The first Swedish antique we purchased was a Mora clock. My partner, Tom, and I discovered one while on holiday in Sweden. We were in the elegant neighborhood of Östermalm, Stockholm and noticed, in a shop window, a very shapely tall-case clock painted in a soft dove gray. We fell in love with the clock and had it (along with a sideboard and secretary) shipped back to DC.
What is a Mora clock? Without getting technical, it is a form of a grandfather clock. The ones I love are painted and curvilinear, designed to resemble the female form. Many were made in the town of Mora, Sweden. Especially by farmers and their families during the long Nordic winters as a way to supplement income.
2 Mora clocks in my shop.
3 of my former clocks, each with distinctive hood ornament. Left: glazed spy hole. Center: Neoclassical urn finial. Right: stylized headdress.
I wish I had kept this elegant clock which had been hand scraped to almost bare wood. It is next to a Gustavian tea table.
This indigo blue clock is now at a beach house. Hello, old friend!
Left and below: one of my earliest clocks dating to the Rococo Period (Ca. 1780s).
Above and below: 2 vignettes from my shop - both clocks have sold :(
This very rare clock cupboard went to a collector.
Below are photos showing clocks at home. They look lovely in corners, foyers, living rooms, etc.
Above: a tall and narrow clock from Northern Sweden in our living room. Below: this clock in our family room does not have a hood ornament, but the plinth base is quite exaggerated.
This clock was in Linda's former home. Photo by Lydia Cutter from Home and Design magazine.
The clock in Michelle's living room has a base drawer and bun feet.
Brook and Steve Giannetti's clock in their foyer. See more in Patina Style.
Lastly, the living room from the very famous movie set of Something's Gotta Give. Image via Cote de Texas.