Index

Sawin and Dyar Lyre Banjo Clock

Boston Massachusetts - Ca. 1822-1827

Wonderfully carved mahogany true lyre banjo clock signed by John Sawin and George Dyar. This famous partnership was a prolific maker of lyre timepieces in the mid-1820's. The clock is signed "Sawin & Dyar, Boston" in flowing script on the dial. The painted iron dial is original and is in excellent untouched condition. Original steel hands. Original brass bezel and glass over dial. The case is remarkable on this clock. The surface is original and has the finest carving I have ever seen on any lyre banjo. The carving consists of vines. leaves and a cornucopia terminating in two serpents heads, all on a background with a punched snowflake design. This background design is associated with the Salem Massachusetts cabinetmakers and carvers. Several fine and well documented carvers were working in Salem during the years in which Sawin and Dyar were producing clocks. The mahogany veneered throat panel is original to the case and has excellent graining. There is an age crack at the very bottom of the panel. These age cracks are often found on the original panels of wood front banjos. The case has wonderful proportions and is referred to as a true lyre which is the finest form of the lyre cases made during this early period. Original lower bracket and acorn drop finial. Original eight day brass movement is mounted to the case with diagonal screws through the backplate with a cotter pin mounting scheme. Original plinth and a very impressive gilt eagle finial. An exceptional early signed lyre banjo in fine original condition.

Price: SOLD

Simon Willard & Son Stencil Front Banjo Clock

Boston, Massachusetts - Ca. 1825

Very fine and rare signed full presentation stencil front banjo clock made by Simon Willard and Son. This was a partnership of Simon Willard Sr. and Simon Willard Jr. which was in business from 1823 to 1828. The dials on the clocks produced by this firm were signed in several different ways. While all have the firm name Simon Willard & Son, some have an inventory number just below the name, Boston (as this one does), Boston with an inventory number, and other examples have nothing at all following the firm name. While there are several excellent references in many of the books for clocks made by this partnership, for a virtually identical example see Brooks Palmers "The Book Of American Clocks" figure 143. This clock is in excellent original condition. The original painted iron dial is signed "Simon Willard & Son, Boston". The signature and numerals are untouched. There is one scratch in the white background that has been touched up above the center arbor. The dial is held in place by four turned screws and two guide pins. Very fine original barbed steel hands. The original eight day brass movement is attached to the case with two diagonal through bolts, which was the mounting scheme traditionally used by this firm. There is a nice cleaning record scratched into the front plate of the movement by Elnathan Taber. The stenciled surface is original on both the clock frames and the presentation bracket. The lower bracket, which is original to the case, also features a nice two tone gilding on both the drop finial and the very upper lip of the bracket. A similar treatment on the bracket of another stencil front banjo clock can be seen in Paul Foley's "Willard's Patent Time Pieces" on page 137. The clock retains its original reverse painted glasses which have outstanding colors. Both the throat and box glasses have a light mustard exterior background with red and gilt interior designs set off against a darker mustard field. The contrast in the colors of these glasses is quite dramatic. Very minor background touch up done to both glasses long ago. Original surface on the sides of the case. Original brass bezel and sidearms. Very fine and appropriate gilt acorn finial. A superior signed presentation banjo clock with rare stenciled frames and wonderful glasses.

Price: SOLD

Grant and Loring Stencil Front Banjo Clock

Boston Massachusetts - Ca. 1828

Rare and original signed stenciled frame banjo clock. This clock was made by the partnership of William Grant and Henry Loring who were together in business for only one year in 1828. William Grant was a very well known and documented clock maker both before and after this partnership with Loring. The clock is nicely signed on the dial "Grant and Loring, Boston". This very clock is pictured and described in detail in Paul Foley's "Willards Patent Timepieces" on page 140 and further on page 259. The original painted iron dial surface is untouched.including the fine signature. Original steel barbed hands. The clock retains its original reverse painted glasses which are in fine condition. The throat has a gilt red and green foliate design with a white exterior border very typical to the Boston area clocks and the box glass has a nice country scene with a matching white exterior border and gilt and red interior border. There is some minor touch up to the white border on the throat glass. Original stenciled frames have a nice vibrant color which can be seen in the close up photos. The surface of the frames is undisturbed. Original brass sidearms and bezel. Brass ball and spire finial is an appropriate replacement. Original eight day brass movement. Very clean and fine early signed banjo clock with rare stenciled frames.

