Mera-Poltik Chess Clock, Poland, 1950's

Mera-Poltik Chess Clock, Poland, 1950's

Here is a Mera-Poltik chess clock. Mera-Poltik is a Polish company, which was founded right after WWII in 1945. The full name of the company is Zakłady Mechanizmów Precyzyjnych "Mera Poltik" or ZMP Mera-Poltik. At that time it was a state-owned enterprise, which from the very beginning developed two product groups: clock mechanisms and measuring instruments for vehicle technology.

In the mid-1980's Mera-Poltik developed a small clockwork together with A.P.F. von Rolland and started producing clocks for the latter. In the 1990's a formal cooperation with the German producer Diehl Ako was entered into, which ended in 2009.

The company is still operating until today. The form of the company has changed into a privately owned Sp. z o.o., i.e. a Polish limited.

The clock shown here is, as far as I know, the first chess clock model produced by Mera-Poltik, either in the late 1940's or in the early 1950's. It is actually a rather rare sight nowadays. The clock is in good condition. The case of the clock is rather big, almost comparable to an early Koopmann or HAC and hosts two likewise big clockworks. Both clocks are in excellent working order, but the switch mechanism is very tight and needs some adjustment.
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