Having been on Ebay for a number of years,and looking for a certain type of clock, I regularly scan the clock sections. I couldn't help but notice listing after listing of a certain "vintage" or "Antique", and even "Rare" clock being offered over and over again- most with the identical photos and all the sellers registered in CHINA.

So I did some checking into this "vintage" clock mechanism which one claimed was a controlling clock mechanism for the Eiffel tower or a tower clock which would have something LIKE one of these to set the time of a tower clock. Others point out the PICTURE of the Eiffel tower on the clock's dial (There's two versions of this modern clock)

Some of the titles I noticed include; "Vintage, excellent copper French mechanical clock" "Vintage rare copper tower model machine clock" "wonderful machine clock tower picture"

You are met with several photos of a little round clock on a stand, a "key" on top, and the side view shows a couple of lion heads with rings, the back a winding key and some knobs. They LOOK old, but keep in mind brass, copper, iron etc can be made to look hundreds of years old in a day by the use of acids, patina solutions, a blow torch and other techniques- sculptors use this to make their new bronzes look old!

ALL of these units come from CHINA, most of the opening prices are around 99 cents, with the shipping charges running up to in at least one case- $110 US dollars!! These units are so "rare" that as I write this guide today, there are at least SIX of them listed!

I would use extreme care in purchasing something like these, if the $110 for postage doesn't turn you away, the knowledge that these are modern clocks made to LOOK old should. It would be embarassing to have one of the "Rare antiques" on your mantle and someone tells you they bought three for gifts from a guy in China...