Toured the Bily Clock museum in Spillville Iowa this morning..

[JD Jim]

The Bily (pronounced BEE-LEE) brothers were two bachelor farmers who farmed most of their lives outside Spillville Iowa.
from 1913 thru about 1946, they gained fame for the beautiful hand built carved clocks they made.
During the depression, Henry Ford offered them one MILLION dollars for one of the clocks. they said no.
Today the clocks are located in the little town of Spillville Iowa. The brothers never traveled more than 35 miles from home in their entire lives.
Frank, the one on the left in their picture was the carver, and Joseph was the engineer who came up with the ideas and designs.
They left their clocks to the town of Spillville, with the conditions that they always remain where they are now, and that they never be sold.
If any of you good folks are ever up in northeastern Iowa, its a heck of a sight to see these beautys. One of them is 10 feet tall.
Here are just a few of the clocks on display there.
The tools they used are in the glass display case, they made many of their own carving tools back then.

[Ed N]

Very interesting Jim. I would love to see the pieces in person up close. Thanks for sharing.

Ed

[carvingbarn]

Thanks for sharing. Great work.

[JoeVM]

Jim, my wife and I saw this a few years ago and I agree -- it is worth a stop. You forgot to mention that many of the clocks have mechanical parts, chimes etc that still work.