New Purchase - John Birge & Co. 1848 Column & Cornice Clock

Here is a stunning clock I was lucky enough to find for a decent price on eBay.



The clock is a John Birge & Co. column and cornice clock. This is a rather large 8 day weight driven clock. I already own a nearly identical Birge & Fuller clock, and I adore it. This clock would have been made in 1848, following Mr. Fuller's death in 1847, and just before John Birge partnered-up with Ambrose Peck (forming Birge & Peck in 1849). It's rare to have an early clock that can be dated to exactly within a one year span.

I purchased this clock mostly because of 2 factors. 1: It had amazing original glass tablets, and 2: It had a low price. Otherwise, the clock has several problems. It has no weights (these are expensive to replace because of the shipping costs), the original hands are missing (and very hard to find), there's no pendulum bob, the movement has several botched repairs, there are lots of veneer repairs and case work that needs to be done (one of the first things you might have noticed are the incredibly crooked columns), and the bottom part of the label is completely gone (however the large company name is still there).

That said, I think that the tablets and beautiful mahogany veneers make this a clock well worth restoring.

One problem that I had when I purchased this clock was the jerk who was selling it parted it out. He sold the hands, dial, case, and movement separately, and it appears that the original weights weren't with it.

What made it even more annoying was that the seller sold the hands first, followed by the dial, then the case, and finally the movement. I didn't know if I would win the case, so I didn't want to pay "insane money" on the hands, and they sold for 26$ USD. The dial was marked as just a "wooden works dial" but having seen a LOT of Birge clocks (having done research on them for my Birge & Fuller restoration) I was 99% sure this dial went with the clock (which it does). I won the dial (20.51$), then won the case (154.50$), and finally the movement (76.00$). If the hands had been sold AFTER the case, I would have bid much more on them to keep them with the clock.

Birge Clock Hands (used by Birge & Mallory, Birge & Fuller, Birge & Peck, John Birge, as well as a few other companies like William S. Johnson):



Everything together, including shipping came up to 360$ CAD (321$ USD), which is an excellent price for an early Column & Cornice. I love my Birge & Fuller column clock so much that I've always thought that if I could get another one for under 500$ I'd go for it, so I'm extremely pleased with this purchase.

I was worried that the glasses might break during shipping, but the clock arrived safely.

As a side note, I will say that in over a decade of clock collecting, and hoarding images of original painted tablets, I have never come across this particular design (centre tablet). The bottom tablet is a typical freehand design around a Fenn stencil in silver, but the centre glass is entirely freehand, and just gorgeous.

This clock will be getting the royal treatment, and I've already started working on it. The entire crown is messed-up, and the entire case will be taken apart. Luckily there's only very minor work needed on the doors, so those will be easy fixes. The dial is also largely perfect, except for a dark spot which I will try to clean off.

Stay tuned!

New Purchase - Wag on the Wall Clock

I have been wanting to add a Black Forest "Wag on the Wall" clock to my collection for quite some time. The examples that I found online (the ones I liked) usually went for too much money, or weren't in good condition. They are hard to find in good shape for under 100$.

This little beauty, however, turned out to be an excellent purchase, and probably slipped through the cracks, since I paid under 100$ for it.

The clock is in completely original (unmolested) condition, and it appears to only be missing the original pendulum (a new replacement pendulum was included with the clock).

These are a few of the photos from the listing, but I'll be taking some new ones when I get the chance.



Original weights, chains, hands, dial, bezel, side doors, bell, and even the hand cut wooden taper pins that secure several of the clock's components.

The dial is painted wood.



The dial surround is decorated with faux (painted) Rosewood, Mother of Pearl inlay dots, and pressed foliage decorations, which are highlighted with some gold paint (not too visible in this particular photo, but if you look at the first one, some of the gold highlights are visible over the XII numeral).



The movement is in great shape, and works fine (though I will be cleaning it). It uses a cast (slotted ring) count wheel on the back (similar to early brass plate cuckoo movements), and it uses lantern pinions throughout (even on the motion works). This is a 30 hour clock.