Price: SOLD

Unsigned Gilt Front Banjo Clock

Concord, Massachusetts - Ca. 1820-1825

Very impressive and early gilt front banjo clock with picture frame molded box and throat frames. These type of frames where used on clocks throughout New England. This clock has wonderful original reverse painted glasses with the lower box glass depicting Father Time. The colorful designs in the glasses are extraordinary and are most uniquely found in Concord banjo clocks. The original painted dial is made of heavy iron and has beautifully executed Arabic numerals. The dial surface is outstanding and untouched. The clock has superb original steel barbed hands with a unique diamond shape on the lower portion of both the hour and minute hands. This style of hands is very unusual. See similar example on a thermometer throat banjo clock on page 123 of Paul Foley's book "Willards Patent Timepieces." Original eight day brass T-Bridge movement attaches to the case with a single rear center bolt. Note the cutouts in the head in the close-up photos which was a typical Concord feature. Original brass bow-tie pendulum tie down. Very nice period acorn finial on the original tall chimney. Brass bezel is original. Period sidearms are very nice replacements. Some minor touch up to box and throat glasses and there is a professionally bonded vertical crack on the left object side of the box glass which is extremely tight and may be difficult to see in the pictures. Original glueblocks throughout the case. An extremely handsome and colorful early banjo clock with traditional Concord features.

Price: SOLD

Hills and Goodrich "Ives" Ogee

Plainville CT - Ca. 1841-1843

Very rare "Ives" ogee shelf clock made by Hills, Goodrich & Co. This unique eight day shelf clock was made for a very short period of time and sold only by Joseph Ives himself or Hills and Goodrich with movements designed by Joseph Ives. The clock features wonderfully gilded columns and a gilded carved crest inside the case surrounding the original round painted metal dial. The painted dial surface is original and untouched. Original CT moon hands. The interior of the upper part of the case is painted a light blue to highlight the gilded decorations. The interior blue paint is original to the clock. The gilding on the columns and the carved crest is original and in wonderful condition as well. The clock has it's original eight day brass Ives patent rolling pinion movement with a cast iron backplate, all housed in a brass canister secured to the back of the case. There are two side mirrors inside the case each running next to the round gilded columns which are also original to the clock. The upper and lower glasses are original to the clock with the lower original reverse painted glass depicting a labeled scene of the White House, with surrounding landscape, sunset and lake with boats, all viewed through the curtained windows of a neighboring home. The glass painter uses a decorative wood flooring and shows a candlestand and footstool inside the room to enhance the effect. The painting also features two side borders with wonderful greek revival columns with eagles on the top. These particular style side borders were uniquely used in the Ives ogee clocks. The reverse painting is labeled "Presidents House" and is initial L.E. by the artist. The painting is in remarkable condition with just some minor touch up. The clock also retains it's original slanted weights which were cut to fit inside the upper part of the case behind the area where the side mirrors are mounted. The mahogany veneered case surface is excellent and appears original. It has been well cared for and has very lively graining. These clocks are not seen often and this is the finest example we have come across in our years. Provenance inside the clock suggests just two owners prior to our acquiring the clock. A very impressive and handsome clock in extraordinary original condition.

Price: SOLD

Norris North Pillar and Scroll Shelf Clock

Torrington Connecticut - Ca. 1825

Diminutive pillar and scroll clock made by Norris North. This clock case has wonderful proportions. Only 26 1/16 to the top of the center plinth and 12 13/16 across the main portion of the case excluding the turned pillars. The clock case is in excellent condition with original finish. The scroll top and lower skirt are complete and original with no breaks and all original glue blocks in place and undisturbed. Beautiful original painted wooden dial with colorful corner spandrels and fine Arabic numerals. Original terry type hands. Original reverse painted lower glass with manor and landscape scene and a classic gilt and pink border used by North in his clocks. We have seen this exact unique design in two other examples. There is touch up to portions of the sky and building which is extremely well done. Original clear upper glass. Original Torrington East West 30 hour wooden movement. Very nice full label is in very good condition. Finials are proper old replacements. Torrington pillar and scroll clocks, with their unique sizes and movement are quite rare and difficult to find in original condition. This is a very fine example with great proportions, surface and wonderful colors in the dial and glass.

