With horology starting first as a hobby, but eventually becoming his life's work, Charles Terwilliger established the The Horolovar Company in 1951, which became the trusted source for suspension springs and other parts for anniversary clocks (also known as 400-Day Clocks). His main source of income came from employment at MacFadden Publications in Manhattan, New York in the field of magazine advertising, working in the areas of sales, promotion and market research. was born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, Ma and died on Februin Bronxville, New York at age 79. Terwilliger.Ĭharles Ostrander Terwilliger Jr. To achieve a solid and useful understanding of the Plato Clock, we should come to learn and appreciate the influence in this area of one particular person - collector, inventor, businessman, marketing expert, author, clock buyer, seller and repairer, Charles O. Piecing together the confusing and at times contradictory information regarding Plato Clocks can be difficult for buyer and seller and collector of these clocks. We will cover these issues in detail, and at the end, try to put the Plato Clock in perspective in regards to its actual place in clock history. Also, it would seem beneficial for sellers to have some firm factual information regarding a particular Plato Clock that they are selling. In this climate, it would definitely be wise for the collector to have a grasp on the different varieties of Plato Clocks. Selling prices from $600 dollars up to $1000 dollars or more have been noted on online auctions.
In recent years, prices for Plato Clocks (also known as Plato Flip Clocks) have soared. The Plato Clock has earned it's title "The Grandfather of all flip clocks."
The Plato Clock represents one of the earliest digital displays of time and holds a prominent place in the history of flip clocks, since many later flip clocks from the late 1930s, and in the 50s, but especially in the 1960s and 70s are modeled after patents that lead to the invention of The Plato Clock.