My Grandfather's Clocks: The True Story of a Grandson’s Search for an American Inventor’s Lost Collection

My Grandfather's Clocks: The True Story of a Grandson’s Search for an American Inventor’s Lost Collection by Gregory Girard Allison. (Paperback)

After receiving praise from watchmakers, engineers, and Golden Age Hollywood celebrities in 1940s Los Angeles, the Charles Allison Collection disappeared. This treasure trove contained thirteen hand-crafted timepieces—including a mystery clock—which had received kudos from Gene Krupa (drummer, The Benny Goodman Orchestra) and Mary Astor (actor, The Maltese Falcon), among other well-known names of the era. After a generation of family stories, Charles’ New York-based grandson, Greg, resolved to find his grandfather’s missing collection.

Four years of cross-country sleuthing and a surprise online message led him to an unlikely place—a former church building in Montana—and, ultimately, success. Along the journey, he also gained insights into manhood—and what it means to carry forward a family name.

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