--- 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 collectable shelf or display items.
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For Items M101 - M108, click here.

 Paquet  Victorian Mahogany Metronome  ( £99 - Order Number - M109 ) REWORKED

 This mahogany metronome from Paquet came to me with numerous issues but was early enough production wise to warrant a rework. It dates to around 1890 and comes with the rarer full brass two toned door hinge. The exterior woodwork has been sanded, sealed and lightly waxed. The brass fittings have been polished and a new winding key and door catch replaced / added. The underside in some point of the units recent history has had replacement slats, including feet replaced from that of another metronome ( not by us ) as such the serial number is wrong in our opinion. Not the prettiest underneath we have encountered but rarely seen and stable so we left this section alone. The card tempo scale shows wear and a little fading from past cleaning attempts which is never a good idea from something that is basically layered paper, but still readable and marked to the lower third with the Paquet moniker.
 The mechanism is very good providing a strong and even tempo at 60 beats per minute, the original upper pendulum weight is a replacement that has been hand filed and balanced. The total runtime is excellent running for 48 minutes from a full wind at 60bpm. A couple of other minor things that need a mention are that an old screw hole for the old door retaining catch is visible underneath when the new replacement catch is in the released position, hidden when closed, and occasionally the winding key works loose during the metronomes operation from vibration.
This is once again a very nice attractive and reliable metronome, the wood panelling is excellent showing nice grain with no major dents or scratches and complimented by polished brass fittings and a lovely two toned full brass door hinge. The mechanism is clean and has been fully stripped and serviced with a nice strong mainspring.
Please note that felt pads have been added to the feet to allow safe storage on wooden surfaces that are not shown in the pictures below.

Beats per Min: 60   Operating Time: 47 Minutes   

 Tempo Boxwood Faux Oak Metronome  ( £95 - 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  

 JTL Cherry Wood Victorian Metronome (  £129 - Order Number - M111 )

  From the French producer of Jerome Thibouville Lamy ( JTL ) comes another exceptional piece finished with high quality Cherry wood panelling. Although unmarked regarding the maker, I am pretty sure due to the quality of the production and the fittings that this was the manufacturer. The woodwork appears to be stained Cherry Wood, lovely grain and the unit retains the gloss clear lacquered topcoat which has done an excellent job of protecting not only the stain from handling wear but also the woodwork from scrapes and dents which are minimal. The metronome has a fabulous antiqued appearance complimented by brass fittings that have developed a lovely chocolate patina, unusually the door badge is still bright and still has much of the original factory gold wash, this is easily removed once a cleaning attempt is made and stands as a good testament to the previous owners and the care that this metronome has received in over 120 years of service.
Almost certainly Victorian, the metronome is in 100% original condition, other than a thorough clean  and service we had very little to do with this one, the rear foot has been re-glued at some point in the past but other than that there is no damage, repairs of faults that need mentioning. The mechanism is very good, a nice even and strong tempo at a steady 60 beats per minute, there is a little residual noise from the bell even when the bell is in the disabled position, this is due to vibration and can only really be heard if you are stood right next to the unit. Adjustment to rectify would mean losing one of the bell settings. The bell is superb, a lovely tone and nice and a strong signal, it works on all four settings. So many antique metronomes struggle to power both the bell and the pendulum after many years of wear to the mainspring, this one remains strong suggesting minimal operational time and use.
The total runtime is good for 45 minute s run at 60bpm. The lower feet and mechanism door are still in place and original to the metronome and tempo scale is crisp and totally readable, this looks to be a laminate of sorts and not the usual card type which is more prone to wear and tear, there are age cracks visible but no shrinkage. This is an excellent piece, made to a very high standard, reliable and consistent, with an excellent bell, I am pretty sure the new owner will be pleased with this one.

