439. $175
New Haven “Willard” banjo, ca. 1929. A 41-inch spring-driven banjo, 8-day, striking the hour
and half-hour on a brass rod. This one has a replaced metal dial with correct hands, a convex glass over the dial, and an original
throat glass with some touch-up. The lower glass “The Hancock House” is a replacement. Dark mahogany case with proper
finials and adornments. Movement is running and striking on schedule. $100 - $200.
440. $1200
Sawin & Dyar banjo timepiece, 1822-1828. John Sawin partnered with a Dyar in Boston to make
lyre and banjo clocks for a brief period before Dyar exited the firm due to financial difficulties. This mahogany case is 31.5
inches high with the eagle finial. Both glasses are original and in good shape, although the tablet depicting three girls playing
with a boat in a stream is broken across the lower right corner. The convex glass over the dial is new. The iron dial
has the original paint and signature “Sawin ___ Dyar, Boston”, although the signature is faint and the dial is dark. The hands
are original. The 8-day brass movement is typical of these makers and is shown and described in Petrucelli and Sposato, “American
Banjo Clocks” (1995). The weight looks to be a replacement. The clock is running and keeping time. No sales records
in the Antique Clocks Price Guide for this model. We estimate $1200 to $1500 based on similar clock sales.
441. $4500
J.C. Brown Wall Acorn, ca. 1850. Brown manufactured wall acorns only for a short time around
1850, under the Forestville Manufacturing label. This clock lacks a label, but retains the green flock wallpaper on the back
wall. The mahogany case is very nice, with one repair on the upper left corner behind the door. The lower glass was replaced
and repainted a long time ago, the upper glass is original. The metal dial looks original, no evidence of a signature, and has
been touched up in places. The hands are original. It is 28.5 inches tall. The movement is unsigned but typical
of these time-only, 8-day clocks, and it is running steadily and accurately. Hard to price these clocks as there are few sales;
Schmitt’s sold one in 2009 for $5000.
442. $1900
Ithaca Large Iron Case, ca. 1860. Iron case clocks were some of the first clocks made by the
Ithaca Calendar Clock Co. They made two models, a large (21 inches long) and a small (19 inches); this is the larger and more
common model. Several movements were used, including a 30-day double-spring Hubbell pendulum movement, as found here; a Pomeroy
8-day time-and-strike; and a 30-day Hubbell lever movement. The clock is running and keeping time, and the calendar is advancing. The case has probably been repainted, as has the center piece. Both glasses are old, and both paper dials could be original. The minute hand has been repaired, and the calendar hand has been repainted if not replaced. There are only two sales of large
iron case clocks in the Antique Clocks Price Guide, both over a decade ago for $2250 and $3865. These just don’t come up for
sale very often. $2000-$4000.
443. $2500
Samuel Abbott Coffin clock, ca. 1830. This very simple pine case with a dark and likely original
finish is 30 inches long and 10 inches wide. A similar clock is shown in Distin & Bishop, The American Clock (1983) on page
78 and is attributed to the Shakers of Maine around 1830. There is no label, inside or out. The banjo-type movement is
signed “Abbott” and runs 8-days, time only, and is keeping excellent time if the hands aren’t pinned too tightly. Both glasses
are old, as are the hands; the heavy iron dial has been repainted. The clock is driven by a lead weight. There are 14
Sam Abbott clocks listed in the Antique Clocks Price Guide but none match this clock, and there are no coffin clocks that match either,
so pricing is hard to estimate. $2500-$4000.
444. $1950
Silas Parsons Massachusetts Shelf Clock, ca. 1820. Parsons made tall case and shelf clocks out of
Swanzey NH. This cherry-cased clock stands 30.5 inches high. The case has been refinished, there are repairs to the feet
and skirt. The glass in the front door is old, repainted, and there are two old side glasses. The iron dial appears to
have the original paint; the hands look original and the minute hand tip has been restored. The large pinned brass movement
is running and keeping time, driven by a large zinc-cased weight. The brass pendulum bob hangs from the back on a wooden stick. No Parsons sales records that I could find.