Note the wood dial, and wood dial surround. The bell sits on a turned wooden post, and is held in place loosely by a wooden taper pin.



More photos and details as soon as I'm able.

Clock Haul - 4 New Acquisitions

Yesterday was quite a fun day for me. I woke up somewhat early (9ish?) and decided to check the online classifieds to see if there were any nearby yard sales (ones I could walk to). In the process, I noticed that one of the yard sales I had missed last week was being done again this weekend. The reason I wanted to go to this particular yard sale was that there were several antique clocks for sale! A whole shelf full! You can see some of them in this photo from the ad:



The sale was NOT nearby, though. Technically out of town. But it was within a 15 minute walk from the nearest bus stop, so I was still able to go.

When I got there, several had been sold (the Art Deco looking ones from the photo above), but many remained, and the asking prices were rock bottom. Most were either 25$ or 30$ each. At first, I was extremely excited, but when I started to look at them, I could see why they were so cheap. A bunch of the black mantle clocks on the shelf were missing bezels and glasses, had no back panels, a few were empty cases, and others had no hands. Still worth buying at 25$ each, but I have too many projects already, and black mantle clocks aren't really my favourites.

The ogee clocks (which I bought) were also basket cases so no one wanted to touch them.

While I was browsing, there was another couple browsing around, and the husband pointed to the ogee clocks, and looked to his wife saying "Remember those?" "God they were terrible timekeepers." This followed with a short conversation with one of the sellers (the owner's son), and he told him that he couldn't even get it to keep time to within 10 minutes a DAY.

I didn't say anything, but from my own experience, I've found that ogee clocks are some of the best timekeepers in my collection. They are weight driven, which automatically makes them superior to spring clocks, and most of mine run to an accuracy of 30 seconds per day or better. If I really tweak them with the seasons, I can generally get them accurate to within a minute a week.

This same yard sale browser also complained that they only run for 24 hours. While this is definitely true (24-30 hours), I don't find that it's a big deal to wind them daily. I understand why a lot of people are turned off by 30 hour clocks, and a lot of collectors completely avoid them, but that's their loss. Some of my nicest clocks are 30 hour ones. I currently have 6 clocks running that need daily winding, but back when I was still at the apartment, I had about a dozen. I just wound them right before bed every night. It took maybe 5 minutes, but it was part of my daily routine.

Anyhow, I was sifting through boxes filled with broken cuckoo clocks, small uninteresting wall clocks, and other miscellaneous items, and I eventually introduced myself to the clock collector when I spotted him coming out from the house. He was a nice friendly guy, and he also invited me inside to see some of his other clocks. He had a beautiful mahogany longcase clock: probably Scottish, with a period 3 dial (after 1800) in the living room. The rest of the house was very plain with modern decor, but his small room was something else entirely.

His main clock/display room was about a 10'x10' study at the front of the house, and it was like walking into a Victorian fantasy. As you walked into the room from the left corner, there was a large oak roll-top desk directly in front, with a huge oak store regulator hanging above it.

Immediately to the left was a MASSIVE 1850's bonnet chest. I would try to link to a photo of a similar one off the web, but this one had a very unusual layout with deeply curved drawer fronts on the top row. It had beautiful bird's eye maple drawer fronts, while a lot of the other flat pieces (drawer/cabinet edges) were in curly maple. I think it had turned posts/legs but now I can't remember. I just remember it was gorgeous, and not quite like any others I've ever seen.

On top of this dresser, he had 3 clocks. 2 Eastlake/Victorian gingerbreads, and in the centre, a really nice (tall) Seth Thomas (Plymouth Hollow) column style #2 (the harder-to-find one with the squared narrow top mouldings similar to the column style #1, as opposed to the easy-to-find ones with the ogee top moulding). There were also some fantastically beautiful and very fancy glass oil lamps on this dresser with the clocks. They weren't brightly coloured, but the pressed glass patterns in them was very detailed, and (if I remember correctly) they were older 3-piece ones with the brass collars in the centre.

