metronome from the Robert Cocks company of London came to us from a lovely lady in Ireland. It has received some very delicate care and attention over the years and is a credit to it's former owner/s. It dates, in our opinion to around 1850, featuring some very unique early traits including the early version of the door emblem, a cast bronze bell and a unique domed or hand fitted peak. It also has one of the earliest mechanisms we have encountered, numbered or hand stamped with the serial number '4946'. We are yet to encounter a metronome / mechanism stamped with a higher number than 8900, so this one comes right in the middle of the production timeframe. Finished with very high quality Rosewood veneer, a box wood hand impressed tempo scale which is flanked by solid Rosewood panels and featuring all of the original  factory fixtures and fittings, it really is a showcase metronome.
 The really amazing part is that the mechanism and bell still perform extremely well considering it is in excess of 160 years old. We did have to spend two days fine tuning and readjusting the very quaint bronzed bell ( the hammer has a unique pin attached to the head, we have never seen this before and is amazing attention to detail ) in order to restore functionality but it now works correctly on all four of the settings. The mechanism has also been fully stripped, cleaned and balanced and although it runs fast at 68bpm ( more on this below ) it provides a decent tempo and a strong runtime of around 45 minutes. The exterior woodwork is obviously showing some age, it has an old and well repaired veneer split caused by the door retaining pins, on the right side lower front panel, interestingly this replacement veneer appears to have been sourced from a different metronome as it is ever so slightly darker, we also believe that the upper pendulum weight may also be a replacement from another early Cocks metronome which would account for the fast operation in comparison with the tempo scale settings. This is easily accounted for by setting the weight at 8-10 bpm slower that your desired tempo.
 There is an age crack to the rear panel, lower right side, about 3" but looks to be stable and old, a couple of edge nicks to the front lower caused by the afore mentioned door pins ( common issue ), this also causes the door to not seat correctly when the upper door catch in engaged, see pic 5. We could endeavour to fix this by removing and repositioning the right door pin but this would ultimately result in possibly more damage to the veneer over the coming years and feel it not worth the risk. It is easier to either live with a slightly crooked door or leave the upper catch unhooked. The are also some very minor surface scratches and nicks.
 The winding key is a modern replacement, aged by us to marry with the rest of the fittings, which still retain an amazing amount of original gilt finish, to include a fully gilded door emblem. The lower mechanism protective door is still in place and also has the original factory gauze and catches  ( only the 2nd metronome we have come across with this still remaining) the door itself also has what appears to be a hand stamped 'VIIX' on the underside although Roman Numerically this makes no sense.
 As you can probably tell from our description, we like this one a lot. It has character and an antiqued appearance commensurate with a period when items where constructed to last and hand assembled and manufactured to a standard unrivalled by any manufacturer since.
 A small word on the tempo setting. When set at 60bpm on the scale, this metronome runs at 68 beats per minute for around 43 minutes. In order to get to run at 60 beats per minute for example, you would need to set the upper weight to a slower setting of 52bpm which will provide a slightly longer runtime of around 46 minutes. We have also replaced a missing anti-overwind feature on this unit with a replacement from another Cocks metronome, it works as it should but for the longevity of this metronomes life we suggest that the new owner tries to get into a habit of only turning the key 6-7 half turns from flat and settle for s slightly shorter total runtime, we think it deserves a little rest from having the mainspring fully compressed and will ensure continued long life and operation. Outstanding metronome!.

Beats per Min: 68*     Operating Time:  45 Minutes  

 JTL Mahogany Victorian Metronome   ( £115 - Order Number - M117 ) Reworked

 Being tested, coming soon.

Beats per Min: 68*     Operating Time:  45 Minutes  

 JTL Mahogany Metronome + Bell  ( SOLD - Order Number - M118 ) REWORKED

 Here is a nice clean looking metronome from Jerome Thibouville Lamy, manufactured in France it dates to around the turn of the Century or the latter end of the Victorian period. There is a hand written '44' to the lower slat but we are fairly confident that this is too late to be the year of manufacture based on the mechanism parts and the fact the whole unit was covered in lamp oil residue. The exterior woodwork has been reworked, sanded, stained and several coats of tru-oil for protection and a semi gloss finish. The fittings have a wonderful handling patina which we have left alone to retain the antiqued appearance, with the front door fitted with the nickel silvered version of the Maelzel door emblem. The card scale is excellent, fully legible and clearly marked to the lower third with the JTL initials. The underside has suffered a split to one of the slats which has been re-glued but stable but all slats and feet are original to the piece.
 The mechanism is good providing 60 beats per minute, with a loud audible tempo and a total runtime of around 40 minutes. We say 'around' because there is a caveat with this unit, in that it does not like having the mainspring fully compressed to maximum. It is recommended therefore that the new owner gets into a habit of only turning the winding key only 7 or 8 half turns from flat to provide a slightly reduced runtime of 35-40 minutes. It comes with a working bell, on all four settings which is very loud and crisp, it does however have a reverb or recoil sound from the spring as it engages which is audible if you are stood right next to the metronome, less evident from a distance. It in no way impacts the bell operation and is down to wear on the bell seating washers and sliding mechanism, nothing too drastic but needs to be mentioned.
 The door is missing a retaining pin, but this is a good thing in our opinion as there is less chance of woodwork splits, which is a common problem on Paquet style metronomes, we have replaced one to ensure the door is retained and has a nice tight and snug fit, as it should. A lovely looking fresh metronome, over 100 years old, with a decent tempo and operation and a fully working bell. It has a few idiosyncrasies but most metronomes with this kind of age show a little wear and tear in some form or other, this one just needs a little tlc regarding the winding operation, the exterior is ready for another 100 years operation.

