If These Shirts Could Talk: The Tantalizing Tales Behind Used Clothes
Jockeying for Position: How Boxers and Briefs Got Into Men's Pants
Gloriously Grotesque 19th-Century Pipes
In the Hot Seat: Is Your Antique Windsor a Fake?
Love at First Kite: How Pizza and Pente Led to One Oklahoman's High-Flying Obsession
Blood, Sweat, and Steel: My Afternoon with the Ace of Swords
'The Great Gatsby' Still Gets Flappers Wrong
Say Ahhh: An Oral Surgeon's Quest to Reimagine the Garage-Band Guitar
Forget TV Pickers, Meet the Real Mavericks of the Antiques World
Coveting The Craziest Cat-People Collectibles
Connecticut was home to multiple clockmaking companies in the 19th century, such as Ingraham, the William L. Gilbert Clock Company, Seth Thomas, Waterbury Clock Company, and, of course, Ansonia.
The Ansonia Clock Company’s roots lie in the Ansonia Brass Company, founded by Anson Greene Phelps in 1844. Phelps supplied brass to Connecticut clock manufacturers until 1851, when he joined forces with two powerful clockmakers, Theodore Terry and Franklin C. Andrews, to create a clockmaking company of his own. Terry and Andrews, who had a successful clockmaking business in Bristol, sold half of their business to Phelps in exchange for cheaper brass materials. Thus, the Ansonia Clock Company subsidiary was born.
Many Ansonia clocks are eight-day movements, meaning that they only need to be rewound every eight days. However, in 1875, the company developed a 30-hour, spring-driven illumina...
Ansonia’s extensive line of clocks included mantel clocks with elaborately painted china cases, beehive shelf clocks, miniature ogee shelf clocks with alarms, shelf clocks with glass domes surrounding the clock’s head, and regulator clocks like the 1886 "General" model, a brass 8-day, weight-driven clock with a cherry case and a dial that counted the seconds. Ansonia was also well-known for its novelty items, such as swinging clocks that featured sculpted figurines.
In July 1853, Ansonia showcased its cast-iron clocks, painted and decorated with mother-of-pearl, at the New York World’s Fair. It was one of three Connecticut clockmaking companies to exhibit at the Fair.
In the 1870s, the Ansonia Clock Company separated from the Ansonia Brass Company and moved part of its production to New York. Although the company continued to produce clocks in Connecticut, the New York factory, with clockmaker Henry J. Davies at the helm, employed more than twice as many workers—the majority of clocks produced from approximately 1880 on are marked "New York."
The Ansonia Clock Company experienced disaster in 1880 when its New York factory caught fire, causing $750,000 in damages. However, the factory was rebuilt at the same location and reopened the following year. In 1883, the Connecticut factory closed, and by the late 1880s, Ansonia had opened sales offices in New York, London, and Chicago.
In addition to clocks, Ansonia began producing inexpensive, non-jeweled wristwatches in 1904. Production peaked 1914, when Ansonia was turning out 440 different models of clocks, but by 1920, that number had dropped to less than 140, and by 1927, it was under 50. In 1929, Ansonia was sold to Amtorg Trading Corporation, the Soviet Union’s U.S. trading company, but in 1969, the rights to the Ansonia name and trademarks were acquired by Ansonia Clock Co., Inc. of Lynnwood, Washington.
Key Terms for Antique Ansonia Clocks:
Ogee clock: Rectangular clock with ogee molding, which forms an S-shaped curve; the door underneath the face of the clock is often painted.
by 
by 
Interviews & Articles
The Timeless Appeal of the Westclock Big and Baby Bens
How did I get interested in clocks? Something about them has always been ingrained in me. My mom’s father had a small collection o… [more]
The Care and Repair of 19th-Century American Clocks
I was working as a jewelry department manager for a department store, and I had a customer who brought a clock in for repair. I wa… [more]
Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)
Antique Ansonia Clocks
In addition to a detailed timeline and history of the Ansonia Clock Company, this site boasts a database of photos … [read review or visit site]
National Watch and Clock Museum
This virtual museum, created by the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, lets you stroll through tim… [read review or visit site]
Clockhistory.com
Bill Stoddard's clock history site offers a trove of great reference information on clock and watch makers includin… [read review or visit site]
National Maritime Museum
Check out this sampling of nautical and maritime items held by the U.K.'s National Maritime Museum and Royal Observ… [read review or visit site]
Dan and Diana's Lux Clock Collection
Dan and Diana Lockett's amazing collection of several hundred novelty Lux clocks made by the Lux Clock Manufacturin… [read review or visit site]
Detex Watchman's Clock Album
Philip Haselton's guide to watchmen's time recording equipment. Includes 19th century German portables, 20th centur… [read review or visit site]
Clubs & Associations: Clocks
Discussion Forums: Clocks
Other Great Reference Sites: Clocks
Top eBay Auctions
Antique Original Ansonia Swinging, Swinger Huntress Clock
Highly Brass Decorated Ansonia Mvnt "antique Hanging" 2 Weight Wall Clock
