One of the most captivating exhibits at the Unecha Local Lore Museum is an antique floor clock, complete with a pendulum and heavy metal weights, all housed in a massive wooden case. Its resonant chime immediately captures the attention of visitors. In the first quarter of the 20th century, this salon clock adorned the elegant living and dining rooms of affluent German households.

A metal plaque is mounted on the clock’s case. It bears the inscription in German: “Kloster-Glocken-Gong”, with “Ges. Gesch.” beneath it. “Ges. Gesch.” is an abbreviation of Gesetzlich Geschützt, meaning “legally protected”. According to the stamp on the mechanism, the clock was manufactured in the first quarter of the 20th century by the FMS clock factory — Friedrich Mauthe, Schwenningen, Germany. The company’s trademark features an eagle with wavy wings and the initials FMS.

It should be noted that, contrary to a common misconception, the FMS eagle logo has no connection to Nazi symbolism — it predates the Nazi regime by decades.

This clock arrived in Unecha after the Great Patriotic War as a wartime trophy. It was brought from Königsberg (now Kaliningrad) by Ivan Fyodorovich Mitchenko, a war veteran and former military commander of the city. After his passing, thanks to the efforts of local historians and devoted admirers of antiquity, the clock found its rightful place in the museum’s permanent exhibition.

The first grandfather clocks were originally known as “clock cabinets”. They were invented around 1680 by the English clockmaker William Clement. Although unverified accounts suggest that Galileo may have developed an early pendulum timepiece in the 16th century, England is traditionally regarded as the birthplace of the grandfather clock as we know it.

These timepieces featured tall wooden cabinets. Initially adorned with modest carvings, they later became increasingly elaborate — painted, inlaid, and embellished with fine decorative details. The upper section housed the clock face, while the lower compartment concealed the pendulum and weights behind a door.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, grandfather clocks were crafted from fine, precious woods and invariably complemented with ornamental accents. More than mere timekeepers, they became essential status symbols in the home — testaments to the owner’s refinement and emblems of enduring family tradition.