Clocks 436-445
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436.           $300

“Birge, Mallory & Co., Bristol, Conn.” on the label of this triple decker clock, ca 1838.  The clock was restored several years ago when in the collections of some of the country’s best-known collectors of fine early clocks. The restoration conforms to exact original specimens held in other collections. Some of the gold was most surely redone for it is bright and clean as if it just came from the factory, other parts look to be original. There are grained half columns on the top and bottom of the case with gold leaf on each end. Full gold leaf center columns, gold eagle splat, and gold leaf ball feet. The two painted tablets are either professionally painted replacements or old tablets rebacked and touched up. Both are very nice and if redone were done by a professional like the originals. Inside is a complete paper label, pendulum bob, a pair of iron weights, a coil gong, excellent wood dial, pair of period hands, and an 8-day strap brass movement signed, “BM&Co.”. Note this is the earliest of Ives strap movements for it has the side arm on the left that was later left off of his movements. The mahogany veneered case is 38 inches tall, all veneer in place and if any repairs made when the restoration was done, is was very professional. Two door locks with key, top door has metal escutcheon, bottom one is missing.  There are several references for this rare model. One is Brooks Palmers book, “A Treasury of American Clocks”, page 9; and “The American Clock” by W. H. Distin and Robert Bishop, page 147. A hard to find clock today in good condition. $300-$500.

 Interior

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437.           $150

“Jerome and Darrow, Bristol, Conn.”, bronze looking glass clock, ca 1824-1833. This clock has a 30-hour wood time and striking movement that has been completely restored and in good running condition. The 35-inch-tall mahogany case is in original condition including the bronze looking glass mirror. There is a thin crack on the upper glass that I did not notice during the time I set the clock up for the picture and all the time I was trying to unlock the door. The door lock is on the right side and the key was lost in transporting to me. I tried my extra keys but no luck. I did not want to force it open so decided to go with the consignor’s comments about the inside of the clock. You can remove the back to access the lock or door hinges. There is gold stenciling on the columns and splat. The dial is mint with gold leaf painting and red and yellow flowers. The label reads, “Improved clocks made and sold by Jerome & Darrow, Bristol, Conn.”. A fine original clock. $200-$400.

 

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438.           $300

“Extra Bushed Clocks / Manufactured By / Henry C. Smith, / Plymouth, Conn. / For /  H. Hunt, Bangor, Me.”, ca 1833-1845. There are numerous references about both of these gentlemen but nowhere does it connect the two as making or selling clocks, together. Smith evidently manufactured this clock and Hunt was a retailer of clocks. This is a carved column and splat wood works shelf clock that is exceptionally clean and typical of the clocks we have been receiving from an eastern collector. Not to say he was above putting in a replaced glass if it needed one, but practically all of his clocks are “collector” ready. The painted glass is a picture of the colonial home of Henry C. Smith. Super nice wood dial, period hands and three iron weights, near perfect paper label, and original glasses. Clean and excellent carved half columns and splat. It has good chimneys and returns. Original top glass has the largest bubbles I have seen in old glass. 30-hour time, strike, and alarm wood movement is complete and operable, striking on an iron bell. Period brass bob and wind crank inside. This is one of the nicer clocks in this collection of early weight clocks. $400-$750.

Interior

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439.           $150

“F. C. Andrews, / 3 Courtlandt St., N. Y.”, thirty-hour time, strike, alarm brass, weight movement, in beautiful striped rosewood OG case, ca 1846. Franklin Andrews produced clock parts, trading parts for completed movements, and then marketing clocks under his own label. We have seen his labels in clocks with his brother as a partner and in clocks with other partners. He had his roots in the Bristol, Conn. area.  Note in the side picture the unusual brass movement and the complete paper label. Many clock makers made identical or very similar alarm movements, evidently indented by Chauncey Jerome. The striped rosewood case is in almost mint condition and stands almost 25 inches high. It has a good and original wood dial. The three weights, hands, pendulum bob, and mirror also appear to be original. The 30-hour movement has been put in excellent running order and the weight cords restrung. What struck me most about the clock was all the history of the clock written on the back cover of the mirror, mostly dating in the 1800’s. This one is definitely not an ordinary OG. Because it has a weight alarm, condition of the clock, and the fact he only sold in New York for one year, makes it very rare and collectable.    $200-$500.

