Thursday, December 31, 2009

Tick Tock

Tick tock, the old Mora clock ticks away the seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades, centuries.
She was made a long time ago, round 1850, tick tock, in the Swedish province of Dalarna. Bad weather and poor soil forced the farmers in the Mora (town) area to look for other ways to supplement their income. The villagers of this area turned around 1750, tick tock, to traditional home crafts, building of wall clocks and tall case clocks. Each family specialized in a certain part: some made the brass clockworks, some painted the faces, while others built or painted the tall case clocks. Just like an assembly line, the workers became very skilled and did excellent work.

Tick tock
At the height of production more than 90 families were engaged in the trade, and Mora functioned as one large clock factory. More than 1000 clocks, named for their place of origin, were produced each year and were sold throughout Scandinavia. Within 80 years, tick tock, competition from Europe and America brought an end to this communal enterprise, but the curvilinear shape of the classic Mora clock is still sought after today.

Tick tock
In 1993, tick tock, I went to Denmark for the first time where I encountered my very first Mora clock and fell head over heels in love with her. This type (pic above) of Mora clock is referred to as she/her as her shape is very reminiscent of the female form. There are also male Mora clocks that look like the well known grandfather clocks. I searched high and low for a Mora clock of my own but unfortunately in my country no Mora clock was to be had for love nor money.

Tick tock
Then, earlier this year, tick tock, I discovered on the Internet that a Dutch couple, Sune and Pien, had recently immigrated to Sweden and started up a business of selling antique Swedish furniture via their website. And guess what I found? That's right, my long awaited Mora clock. She was made, amongst others, by A Linder from Sil in Sweden, around 1850. Tick tock Her white coat she got fairly recently, her original garb a deep blue.

Long ago, tick tock, this Mora clock must have graced the hall of a Swedish farm or two. Once upon a time, tick tock, they were considered status symbols. And now, tick tock, from the Swedish province of Dalarna, she has been transported to the Dutch province of North Brabant, where she proudly stands in the hallway of a 1960's bungalow. Tick tock
When I can't sleep I listen to my Mora tick tocking the seconds away, this steady metronome of life sounds very reassuring somehow. Her chimes sound as a silver bell, marking each passing, fleeting hour. Tick tock

The New Year, tick tock, is almost upon us and many of us are full of New Year's resolutions. But gentle reader are you sure you want to go that route, are New Year's resolutions really worth the breath they are spoken with?
Wouldn't you be better of with the heartfelt wish from yours truly: may you be able to make every second of your life count in the New Year. Do not ask for whom the Mora clock ticks, it ticks for thee. Tick tock
Happy tick New Year tock!

copyright 2009 Y.E.W. Heuzen

31 comments:

Sorcerer said...

thanks for a good read
___

Have a happy and fantastic new year!!

*Ulrike* said...

What an interesting story! I enjoyed reading about it. I think that things that are handcrafted are so much more beautiful, and they last longer!!
To you and yours a Happy and Healthy New Year!!
Ulrike

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

Time keeps on tick tock slipping, slipping, tick tock, slipping into the future... Speaking of the future, you'll get there first! Happy 2010! :)

Carol Michel said...

Happy New Year, tick tock. That's a beautiful clock, tick tock!

Karin said...

What a beautiful Mora clock! Happy New Year!

Kram Karin

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

Happy New Year! I never make resolutions, but I really like your idea. What a treasure that clock is. Classic and, ironically, timeless.

Reflection Through The Seasons said...

Happy New Year Dear Yolanda...... What an lovely posting. I do agree, there is something very special about clocks.... we have a number of chiming clocks, but I have to say that it gets a little crazy when they don’t keep the same time.... but that ‘tick tock’ is such a comforting sound. I do love your Mora clock.
I always make a few resolutions at New Year.... one of them being this year is to get back into blogging again. Hope you’ll pop over and see me sometime. Fondest Love - Marion

Tira said...

Happy New Year, Yolanda, and great that you finally got your Mora clock!

Unknown said...

Your clock is gorgeous! I want one of my own now. And such a wonderful industry with a wealth of history.

