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Antique American Clocks
Eventually, clockmakers were able to buy ready-made gears all prepared to be filed for their antique American clocks, cut and finished. Elisha Purington invented a machine that worked like a lathe to cut the teeth into the gears, further simplifying the job of building a clock. American Antique Clock Types Four types of antique American clocks were made in early America: tower, shelf, tall and wall clocks and just about every town had a tower clock. These were large clocks mounted in a tall tower in a prominent place in the town. Most people did not own a personal clock, so it was important to have these visible public clocks available. Until 1850, tower clocks were made to order. After that, they were produced in quantity, slowing down in 1925 when their importance became less as people started to buy watches. Tall clocks were similar to wall clocks. In fact, many were hung on walls. Between 1670 and 1700, the tall case clock came into its own. Cabinets were made to hold the American antique clock and its workings by skilled craftsmen. These cabinets protected the workings from dust and grime, and eventually the cabinet covered the pendulum of the clock as well. Tall clocks were very popular in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Connecticut, and each of these states became centers of tall clock manufacturing. A clockmaker would make the clock itself, and either commission the cabinet himself or the buyer would commission one that he liked to go with the clock. Antique American Clock case design matched the popular furniture styles of the time. Arches above the clock came into vogue between 1715 and 1725. The top of the casing then echoed this arch, creating an architectural element to the casing. Tall clocks can be dated by their style. Cases that are characterized by flat tops and no feet are William and Mary style. Arches and ogee feet indicate Queen Anne, and by 1760, tall clocks were imitating the Chippendale style. Tall clocks can also be dated by the dials they feature. Early tall clocks (1600 to 1740) were approximately 10 inches square and were made of brass. They featured brass spandrels and a silvered chapter ring that held the numbers. Movements were often made of brass, and tall clocks might run for a full eight days between resetting or only 30 hours, depending on which model was purchased. During the Revolution, clockmaking stopped. It resumed slowly once the war was over, since materials were in short supply. Because of the difficulty of getting pricey materials, clockmakers opted for a smaller antique American clock. Willards of Grafton, MA produced the banjo clock, which hung on the wall. Smaller shelf clocks that averaged 24 to 30 inches high became very popular. Shelf clocks were affordable, and were made by a variety of clockmakers, including Willards, David Wood, Daniel Balch and Levi Hutchins. Eli Terry became the first craftsmen to mass-manufacture affordable clocks in the early 1800s. He patented a 20 inch shelf clock in 1816 and then created the very beautiful Pillar and Scroll clock. In 1820, clockmaking experienced a boom in business and began shipping antique American clocks all over the country. Clocks were even used in bartering in place of money. The clockmaking industry came to a complete standstill, however in 1837 when America experienced a depression. This interruption in the manufacture of antique American clocks also saw the end of wooden clock movements. In 1840, the ogee case with its graceful curves became popular, and remained so until around 1900. They were made in many sizes. Elias Ingraham designed the steeple clock, which were then made into several variations by Connecticut clockmakers. Calendar clocks became very popular, even though they were invented back in Europe in the 1600s. American clockmakers created many variations of the calendar clock, with dials and hands that indicated the month, the day, the phases of the moon and so on. Clockmakers began using coil springs, balance wheels, and finally a round metal cased lever-released clock that was not only portable, but was the forerunner of the alarm clock. Happy Collecting!
Below is a list of current US & UK eBay auctions of Clocks.
* all articles on auction courtesy of eBay ** links open a new window at eBay with product details. US Auctions Top
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