Interior

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440.           $300

“C. & L. C. Ives, / Bristol, Conn.” copied from the near complete paper label of their triple decker clock, ca 1830. Beautiful crotch mahogany veneered case is 38” high and 17 inches wide., with a very nice carved splat, complete chimneys and returns, full turned columns with carved capitals and carved capriccio crest. The columns are beside the two top glasses. There are four ball feet on the bottom. Excellent dial with figure 8 mirror opening for viewing and adjusting the verge. Reverse paintings are exact copies of the originals, done on period glass by Tom Moberg. The collector had the originals but they were broken. The doors have original ivory escutcheons and door locks, but no key.   Overall the veneer is very good, a chip or two and bubbling and a few repairs. The top glass is held in place with original putty. It has an 8-day strap brass movement with side arm, which was Ives first go at strap brass movements. It has been cleaned, oiled, and restrung and is in excellent running condition. It strikes the hours on a coil gong. There is a correct pair of old iron weights and an old pendulum bob. Reference; “A Treasury of American Clocks”, by Brooks Palmer, page 85. $350-$550.

Interior

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441.           $300

“L. & L. Ward / Naugatuck, CT”, (Salem Bridge) OG clock, ca 1855. Lauren and Lewis Ward were apparently only in the clock business one year, 1855. (Info from Tom Spittler’s book, “Clockmakers & Watchmakers of America By Name & By Place”. The name of Salem Bridge was changed to Naugatuck in 1844. Salem Bridge was exactly that, a bridge, it was never a town, it was a bridge crossing the Naugatuck River. A Supplement to the Bulletin of the NAWCC, No. 13, 1980, states that the father of L & L Ward, Richard Ward, was making clocks in Salem Bridge and Lauren and Lewis were assisting him. They took over the business in 1844 and made this clock and others up to about 1847. This outstanding mahogany case is 26 inches high and 15 inches wide, with 30-hour brass time and strike weight driven movement. This movement was their design but similar to those made by Chauncey Jerome. It has an excellent wood dial, label, coil gong, weights, and pendulum. It is in good running condition. The tablet is original and on the back is a plethora of notes by previous owners and repairmen. $300-$500.

Interior 

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442.           $75

“Waterbury Clock Co., Waterbury, Conn.”, Empire style clock named simply, “Column”, ca 1875. They made a similar model, spring driven, in 1867, and a fancier model later, 1881. The fine rosewood case is 24 inches tall, has grained columns with gold leaf tops and bottoms.  Replaced lower glass shows a lion and unicorn with black background, just like the original. The movement in this case is brass, weight driven, time, strike, and alarm. The time and strike are weight driven, alarm is spring driven. It has an excellent label, dial, hands, pendulum, and coil gong. The alarm movement in the bottom of the case rings on a bell. It has been serviced and is in excellent running condition. Ly-Waterbury #1439. $100-$200.

 

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443.           $250

“Birge, Mallory and Co. Bristol, Conn.”, 8-day, weight driven movement in an extra-large OG case, ca 1838-1843. We have never offered this rare model before. Most of this collection, items No.400-499, has been restored to as near as possible to the original condition. The 32-inch mahogany veneered case has a few minor repairs, the painted and gilded wood dial has a large center cut out so the buyer could see he was getting a high quality brass movement. The strap brass movement is signed, “BM&Co”, most of the label is intact, and the painted tablet was replaced with a reverse painting by Tom Moberg on old glass, just like the original. The movement was restored also and is in excellent running condition. A similar clock is shown on page 74 of “American Shelf and Wall Clocks”, by Robert W. D. Ball, and it is only 29 ˝ inches tall. The dial, large iron weights, and pendulum bob, appear to be original. Around 1859 the back of the clock was papered with a newspaper front page dated January 1859. The paper was published by the, “Sunday Missouri Republican”, a daily newspaper in business in Saint Louis from 1854-1869. $300-$500.

Interior      Back

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444.           $300

“Birge & Fuller, Bristol, Conn.”, triple decker weight driven shelf clock, ca 1844. Excellent large size mahogany veneered case is 38 ˝ inches tall, their standard size was 35 ˝ inches. It has good veneer all over with minimal repairs or edge nicks. The two lower glasses are replacements the artist copied from originals. The gold objects, eagle, center columns, front feet, and other columns on the top and base. The two doors have metal escutcheons, locks, and a key. The dial is not as old as the case, how old I don’t know. The paint is relatively new as is the back of the dial. There is an excellent label with picture of eagle. 8-day brass weight driven time and strike movement is signed, “Birge & Fuller, Bristol, Conn. U.S.A.”. The movement has been recently serviced, restrung and is in excellent running order. It has original weights and pendulum bob. $300-$500.

Interior 

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445.           $150

German RA wall clock made by the Hamburg American Clock Co., Germany, ca 1880-1890. The large walnut case is 54 inches tall, has nice Corinthian columns on the case sides, nice removable top featuring an eagle, two door latches on the side, finials top and bottom, and three glasses. It has a 7-inch multicolored porcelain dial that is also very nice. The 8-day movement is spring driven, running strong and striking the half hours and hours on a coil gong. The pendulum is very elaborately decorated and inside is also a porcelain beat scale. $150-$300.

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