Beats per Min: 60     Operating Time:  40 Minutes  

 Paquet Walnut  Metronome + Bell  ( £124 - Order Number - M119 )

 Finished in walnut, this metronome from the French firm of Paquet is a nice original piece. Relatively clean with a few superficial marks and light scratches, the exterior has survived very well and has obviously been well cared for. The left hand panel does have very light sun bleaching but hardly noticeable and the light golden woodwork is complimented by all original fittings that have developed a lovely chocolate brown patina. This metronome is the fixed door version featuring a 3/4 length full brass door hinge, no problems with door retaining pins or damaged woodwork here, the unit is numbered to the lower underside ' 617,347' dating the metronome to around 1920. It has odd feet, one black, one a slightly lighter brown shade, we could have rectified this by painting either or both but decided to leave it as it stands ( forgive the pun ), as there is no way of telling if they are factory additions or if one is a replacement, either way, you can hardly notice.
 The card scale is excellent, very crisp and marked with the Paquet emblem, the feet have had felt added which makes seating it on top of a piano or delicate surface completely safe, it is missing the lower mechanism protective door but this is purely cosmetic and for dust protection but is not essential.  The mechanism is very clean and reliable, it is audibly very loud regarding the tempo ( due to the missing door ) and has a good strong action supplying 60bpm for a total runtime of around 50 minutes. It comes with a fully operational bell, crisp and clear and with a good reverb, occasionally there is a little residual noise from the bell spring if you are stood close to the metronome but nothing too distracting. The cast brass original fixed winding key has a seam split, but appears to be stable for now, we are however supplying a replacement key as cover which will be included with the metronome.
 The metronome is a very good performer, a strong main-spring, supplying a decent tempo and good bell operation. All of this suggests that this metronome has seen little use over the course of its life, it has been well cared for, is still in totally original condition, with the exception of a foot and missing door panel and it displays very well. The bell is the outstanding feature of this unit, rarely do you get one with such a strong bell spring and a mainspring with enough power to still drive it in near factory condition.


Beats per Min: 60     Operating Time:  50 Minutes  

 Paquet Cherry Victorian  Metronome + Bell  ( SOLD - Order Number - M120 ) REWORKED

 When this metronome arrived in bits, flat packed and not working we knew we where in trouble. One look at the grain and we knew we would have to go the extra mile on this metronome to not only get it working again but to completely reassemble it, including a few missing sections of wood. The visual result hopefully should speak for itself. The metronome itself is a very early production piece from Paquet, unfortunately the original underside slats where the original serial number would have been, had been lost but we are fairly sure it would have been sub 100,000 ( the current serial has no relevance to the metronome as the slat is a replacement ).
 The quality of the wood along with the parts and make up of the mechanism and external fittings, along with a heavy coating of coal fire and oil lamp residue, all point to this one being manufactured around 1880, possibly earlier. Finished in what we think is Cherry ( possibly Walnut ), the exterior has been stripped, sanded and numerous coatings of tru-oil to really make the grain pop and to show it off, there are a few visual  faults however as matching the wood grain on missing sections was always going to be an issue ( at least for us ). Luckily both of these sections are on the same right hand panel so do not overly distract from the metronomes general appearance. These sections include a chip to the lower left side below the winding key and a 2" seam split / missing woodwork to the same right panel, right side. There are also two age cracks visible to the rear panel but these are old, stable and in our opinion, add character. The tempo scale has suffered from years of exposure but is just about readable. We would have liked to replace it, but we have found that on these early production pieces, many times they are glued as well as pinned.
 The external fittings have been left alone, showing off fabulous handling patina against the vivid wood graining, both complimenting each other, there are four old screw holes to the lower front section that have had the screws removed, the panel re-glued and the holes filled, these holes are still visible.
 Visually very appealing especially as a shelf display metronome, the mechanism also needed a lot of work, it now performs very well, with an audible tempo, relatively well balanced at 60 beats per minute and for a total runtime of approx 42 minutes. It has a fully working bell, on all four ring settings and a pleasant not too over-powering tone to the bell, there is also no residual noise from the bell spring. This old soldier has been bought back to life, we wish we had taken the time pre-work so that we had the opportunity to show a before and after, but as a project, we are very happy how this one turned out. Working well mechanically, a good bell and visually one that catches the eye, it comes from a period when quality was key and the results even after a rework 140 years later, are plain to see. This is the 'Kim Kardashian' of the metronome World, knocking on a bit, but still looks good even though it has had a bit of work!.


Beats per Min: 60     Operating Time:  45 Minutes  

Brass Polishing:

We also offer a brass polishing service, where we remove all exterior brass fittings and polish to a high sheen which seems to be popular when matching a metronome to a piano for display purposes. We do not clean the fittings by default unless we feel the unit warrants it and any item shown on the website without cleaned brass-work is sold as viewed. We will however, under instruction polish fittings once a unit has been purchased for a standard charge of £9.95. Occasionally metronomes can be fitted with nickel silver or copper metal-work and in most cases these are best left to develop a deep handling patina. We will advise if we do not think that a unit would benefit from this service.

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For Items M101 - M108, click here.