North Coast Imports, Inc.

Our company's founder (and my great-uncle) Karl Schleutermann built a giant cuckoo clock in Amish Country more than thirty years ago. Located in the premises of Grandma's Alpine Homestead (aka Alpine-Alpa) at 1504, US Route 62, Wilmot, OH, it was built in 1972-73 as a competition to another large cuckoo clock in Frankenmuth, Michigan (now gone). The giant clock was 7.2 meters (23.5 feet) high, 3.3 meters (24 feet) wide and 4.1 metres (13.5 feet) deep. Reportedly it was noted in both the Guinness Book of Records and Ripley's Believe it or Not. In August 2007 the clock was renovated and moved from its original location to a new location adjacent to the restaurant. However, in 2009 the restaurant was closed and the clock auctioned. The latest news on the clock is that it will be re-erected at Walnut Creek, or Sugarcreek in Ohio. Exact new location or timetable is not known exactly, as restoration depends on funding. Thanks to CuriusJM's post for the updated information o...

John in a previous post gave us a wonderful introduction to the Beha factory. He spoke of the quality of the clocks Beha made...despite the pressure to compete in a price driven market. Johann Baptist was also a pioneer in Black Forest Horology, and was responsible for many of the modern improvements used in cuckoo clocks for years to come. Some of these improvements never took flight or became mainstream... and has left us with clocks that are unique or different. This philosophy for improvement was also passed on to his Sons,who would later run the factory. Because of this philosoph, we can find Beha clocks with unique characteristics from the Early years to the turn of the century. I would like to share a special piece out of my collection, that echoes many of these things. This piece is a very special Beha cuckoo, and one of only a small handful known like it worldwide. The quality and detail of the carving on this piece is nothing but the best, typical of Beha factory. The vin...

Before the cuckoo came into vogue many other animated figures were used on Black Forest clocks. Bell ringing monks, laughing faces, and the dumpling eater were charming examples. Justin showed us a beautiful example of a very early shield clock with animated figure.  Here is a modern example, made today with the same tradition of craftsmanship. This clock is an authentic replica of a Black Forest clock of the early Nineteenth Century. The Hand-painted shield clock features a face whose eyes move with the movement of the pendulum. "The Turk" also laughs, or gasps counting each hour on the hour and once on the half-hour. This piece is handpainted by the award-winning shield painter Conny Haas.  The clock is built by Ingolf Haas who represents the fourth generation of Black Forest clockmakers.

We are always happy to hear from our friend J. Miller. He's got quite a collection of rare and unusual antique Black Forest Clocks. He most recently acquired an exteremly rare piece from the 19th Century, and there is only ONE of these known to exist in the world. This "Rat-Eater" is a very rare example of a set of German automata known as "Dumpling Eaters." For whatever reason, the clockmaker here decided to make the figure eat rats instead of dumplings or sausages. (see more pictures on our Flickr photostream here ) There is also a very fascinating discussion about the clock here . Apparantly there are several interesting accounts of eating rats during wartime. The rat eater isn't a clock you can run out and buy, but North Coast Imports is pleased to offer automata that eat dumplings and drink beer. Rombach und Haas has the only original Black Forest clock that eats dumplings or drink sips of beer, counting the hour and half hour.