Beats per Min: 60     Operating Time: 45 Minutes 

 Thorens Mahogany Metronome  ( £119 - Order Number - M112 ) REWORKED

   A lovely early example from the Swiss firm of Thorens. This company did not produce vast amounts of units in comparison to Paquet but the metronomes that did leave their production line are usually of the highest standard that you would associate with early Swiss manufacture. From the exterior woodwork choice of high quality Mahogany panels to selectively matched brass, bronzed or antiqued fittings, they are always pleasing on the eye and constructed with longevity in mind. This metronome has had a sympathetic exterior rework, sanded, sealed and lightly varnished for protection, it shows off the fantastic grain to the Mahogany panelling which is in excellent condition. There are a couple of minor dents to the front lower but nothing too detracting and the rework is relatively difficult to determine as it still retains that Antiqued appearance, the fittings have a wonderful patina that has developed on the original antiqued parts which adds to the metronomes appeal.
 This metronome also has the bonus of retaining nearly all of the original parts, with the exception of the upper pendulum weight. The feet, lower mechanism door, and winding key are all still in place.
 The tempo is excellent, providing 60 beats per minute for an approximate total run time of 50 minutes, the mechanism, as with all of our metronomes has been fully stripped and ultrasonically cleaned. This metronome is numbered " 59,768 " and while we do not have information regarding the exact dating for Thorens serialised metronomes as we do with Paquet numbered units, we can tell you it is relatively early probably dating to around the 1920's. If we where to be extremely critical is does slightly favour the left swing of the pendulum arm, hardly noticeable and it still maintains a good audible and even pulse, this is simply down to wear of the escapement and something that you probably would not have noticed had we not mentioned here.
Very attractive, a good even tempo and now with a well protected and fresh looking exterior, this is a good example of Swiss manufacture, from a Company who was synonymous with the production of the highest quality mechanical musical boxes and phonographs etc from the early part of the 20th Century.

Beats per Min: 60     Operating Time: 50 Minutes

 Paquet Teak Metronome ( £95 - Order Number - M113 )

 Numbered 423,753 dates this French produced metronome to around 1905. Finished in what I think is Teak, it is a nice lighter variation to your usual Mahogany coloured metronomes from Paquet. This piece would had been purchased from Paquet and re-branded and sold by the distributor "Qualitat Excelsior" which is marked to the lower third of the tempo scale. In all original condition, right down to having the lower door and feet still in place, this is a nice representative example of metronomes from this period. It has lost much of the lacquered topcoat which was applied to protect the woodwork however this has been replaced with years of polish and wax treatments, so it still has a glossy and well protected exterior. There are a few minor marks visible, a dark patch to the rear panel and remains of the original lacquer finish can be seen around the winding key hole area, plus a small scratch to the right of front door emblem but really not that visible.
 Providing 60 beats per minute and for a total runtime of 42 odd minutes, the tempo is good and pulse reliable, the mechanism, as with all of our metronomes has been fully stripped, degreased, ultrasonically and alcohol cleaned and reassembled. This unit has a strong spring suggesting minimal use throughout it's life and has obviously been well cared for, the original winding key is fixed solid on this unit, meaning that the key cannot be removed and placed in the front storage hole, this is a bonus in my opinion as it means it is less likely to be lost, it has a wonderful dark handling patina.
 A nice and quite scarce colour variation to this metronome, in excellent working order, with all original parts and fittings, the feet have had a  re-paint and also felt added to the bottom so that is can be stored safely on a piano or wood surface safely, this is not reflected in the pictures below.

Beats per Min: 60      Operating Time: 42 Minutes  

 Thorens Mahogany Metronome  ( £99 - 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  

 Paquet Pear Wood Metronome  ( £119 - Order Number - M116 )

 Numbered "382,345" dates this Paquet metronome to around 1900. On the underside is a hand written "04" which may indicate 1904. I believe it to be Pear wood and is a lovely golden toned metronome, a little unusual in comparison to the usual Mahogany Paquet units. It still has a totally intact high gloss lacquer topcoat with a few scratches and dings, these become more evident on lighter shades of woodwork but considering the metronomes age, there is nothing that it is not commensurate with age. The worst is to the front right of the door emblem, but nothing too major. In all original condition bar a new winding key and a feet re-paint, it is a very good example of Paquet production around the turn of the Century.
 The front door emblem still shows some of the original gold burnish and the tempo scale although a little faded is still readable and has had no ill advised cleaning attempts. The mechanism is very good, and audibly one of the loudest actions / tempo's we have come across. It supplies a well balanced and even tempo at 60 beats per minute for a total runtime of 42 minutes. The mechanism is very clean for a metronome that is in excess of 100 years old. The original upper pendulum weight, lower mechanism door and feet are all original to the piece and the replacement winding key is a good match for the rest of the fittings and woodwork.
 I hope the pictures speak for themselves as there is very little else to find fault with, a nice representative metronome, in good working condition and loud enough that you can share it with your neighbours :).

Beats per Min: 60     Operating Time:  42 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.