Price: SOLD

Isaac Brokaw Tallcase Clock

Bridgetown, N.J.- ca. 1795-1800

Fine N.J. inlaid mahogany tallclock with broken arch pediment with fully carved terminal rosettes. Three areas of bookend inlay appear in the hood including a nicely curved piece leading to the center finial plinth. Fluted hood columns flank the arched dial door. The bookend inlays repeat in the upper waist section of the case. The shield shaped full length door has lively matched mahogany veneers with alternating colors of string inlay (light/dark/light) throughout. There is a large mahogany veneered central oval in the door. The base has a circular veneer outlined with light stringing and surrounded by matched mahogany veneers. The case stands on straight French feet with a shaped apron in-between. The case surface has a nice mellow old finish with a fine patina. A vertical age crack in the base has been professionally repaired at some point. The original painted iron dial is a classic example done by the Osborne Manufactory of Birmingham England. The dial is in untouched condition. It has colorful fruit decorated corner spandrels with gilt gesso borders, a revolving moon dial in the lunette, Roman numerals, and a dotted minute track with Arabic markers placed every five minutes. The clock has a seconds bit in the upper part of the dial and an arched calendar aperture below the center arbor. Original Federal ‘open diamond’ steel hands. There is a cast iron false plate with the name 'Osborne' situated between the dial and the movement. Traditional “Isaac Brokaw Bridge Town” signature on the dial. The original American-made eight day brass time and strike movement is typical of movements made by Brokaw. Countwheel strike, 'Z' shaped lifting lever, the location of the strike spring and the presence of thin smooth brass winding drums are all hallmarks of Brokaw movements. A very fine signed N.J. tallcase clock with formal presence and excellent proportions. Height 104 inches to top of center finial.

Price: $Please Call or E-Mail for Price.

Abiel Chandler New Hampshire Mirror Clock

Concord NH - Ca. 1830

Nice original example made by Abiel Chandler. The clock has a label on the back of the door with the makers name, running instructions and place of manufacture. Some wear to label which is now protected by plastic covering. The clock has one of the interesting and typical movements found in Chandler mirror clocks (pictured below). This movement is pictured in another Abiel Chandler mirror clock in Charlie Parsons book on New Hampshire clocks on page 199. Excellent original reverse painted glass over the dial. The painting exhibits the classic flame turned and leaf designs found in similar New Hampshire mirror clocks. The glass has nice colors of light mustard, white and gilt designs over a dark green background. The glass is held in place by the original glue blocks. The case retains its original gilt and black painted surface and the original brass rosettes on the four raised corner blocks. Some touch up to gilded surfaces. The painted iron dial is untouched and is original to the clock. Nice original NH sun and moon steel hands. These hands have been found on New Hampshire banjo clocks and appear unique to that area. The clock case is an excellent and desirable small size measuring 28 3/4 inches long by 13 1/5 inches wide. The clock also retains its original mirror and pine backboard which holds the mirror in place. The original nails and glue blocks are all present. Very nice example of a labeled mirror clock in fine original condition with excellent proportions and nice colors. Price: $Please Call or E-Mail for Price.

Crossbanded Banjo Clock attributed to William Cummens

Roxbury Massachusetts - Ca. 1815

Wonderful early crossbanded banjo clock with strong attribution to William Cummens. This clock features outstanding original reverse painted glasses with desirable mustard background with Father Time in the lower box glass actually holding a banjo clock. The attribution to Cummens is strongly supported in Paul Foley's book Willard's Patent Timepeices primarily on pages 36 and 38, where this very clock is pictured and discussed. The lower glass is also featured on page 192. This clock has its original painted iron dial in untouched condition. Typical Cummens eight day brass movement with shorter plates, off center T-bridge escapement and diagonal throughbolt mounting. In this particular movement, the often failing throughbolts are now gone and a rear center bolt was drilled at some time to support the movement more securely. Typical short barbed steel hands used by Cummens. The original glasses are held in place with the original wooden strips and thin finishing nails. An early inventory # of "llll" appears on the backboard and both the box and throat frames. The throat glass has a crack which has been professionally bonded and is difficult to notice in the photos, and some very minor touch up to the sky in the box glass. Crossbanded frames have a very nice old surface. Original brass bezel and sidearms. Gilt acorn finial appears to be original and retains it's original gilded surface. Some loss of gilding to one side. Original glueblocks, weight pan and pendulum tie down bar. Overall, a beautiful, early and rare banjo clock which is well documented in Paul Foley's book.

Price: $Please Call or E-Mail for Price.

Munger and Benedict Carved and Stenciled Shelf Clock

Auburn NY - Ca. 1831-1833

Empire shelf clock made by the partnership of Asa Munger and Thaddeus Benedict. Clock is in very nice condition with fine original surface with lively mahogany graining. Carving on columns is deep and nicely executed. One tiny veneer patch the size of a dime in upper portion of case. This shelf clock is a rather rare model in that it has a stencil decorated edge on the upper crest along with a bold mahogany border framing the tin dial surround. The black paint and gold stenciling is original to the case. The few times I have seen stenciled tops like this it was accompanied by this very same enhancement to the case border framing the tin as well. Beautiful original light blue tin dial surround. Outstanding original painted iron dial with wonderful script signature. The dial is in untouched condition. Original steel typical Munger style moon hands and seconds bit. Original eight day brass time and strike weight driven movement. Original and colorful wallpaper lines case interior. Original label is in nice condition. Original flying eagle pendulum bob. Clear glass over dial replaced. Mirror and it's backboard are original. Weights replaced.

Price: $Please Call or E-Mail for Price.