Happy New Year!

Ryan

Unknown said...

Always a delightful and thoughtprovoking post from you, Yolanda! You're about 4 hours closer to 2010 than I am, so here's wishing you a very wonderful new year--making every second count, indeed!

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful clock and a fascinating story!
Happy New Year! Flighty xx

Christine B. said...

I don't know what kind of pastries those are at the end of your post, but they look good! Your Mora clock is so stylish, no wonder you wanted one for so long. I do hope to make each second count this year, and thanks for a very intersting post.

Christine

Rusty in Miami said...

She is a beauty, you so lucky to have such a treasure in your home.
Happy New Year

Glo said...

Just like the saying, "Don't count the days, make the days count!"

I loved reading about Mora ~ she was well worth waiting for!

A very Happy New Year to you Yolanda! It's 4:00 p.m. here on Dec. 31, so have a few hours left of 2009!

This is officially my last day of work, and I am now retired! Perhaps it's time to visit the tulips in Holland! That would make my Tick Tock. :)

Gelukkig nieuwjaar

Pam/Digging said...

Happy New Year, YE! I look forward to seeing more of your garden in 2010.

SchneiderHein 2 said...

Liebe Yolanda,
Ich hoffe Du, der Undergardener, die Grauen & anderen charaktervollen Miezen und Euer 'neuerer' Hausmitbewohner hattet einen schönen Start in ein hoffentlich wundervolles Jahr.

Ich gebe zu, im vergangen Jahr bin ich seltener und dann oft kommentarlos bei Dir vorbeigehuscht, gelobe aber Besserung!
Liebe Grüße
Silke

Miranda Bell said...

Yolanda - wishing you a very Happy New Year for 2010 - loved the story of your clock and will certainly be doing my best to make every minute of 2010 count for something - life is precious and none of us ever knows what lies ahead - hope it's a great year for you... best wishes Miranda

VP said...

Loved the story!

A happy new year to both you and the Bliss team :)

TYRA Hallsénius Lindhe said...

It is wonderful Yolanda, really pretty and elegant on the same time. Happy New Year! XX Tyra

HappyMouffetard said...

What a beautiful curvy clock. Wishing you and all the Bliss team an happy new year.

Hannele på Hisingen said...

Lovely Mora, Happy New Year!

Ewa said...

Happy New Year!

Annie in Austin said...

Thanks for entertaining and educating your readers while at the same time inciting them to Mora-envy! What a lovely clock. Happy New Year, Yolanda!

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

Gail said...

Happiest of New years YE! It's been a wonderful year of stories, garden photos and tales of kitties and pups...Thank you! gail

Chookie said...

What a beautiful clock! But oh, those stairs look steep!

healingmagichands said...

What a beautiful clock. I got a history lesson as well as beauty today. Don't you love antiques? I always wish they could talk and tell their stories, imagine what scenes that clock has witnessed, what births, deaths and marriages were marked by its tick tock tick.

May you have health and happiness in the New Year, and may your cats wax fat and purr loudly, and may Tara continue to be a joy.

Anonymous said...

Oh I love it, the clock and the story behind it, YE! It looks perfect right there by the door and I would want one too. Maybe I want one now! My grandparents collected antique clocks, I have only a couple of them after much downsizing with our last move, nothing as exquisite as your lovely Mora! May your 2010 be the best year ever for the Bliss team! :-)
Frances

Matron said...

Happy New Year! What are those lovely cakes at the end of your blog? Are they a Dutch New Year tradition? They sure look tasty!

Layanee said...

It is a beauty. Happy New Year.

Libby said...

Belated Happy New Year to you.
I love your clock, we have an very old small grandfather clock that sadly is not working. One day we will get in repaired!!

Kylee Baumle said...

I love your Mora clock and the story about its history and how you got it! We too, have a clock - a grandmother clock - that my dad made many years ago. It chimes every 15 minutes and strikes on the hour. We have become accustomed to it, but guests always think the doorbell is ringing and we silence it for overnight guests that aren't used to hearing it. It sometimes keeps them awake! Funny how we don't even notice it unless we listen for it.