142.      $850

“Waltham Clock Co.”, ca 1920 banjo clock. This clock uses Waltham’s famous 8-day timepiece weight driven movement that is signed.  The original internal parts are the movement, pendulum, pendulum stick, weight chute metal cover, and pendulum tie down block. It is missing the tie down bar. The weight is correct. The throat glass has a few minor paint chips around the edges; the bottom glass is especially nice and may have been professionally restored. The dial is original, signature is good, has a paint flake on the right side, hands are original, and the two door latches are in good working order. Mahogany case has the original finish, stands near 41” high, and retains the original brass eagle and side rails. This style Waltham banjo clock regularly sells everywhere, in the $2000-$3000 range, or they did. Ly-American, page 248. $1000-$1500.

143.      $650

French brass cased carriage clock, ca 1870, time, strike, repeat, and alarm in a finely engraved case with center seconds hand. The alarm hand is off, now taped to the top glass. The 6 ¾ inch high case is loose. I am guessing one or more new beveled glasses were installed and case was not tightened by screws underneath the base. Neither the dial nor 8-day movement is signed. The movement is sluggish, runs a bit and stops. All five beveled glasses are perfect, top of case is full beveled glass. The hinged back door is not tight, probably because case not tightened from underneath. $750-$1000.

 Open

141.      $400

American banjo of the Boston type, ca 1826. The 8-day time only movement is not signed, nor is the original painted metal dial. Previous collectors who owned this clock said it was made by Lemuel Curtis or Elnathan Taber, both with ties to Aaron Willard. I am unable to either confirm or deny that belief. There is a brass eagle, side rails and a heavy sash holding the bowed glass. The brass eagle may well be a replacement. No way to know for sure. Excellent painted glasses that resemble so many we see on early banjo clocks, “Aurora” the goddess of sunlight. Old iron weight is the type found in the early banjo clocks and it is not marked in any way. There is part of the pendulum tie down but the part holding the pendulum in place is missing. It has the original metal baffle covering the weight chute. The metal dial has good paint and it has the V slots around the edge that so many early dials have. The hands, pendulum bob, rod, pulley, iron weight, and winding crank, are all original or period to the clock. The movement is running properly. $500-$750.

144.     $275 

“J. C. Brown / Forestville Manuf. Co.”, 8-day shelf clock with decorated case that has retained most all of the gilt stenciled decorations, ca 1850.  I notice that several companies sold this identical clock, most mentioning J. C. Brown on the labels. The rosewood veneered case stands 15 inches tall and retains a good original finish, clean and polished. Both glasses are original as is the signed dial, complete label, wire gong, old pendulum bob, and the 8-day movement that is running and striking. In internet auctions we note these clocks sell from $700 to $1000.

140.     $1100

E. Howard & Co., Boston, “Presentation Model-Reissue” banjo, ca 1970. The 40” high case is cross banded mahogany, with a brass eagle, brass bezel, brass side rails, and ball trim on the base. The painted metal dial is signed, “E. Howard & Co. / Boston”, and the movement is signed the same. The movement and several places on the case are marked, “144”. The clock is perfect and has all the accessories you would see on the original, early 1900 banjo, such as brass pendulum rod and bob, pendulum tie down, winding key, iron weight, door latches, hands, and glasses. This is another clock the consignor kept up the bed in a box, just too nice to have been on the wall for 45 years. This model is shown and discussed in several of Tran Duy Ly’s clock books. In particular see his book, “American Clocks”, page124. $1250-$1500.

145.      $500

Waterbury Clock Company “Calendar No.32”, ca 1891. Unusual oak case is 38” high, spindles top and bottom, etched designs, and applied wood ornaments all over. I have not   sold this model before for it is a rare model. The finish is very nice, perhaps rubbed a little or polished occasionally for there is very little build up of smoke, etc. This clock hung in a jeweler’s shop for many years and his advertising is still there, “C. L. Birchard, Jeweler, Cambridgeboro, PA.” The glass and dials appear to be original. The top ornament was replaced. They did a very good job of making the copy. In the case bottom is a signed porcelain beat scale, and it has the correct pendulum bob and dial rings. All hands are right, and there are labels everywhere on the back of the case. The movement is 8-day, time and strike, and all parts are functioning properly. Ly-Waterbury, page 111. The clock has always had a high book value, $2500 and more, probably because it is so rare. $750-$1000.