Side note: He had over a dozen plainer looking oil lamps for sale.

On the right side of the room was a window, and then in the corner next to the door, he had a tall oak barrister's bookcase, with (I think) a fancy black mantle clock, and another gingerbread, and another oil lamp or two.

The entire room just had this wonderful historic feel.

He also showed me a few of the other clocks he had downstairs on some shelves. He said they would also likely be for sale, but at around 125$ each (a bit more than I want to pay for some average looking gingerbreads). He told me that he had bought-out a jeweller/clock collector a while back, which is where most of these clocks had come from.

During all this, he said that he might want to have me clean several of them, because he's been looking for someone to do the work for quite a while. He didn't seem to know a huge deal about clocks (he had lots of them but none were working, and he also didn't know what the alarm mechanism was on one of the gingerbread clocks he had).

I ended up wanting to buy 2 of the ogee clocks, and he convinced me to get the third one, and knocked down the price to 20$. He also gave me a few of the spare parts (a few pendulums and loose hands). Apparently someone had beat me to a bunch of clock hands (a whole box full) which was sold for "something like 5$". Ugh. Oh well.

We exchanged numbers and info, and I planned to come back for the clocks Sunday (since I was on foot). I ended up returning that same evening because my Mom had plans today (Sunday), and she happened to be off yesterday.

When I returned, I ended up also buying one of the black mantle clocks. There was one in particular that I had been eyeing earlier that day, and I couldn't decide of I wanted it or not. It was only 25$, so I HAD TO. I liked it because it was marbled, and still had the original (and deeply crackled) finish.

All told, I bought 4 clocks for 105$, and also got a few odds and ends (which included a slightly damaged gingerbread clock pendulum which I can probably repair and use).



Clock #1 (30$) is a rather nice and typical ogee clock. This one is by Jerome/New Haven, and it has the original dial, tablet, bob, and finish. What I found that's really odd, however, is the veneer, but I'll get to that in a second.



The tablet is in pretty good shape, and it shows "Sailors Home Liverpool".



The dial is pretty faded, but won't be restored (possibly touched-up, but probably not).



The finish is original as far as I can tell. It looks super old, it's grimy, flaky, crackled, and chipped. What's odd, though, is that under the finish, it looks like pine? You can clearly see knots, and it has been finished to look like mahogany (or mahogany colour anyway).



Prior to having seen this case up-close and in person, I had always assumed that pine cases had been stripped of their veneer. Some of the times that's the case, but I suppose there are always exceptions. If you look at the photos, you can see that the edge banding and door veneer are veneered in typical "short grain" direction, but in pine. This just boggles my mind. I'm going to need to do a bit of research there and see what I turn up.

While this is the best clock in the bunch (as far as condition), the movement seems suspect. I will need to check this, but from what I can remember, the only maker who used curved wheel crossings like these is Gilbert. I've seen exceptions, but I don't think Jerome or any of the other major companies used this design. If it's a Gilbert movement, the clock is definitely a marriage, but I can likely find the right movement for pretty cheap if I want to.



The labels in all 3 ogees are quite deteriorated/damaged but it can clearly be identified as reading Chauncey Jerome New Haven, Conn. and it shows the factory.



The label is the same as this one:



Clock #2 (30$) is a Seth Thomas that I wanted strictly because of the stunning rosewood veneer case. The ogee mouldings are particularly deeply cut, and for the most part, the veneer is in good shape (rosewood is particularly prone to flaking, peeling, and chipping since it is an oily tropical wood that doesn't glue very well). This will also be the FIRST rosewood ogee in my collection.



The glass has a tag that identifies it as a Seth Thomas Plymouth piece, but that may or may not be entirely accurate.



The dial is a joke. I found it funny that my Mom said it was quite pretty, and then I told her it's a bad repaint job. It looks like the original embossed dial pan, but it's been completely stripped, spray painted, and repainted. Whoever did the numerals had some skill (with nice fine lines in the minute track) but the V numerals are too wide, and the floral corners are quite amateur.



