Bily Clocks Museum & Antonin Dvorak Exhibit

02/21/2026

Saint Bernard's are a breed of dog from the Western Alps in Italy and Switzerland. Frank and Joseph seemed to fairly fond of this breed, as they not only made a wall hanging that is most likely of a Saint Bernard, as it looks like there is a barrel around its neck, but they also ordered 6 Saint Bernard carvings from Switzerland. The image of a Saint Bernard with a barrel around their neck is a classic one, but ultimately an incorrect one. The barrels supposedly carried brandy which avalanche victims found by the dogs would drink to keep warm while waiting for help, but this not actual medical advice and should not be followed. In fact, the monks at the Great St. Bernard Hospice in Switzerland deny that the dogs have ever carried barrels around their necks. As such, this misconception is attributed to a popular painting by Edwin Landseer. There is only one Saint Bernard who supposedly actually carried brandy in a barrel around his neck, who is mentioned in The Percy Anecdotes by Thomas Byerley.

02/12/2026

The first image is of a jigsaw that was used by the brothers. However, they would have used a scroll saw before to do their more intricate work, which at the time would have been referred to as a jigsaw and would have required a treadle to work. The second image is of an old treadle sewing machine, which is the kind of sewing machine their mother owned and they turned into their first scroll saw, which is what these types of saws are now referred to. Funnily enough, the more modern jigsaw was also originally created by replacing a sewing machine needle with a saw blade. This was done in 1946 by Albert Kaufmann, a Swiss engineer.

02/09/2026

The Old Swedish Clock is one the brothers restored in 1930. It was carved in Sweden and brought to the US by the Koenig family. Frank and Joseph not only repaired the clock, but made some additions to it with the base, the heads of the fawn and doe, and the wreath among other things. The parts that the brothers made were carved out of butternut and black walnut wood. As both of these woods are native the Americas, we can safely assume the original parts were carved with wood found in Europe, if nothing was imported. This could mean the clock was originally carved out of any mix of pine, lodgepole pine, spruce, larch, alder, birch, and a number of other possibilities. Although, given the wood samples provided (which also hang up on the wall on the second floor of the museum) they might have picked butternut and black walnut as those matched the original the best. This clock is believed to be around 250 years old, putting its creation around 1680; with such an old age, maybe the use of butternut was also strategic, as butternut wood is highly rot resistant.

02/05/2026

Henrik Ibsen is one of the busts that make up the Statuary Clock. Born in Norway in 1828, he grew up to be considered "the father of modern drama" by many. Along with the lyrical epics he wrote, he also pioneered realism in theater. In 2014, he was considered the second most performed after Shakespeare, although there has been much argument over time comparing him to Shakespeare, with many believing him to either be on par with Shakespeare or surpassing him. Much loved, he's had 2006 dedicated to him by the Norwegian government, and had a lake, a ship, and an asteroid named after him, among other things. Many of Ibsen's works explored more controversial topics for the time period. In fact, one of his works, A Doll's House, had such a shocking ending that he was made to write another ending for when it premiered in Germany, something he was deeply offended about.

02/02/2026

A part of the American Pioneer History Clock, the Bily brothers have presented the likenesses of Daniel Boone, Pierre Laclede, and the mythical Father Time. The majority of people have probably heard of Daniel Boone, as he ended up becoming the basis for the folk hero stereotype, so he is mostly known for the tall tales that arose during and after his lifetime instead of his actual deeds. Pierre Laclede was a French fur trader who is credited with the founding of St. Louis, Missouri. Father Time is character that persists in many cultures. The version the brothers carved for this clock is the most common depiction in recent centuries. The brothers either made likenesses using references from books or magazines, but this seems to be one instance where they might have used their imagination, as comparing their carvings to old paintings of Boone and Leclade show quite a difference. However, whether they made the likenesses a perfect copy or not, Frank and Joseph's talent is obvious to see.

01/29/2026

This work by the Bily Brothers is a panel on their famous American Pioneer History Clock. This particular panel, as written, commemorates the first steam locomotive built in America that was used for revenue service (which just means it made money for the railroad). Specifically, this locomotive was called the Best Friend of Charleston, which was built for the South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company and delivered in December of 1830, leaving it to run until June 1831 when it suffered a boiler explosion. It was also the first locomotive to suffer such an incident. This is said to have led to the rule that engineers were to stay at their station at all times, while newly hired conductors would take care of other parts of the train, such as passengers. So this panel actually commemorates a few firsts in American history.

01/26/2026

Karlštejn, or Karluv Tyn as written by the Brothers, is a castle in the Central Bohemia region on the Czech Republic. Construction of the castle was started in 1348 by King Charles IV, who was the Holy Roman Emperor at the time. Construction, however, did not finish until nearly 20 years later. Frank and Joseph would never have seen this castle in person and would only have been able to use photos or drawings as references.

11/01/2025

The Bily Clocks Museum &Antonin Dvorak Exhibit is closed for the season. We will re-open on May 1, 2026! Thanks for making it a great season! We will be offering off-season private tours from January through April. To see pricing and booking information, please check www.bilyclocks.org. We recommend emailing at [email protected] as the best way to contact us, as it will be checked on frequent basis. It isn’t too early to plan for next spring, when we look forward to welcoming you!

09/05/2025

The Bily Clocks Museum is open 10am-4pm, Wednesday through Saturday. Tours are offered throughout the day until 3:30pm.

Come and see the cultural treasures of Spillville: Rich in musical history, Czech culture, and creativity! While you are here, visit St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church and the beautiful iron crosses made by Charles Andera. Hungry? We have a restaurant that is open in the evening on weekends, located in the historic Wenzel Taylor Building with its beautiful tunnels. Make it a day in Spillville!

08/28/2025

Hello! Please be aware of this today only, Friday August 28. If you are unsure of how to get to the museum today, please give us a call at 563-562-3569 and we will be happy to help you find the best route. Thank you!
www.bilyclocks.org

🚧 Spillville Water Main Upgrade – Road Closure Alert 🚧

Hi Spillville residents, this is Mayor Paul Wermers with an important update about our ongoing water main improvements.

Thanks to Bacon Concrete & Excavating out of Postville, we’re making great progress connecting the last part of our Water Main on Main Street! Our previous contractor left us hanging, but Bacon Concrete has been doing a phenomenal job.

Road Closure Details:

Where: Intersection of Co Rd W14 / Main Street and County Road B16 / Bridge Street

When: Thursday, August 28, 2025 (one day only, fingers crossed)

Traffic Notes:

North/South on Co Rd W14 / Main St: One lane will remain open

East from Main Street / County Road B16 / Bridge St: Road will be closed at the intersection for the day.

We’ll include a map showing the affected area so you can plan your route. Thank you for your patience as we make these important upgrades to our water system!

✅ Travel safely, and we appreciate your understanding.

— Mayor Paul Wermers

08/16/2025

This weekend in nearby Protivin the Czech Days celebrations are happening now! If you want some great kolaches or chicken noodle soup, or you like to polka, this is the place to be! And a perfect time to stop and experience the Bily Clocks museum! We are open until 4pm today, with our last tour at 3:30pm, and we are open Wednesdays through Saturdays, 10am-4pm.

Last week the Bily Brothers Museum & Antonin Dvorak participated in a parade in the City of Ossian's celebration of their 175th anniversary, and we had a great time! The "Bily Brothers" were on the float carving, while others made sure Dvorak's American Symphony was playing, carried signs,handed out 1/2 price tickets to the crowds,or threw candy for the children.

www.bilyclocks.org