Stuart Vance and his wife, Mikeel “Mike,” are in good health. But at ages 85 and 81, it is only natural that they have given some thought about their estate and how their possessions will be divided once they pass away.
The Starkville couple have already settled on how they will dispense of one household item, a 45-year-old Herschede Grandfather Clock purported to be the finest ever built.
“We have four kids,” Stuart Vance says, as he sits in the dining room of his Starkville home. “You do the math.”
The Vances have solved this dilemma.
They are going to give the clock to the whole state.
Today, the Vances will deliver the timepiece, whose value is estimated to be between $60,000 and $125,000, to Jackson, where it will occupy a place of honor in the Governor’s office in the state Capitol.
“We just felt it needed to be somewhere where people could see it,” Vance said. “It’s not just a beautiful clock, it’s a clock built in Mississippi by Mississippi workers. When the governor entertains distinguished visitors or company executives looking to relocate to Mississippi, what better example can there be? This clock is proof that Mississippi workers can learn the skills needed to build the best product a company can offer.”
Gov. Phil Bryant said he is pleased to accept the donation on behalf of the state.
“I am grateful to Mr. Vance for his extraordinary donation to the people of Mississippi,” Bryant said in a statement. “This clock is a testament to the artistry that makes our state so special, and it will now stand in our Capitol for generations to enjoy.”
Herschede history
The story of “The Clock” can be traced to the late 19th century with the founding of The Herschede Hall Clock Co. in Cincinnati, Ohio. In its heyday, just before the Great Depression, demand for Herschede Clocks made it one of the most-desired clocks in the U.S., with the company opening showrooms in New York, Chicago and San Francisco.
But in the post-World War II years, the company fell on hard times. Plagued by labor issues and higher taxes, the company began looking for other options.
In 1959, the North Mississippi Industrial Development Association, something of a precursor to today’s Golden Triangle Development LINK, recruited the Herschede Hall Clock Company to Starkville, where it moved into a factory next door to Vance’s furniture company. It began operations in May 1960.
The move did not cure all that ailed the company, however.
Times were changing. The formal living spaces that featured fine grandfather clocks, were less and less prominent in new homes.
In the mid-20th century, grandfather clocks were becoming a relic of a bygone era.
Roughly 10 years after the Herschede Wall Clock Company relocated, Vance and some associates in the furniture business, bought the company and the clock-building resumed under a new company called Arnold Enterprises.
Vance and his partners sought to re-invent the company with the goal of building the finest grandfather clock ever built.
In 1970, two prototypes of “The Clock” were put on display at the famed St. Moritz Hotel, where it drew rave reviews.
Vance purchased “The Clock” after the exhibit. It has adorned the foyer of his Starkville home for the past 42 years.
Between 1970 and 1984, when the company was sold to Brunswick Co., roughly 2,500 to 2,700 clocks were built in Starkville. The clocks retailed for $3,000, on average.
Brunswick soon sold off the clock-building operation. For a brief period, the Herschede Hall Clock company resumed production, making about 20 clocks before ending operations for good.
‘A nod to tradition’
Although it’s been more than 25 years since the last Herschede Clock was built, Vance says his love and appreciation for the clocks has not diminished.
“To me, it’s a nod to tradition,” he says. “Today, people just don’t have that appreciation. And, of course, it’s hard to find people who have the skills to work on those clocks. It’s becoming kind of a lost art.”
Vance hopes having “The Clock” displayed at the Capitol will rekindle interest in the beauty, workmanship and fine detail of an earlier era.
“Today, everything is done by robots,” he mildly complains. “But when you look at this clock, you see the kind of workmanship and craft that a robot can never really duplicate. And that almost all of the work was done by people right here in Mississippi, that says something important, I think.
“We will miss the clock, but really, I can’t think of a better place for it to be.”
Features of ‘The Clock’
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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Related Photos
Stuart Vance and his wife, “Mike,” will donate “The Clock” to the state. It has been a conversation piece in the Vance’s home for the past 42 years, but the couple say they want to make sure the clock is available to pubic viewing, which is why they have decided to donate it to the state. Photo by: Mark Wilson/Dispatch Staff