I was pretty sure that the broken mirror was a replacement, but two points have me second guessing this. Point 1: this jeweller's label is from a jeweller in London Ontario, and dates to between 1866-1877 based on the info I was able to dig-up. Point 2: is that the glass is VERY thin. Thin mirrors are usually a good indication that they are old. This one is almost just 1/16" thick (which is super thin), there also doesn't seem to be any marks on the wood retaining strips that hold the glass in place. On the other hand, the mirror isn't wavy. Not even a little.

I will probably do a stencilled tablet though.



The movement is stamped Plymouth Hollow.



Lots of ugly solder, but otherwise, it doesn't look too bad. I didn't think Plymouth movements ever used screws for the plates... Hmmmm. More digging to do.



The label is Thomaston. This tells me that either the movement is wrong, or that the clock dates from right around 1865 when the town was renamed from Plymouth Hollow to Thomaston after Seth Thomas' death.



The label is the same as this one:



Clock #3 is the worst of the bunch, and the one I originally passed on, but was knocked down to 20$. It is also a New Haven, and it needs a lot of help.



The dial is just the worst. It is original, and the original paint is under this cartoon effort. The problem, though, is that the original paint is 60-70% flaked away. There's enough peeking through to get an idea of what it looked like though. It's a pretty plain/standard dial nearly identical to the first clock.





I think this is my first ogee clock with a detailed knob. All my others have a plain zinc one, or a bent brass wire type.



The movement seems to be in great shape except for the verge. The exit pallet has been re-soldered in place.



Oddly the best label of the 3. "American Extra ??? ment Clocks, New Haven Clock Company, New Haven, Conn. I always find it funny when the label designers don't take into consideration the large gong base that will cover it.



The main problem with this case are two large and terrible veneer repairs on the left side. If I can peel most of this off, it could potentially be a somewhat easy fix, but it looks truly awful. While I like some old repairs, they need to be well done to be worth keeping. There's a fine line between "charming" and hideous.

These two photos are actually a bit blurry and make it look "not that bad" but trust me, it's bad. The veneer isn't even the same thickness, and it's lifting in sections.





A last note about the ogees: I have 5/6 weights, 2 bobs, and 2 minute hands. There are 2 spade hour hands, but they don't belong to these clocks.

The last addition, clock #4 (25$), is a Waterbury Duane. I found this clock in my 1912-13 catalogue (p. 51) and right next to it is the Duluth, which I also have (a gift from my aunt, and sadly it was heavily refinished, and with bun feet since the cast feet are missing).

What drew me to this clock was the original finish. The finish is in what most people would consider "awful and unsalvageable" condition, but I love it. It's the original green marble paint, with a very thick layer of shellac or varnish that has become very crackled. There are some scratches, and I hope I can camouflage them.

I was not able to find any other examples of the Duane model (not that I necessarily need any).



The bezel and glass are missing, but since I have the Duluth, I can measure it and get an exact one to match (hopefully). I also noticed that the Duluth's existing bezel is horribly mangled from some kind of glass replacement botch job, so I may replace both.



I LOVE the lion head side pieces. I haven't seen these often. It looks like they might have been repainted, since I see paint smears on the edges.



Perfectly aged feet.



Labels:





The movement looks extensively rebushed, but in generally good shape. The back door and pendulum bob are missing (but I can copy the door from the Duluth, which is a very simple design)



So that's it for now. I'm not sure if I'll be working on any of these anytime soon, but you never know.

Very Rare Seth Thomas 8 Day Column Clock - Case Restoration

The case has been finished for a little while now, (2 weeks?) but I haven't had time to go through my photos, edit them, and write this post until now.

The following are some detailed photos of the case partially disassembled for restoration. The back was removed (it was held in place with dozens of newer, mismatched screws), and the loose lower moulding was set aside.





As previously mentioned, this case had already been repaired using carpenter's glue by a former "restorer". Some of the current glue blocks are not original. This block is newer, and held with 2 screws and lots of yellow glue.



