North Coast Imports, Inc.

It is the time of year when gifts are unpacked and unwrapped in a frenzy. We are very proud that our clocks are opened with such gleeful satisfaction and don't mind a bit when instructions are lost in the mix. Instructions are very important for these fine clocks though. It is very important that no guesswork should be involved when setting up one of our timepieces. Therefore we offer the following examples of instructions and articles of care. Please take the time to download and print out the literature that corresponds to your clock. If what you need is not listed here feel free to contact us at clocks@NorthCoastImports.com New Haven Steeple Clock from Sternreiter (models MM 808 381 08 and QM 028 381 08) New Haven Steeple Clock from Sternreiter - care of mechanical chimes (model #MM 808 381 08) Brahms, Ellington, Schuman, and Lincoln Mechanical Tambours from Sternreiter (models MM 808 116, MM 808 118, MM 808 119, and MM 808 146) Emily, Handel, and Bauhaus Mechanical Wall Clocks...

Every so often we want to hang a cuckoo clock (or any clock that is powered by weights) in a place where there might not be room for the weights to fall. This is an old problem. In fact, visitors can see where, in Thomas Jefferson's home at Monticello , Jefferson cut holes in the floor to allow his clock to run longer. The weights fell through the floor into the room below and added a longer running time for the clock. New clock owners frequently ask if they have to allow the weights to fall freely to the floor for the full 5-6 ft. distance. "Will it harm the clock if I hang it over a table or sideboard?" The answer is no, you will not harm the clock, but obstructing the fall of the weights will stop it from running the full 1 or 8 days. It simply means that you will have to wind the clock more frequently. If the owner of the clock does wish to hang it over something he or she may want to secure the chains somehow so that they don't interfere. The best way to do this ...

Unfortunately we have run out of our special 1200 and 8200 models. More are on their way but we won't be able to deliver before the holidays. Consider the following alternatives: 1200T - lovely two-tone finish with deeper carving and wooden hands and bird 1202 - slightly larger with finer finish and carving, also with wooden hands, bird and shut-off lever 8200P - hand-painted accents with Edelweiss flowers 8240 - Finer finish with deeper carving and wooden hands and bird, shut-off lever

If you are a retailer it is important that you have our best sellers in stock. Make sure you order them now so that you are sure to be able to supply your customers. We are running low on the 1200 and 8200 models and although more are on the way, they won't be here by the end of this year. In addition, just for clarification, the following is a list of discontinued or changed cuckoo clocks: 1100 Discontinued 1101 Discontinued (click here for an alternative) 1202B Discontinued 1236 Discontinued 1253 Discontinued 1254 Discontinued 1279 Discontinued 1312 Discontinued 1336 Discontinued 1353 Discontinued 1382 Discontinued 1386 Replaced by a NEW DESIGN 1392 Discontinued 8202 Discontinued 8212 Discontinued 8213 Discontinued 8227 Discontinued 8231 Discontinued 8232 Discontinued 8345 Discontinued 8355 Discontinued 8382 Discontinued 8392 Replaced by a NEW DESIGN Most of these models have been replaced by NEW better-looking clocks like the 111th Anniversary Collection from Romba and more. M...

For those of you who are interested in mechanical automata like our whistling birds, birds in the box, whistlers (as well as the more simple automata on our cuckoo clocks for example) I would highly recommend a book by Tom Standage entitled The Turk. In it he runs through a dizzying history of one of the most famous automata and its association with people like Benjamin Franklin, Napoleon, Beethoven, Edgar Allen Poe, and Charles Babbage. "Automata are the forgotten ancestors of almost all modern technology. From computers to compact-disc players, railway engines to robots, the origins of today's machines can be traced back to the elaborate mechanical toys that flourished in the 18th century. As the first complex machines produced by man, automata represented a proving ground for technology that would later be harnessed in the industrial revolution. But their original uses were rather less utilitarian. Automata were the playthings of royalty, both as a form of entertainment in...