Ansonia "opera" Model Clock
Antique Late 19thc Victorian Isaac Newton Spelter Statue Ansonia Mantle Clock
Antique Ansonia Wall Clock 42" Tall 11-1/2" Wide
Ansonia , New York, Antique Mantle Clock Enameled Iron Original Looks/runs Great
Antique Ansonia Tuscola Porcelain Ceramic Mantle Shelf Clock Hand Painted Roses
Ansonia Black Cast Iron Clock W/ Open Escapement 
Antique Ansonia Royal Bonn 'la Nord' Porcelain Clock For Repair/restoration Only
Antique Ansonia Victorian Marble Mantel Clock-outside Escapement
Ansonia Mantle Clock
Antique 1882 Ansonia Shelf Mantle Clock Wood Wooden Gingerbread Carving Works
Ansonia Antique 'gingerbread' Kitchen Mantel Clock C. 1900 - Running 
Antique Cast Iron Ansonia Clock
Antique Ansonia Oak Gingerbread Kitchen Clock. Cleaned, Oiled, Conditioned, Runs
Antique 1878 Ansonia Quality Walnut "mosel Strike" Key Wind Mantel Clock - Exl
Ansonia Bedside Clock
Vintage Victorian Ansonia Mantle Clock
Antique Ansonia Clock Co. Crystal Regulator Clock For Resto / As Found
C1880s Ansonia Mantle Clock Porcelain Case Open Escapement Working Nr
Large Antique Spelter Metal Don Caesar & Don Juan Ansonia Clock Statues N/r
Ansonia Style Double Statue Mystery Swinger Clock
Antique 1892 Gold Cherub Mantle Clock By Ansonia Clock Co. Usa
Ansonia Warriors Spelter Clock Statue 1904 
Antique Ansonia Wall Clock Repair Project (5.6a)
Ansonia 8 Day Swing Movement Fortuna Swinger Mystery Swinging Clock -no Reserve
Antique Ansonia " Amazon " Model Mantel / Shelf Clock Circa 1895-1905 
Antique 1882 Ansonia Clock Co Cast Iron Brass Metal Shelf Mantle Clock Movement
Good Old Ansonia China Clock~no Cracks/chips ~ Runs+strikes Well
Vintage Ansonia Mantle Clock - Home Chime No. 50 - Runs & Stops - U- Fix 
Ansonia Clock Works
Ansonia Regulator Clock/ Pendulum/hands/key-no Glass In Bezel--for Parts/repair
Ansonia Clock Top Topper Spelter White Metal Woman Lady With Harp 
Antique Ansonia Clock Company Pocket Watch - April 17th 1888 Patent - Parts ?
Antique Edwardian Inlaid Mahogany Balloon Shape Ansonia Clock Co Usa Mantleclock
Sweet Antique Edwardian C1910 Ansonia Clock Co Usa Shaped Wood Case Mantle Clock
Antique Unusual Wood Wall Clock. Aluminum Movement, Not Brass! Ansonia? Rare. 
Neat Old Vintage Brass Pocket Compass, " Sunwatch " Made By Ansonia Clock Co.
Antique Ansonia Mantel Shelf Clock Movement Parts Repair
Ansonia Antique Wood Mantel Clock Case
Vintage Reprint 1914 Sales Catalog Ansonia Clock Company .1969 Great Read !
Old Ansonia Shelf Mantel Clock Wooden
Antique Late 19th Century Ansonia Black Basalt Mantel Clock Garniture
Antique Ansonia Porcelain Clock Case; Model Lavogue
Lot Of 5 Vintage Clock Movements Ansonia 1892 Honeywell Temperature Regulator 
Ansonia Cut 8 Day Movement Huntress Lady Swinger Mystery Swinging Clock - No Res
Antique Ansonia Cast Iron Mantel Clock 27 Lbs, Patent 1882 Good Cond Not Working
Antique Ansonia Clock Company Of New York "bee" Drum Clock C1890
Ansonia Clock Pendulum
19thc Antique Victorian Era Spelter Figural Lady Old Ansonia Clock Style Statue
Antique Ansonia Clock C.1880 Parisian Walnut Parlor Clock Restoration Project
Pair Spelter Urns Ewer Pitcher Ansonia? French? Clock Side Decoration 
Original Ansonia Round Open Escapement Movement Nickel Clock Repair Parts
Recent News: Ansonia Clocks
Source: Google News
Remains found in Trumbull are missing ECSU student from West Haven
New Haven Register, May 17thVance said state police detectives have been working Wiley's case around the clock and conducted searches in multiple parks and bodies of water. “We certainly have significant resources we've applied to this: major crime detectives and the The...Read more
Time machine to an odd future: Bennington Museum shows Steampunk
North Adams Transcript, May 15th'Ansoninger' by Steve Conant incorporates a repurposed Singer sewing machine, an Ansonia clock, miscellaneous gauges and electronic components. (Courtesy of Steve Conant). and Light in Burlington, Vt. Their sculptures are actual Victorian-era sewing...Read more
Jane Alexiadis: Tale of a timepiece
San Jose Mercury News, May 9thBy the "A" etched into the glass of your clock, we can identify it as having been make by Ansonia. Anson Phelps launched his clock company in 1851 as a subsidiary of his brass company. Since he was already producing a major component of clocks, Ansonia...Read more
Pages out of time
Harvard Gazette, May 9thIllustration for the “Sunwatch,” a portable sundial that never needs winding, Ansonia Clock Co., New York, c. 1930. Collection of (Weight-driven clocks appeared in the 13th century, domestic timepieces around 1400, and pocket watches for the rich...Read more
Auctions: Hank Aaron card fetches $210
Lancaster Newspapers, April 28thItems sold included a Henry Aaron card, $210; a Roberto Clemente card, $210; a cameo pin, $180; three tray lots of car literature, $280, $220 and $210; an Ansonia clock, $210; a NASCAR train set, $160; Harley-Davidson saddle bags, $130; a set of...Read more
Inspirational Coach Hits 400 Win Mark
Patch.com, April 25thPawlak gets up at 4:45 a.m. so she can leave her house in Ansonia and be at school for 5:15. She gets the equipment ready, prepares the team and waits for the clock to strike 5:30. For every minute late, a player has to run one lap. “It can be tough...Read more