These two small blocks are original, but coated in new glue.



Another photo shows the new block on the left, and the original triangular upper block with an added brass escutcheon pin (nail). You can also see the mess of holes in the top board from the unoriginal screws added to the backboard.



One (of 2) original lower glue blocks, coated in yellow glue.



The next shots show just how loose the case pieces were before restoration.







The entire upper left side was missing the mahogany veneer. Case sides don't always have veneer. Sometimes they are sanded or otherwise polished smooth, and stained/painted to match the surrounding wood, since veneer does not stick very well to the end grain.



Lower left.



Lower right.



The lower right half of the bottom board had come unglued at the lamination joint. This is not a common problem, but it's also not difficult to repair. Also note original hole from the packing crate. If you're interested, you can search for more information on this topic. Basically, a lot of early clocks had holes drilled half way into the top and/or bottom board(s) with wooden pegs, fitted to boards for wooden packing crates (for transportation).



Kind of an odd angle, but this is the bottom front (right) corner, showing a large chip in the veneer.



Again, this is the left half of the bottom board. I chose to remove and replace this entire section of veneer.



This was a complete mess and NOT FUN to remove. What you see below is one of the 4 tops/bottoms of the sides of the case, smothered in yellow glue. This was carefully, and painstakingly removed with a sharp chisel, a little at a time.



Here is the case disassembled for glue removal/cleaning. You can see a bunch of the small little wooden glue blocks at the top.



Simple repairs: reglue the split bottom board, using hot hide glue liberally applied in the crack, and clamped 24 hours.



New veneer to the top left side.



Veneer patch to the top right column block.



Label repairs. A lot of people are afraid to damage labels, and this is with good reason. I have seen a lot of ruined labels from restorers attempting to varnish them, or by using inappropriate glues.

Labels like these are over 150 years old, and must be treated with extreme care. Generally, I don't do much to labels, except for very little "spot repairs" to re-adhere loose portions, or areas that could result in losses down the road. The areas of concern are usually the areas of text, and the areas near the weight tracks, which are usually fairly damaged.

When working on labels, be sure to use a pH neutral glue. There are several options available, and they will either say "acid free" "photo safe" or "pH neutral". These glues are available in liquid, gel, and pastes. I have both a liquid and a paste version, and I find that the paste version works better, since it doesn't soak as much into the dry, fragile paper.

Apply minimal glue, and use a small brush.

These were the spots I repaired:



After: Not a huge difference, but since the backboard was already removed, it was worth the effort to inspect and repair the label.



During the repairs, I decided to replace the glue blocks. I did not like the original assembly method (which used oddly sized double blocks at each corner). I replaced the blocks with stronger single-piece blocks, which were stained, treated, and aged before gluing. The original blocks will be kept with the clock, and all the case pieces were glued with hide glue (which is reversible).





Here is the case completely reassembled, with some of the veneer sections cleaned-up and ready for new patches (bottom arrows). The arrows at the top show one completed patch, and 2 nail holes which will just be puttied/painted.



The door needed attention as well. It was solid in 2 opposite corners, but loose everywhere else. It was disassembled, glasses removed, and reglued with hide glue.





More veneer patches. The veneer on parts of this clock was very thin, and on other parts it was "med" thickness (in between 1/16" thick, and 1/42" standard modern veneer) so I had to use thick veneer, and shave/sand it down to the correct thickness (which is a lot more work).



All the veneer repairs done, with a coat of dark brown stain applied.





Parts of the case (for example, the new top moulding's pine edge) had to be touched-up with additional stain, and paints to match.



Bottom left after patching and first coat of stain.



Top after first several coats of shellac and before any toner was added (not nearly done at this point).



Here is the finished case, after several additional coats of shellac, paint, toner, and flat lacquer, to the repaired areas. I did not want to refinish the case in any way, so I had to get creative with several different products layered together to match the old cruddy finish. It came out quite well, and I still need to take additional photos.