Posted 10 years ago
PileOfJunk
(15 items)
Hi,
I just picked this up from a Craig's List ad. It looks to be a Gingerbread clock ( a lot of Eastlake style if you ask me). I think it's oak. Shallow lines in the surface make geometrical patterns (some diamonds, Fleur de Lis, etc.). Some of the patterns are colored in with black paint. The top & sides are cut out "intricately" in "scrolls", a crown on the top obviously with a "jigsaw". It is a medium brown color ( stain ? Patina ? ), but with a "flat" un-varnished finish ? It is 14 1/2" W x 22 1/8" H x 5" D. There are no markings on the face, pendulum, etc. It came with 2 keys ? The ends of the hands are "teardrop" shaped with a round hole thru them. The reverse painting on the glass is gold vines with red, blue, green & yellow flowers. The 3 flowers in the middle look like "pansies" that are yellow & go from green to dark blue. Looking online for similar clocks, I discovered that the "pendulum" has a "Sandwich Glass" insert in white with a green "windmill" type design, which is typical of the E.N. Welch "Patti" clocks made of exotic woods from 1879-1884 (this clock is only oak). I read that Sandwich Glass Co. went bankrupt in 1888. With a flashlight, I looked thru the left wind-up hole & saw "E.N. W" & below it "Fores". So the movement seems to be an E.N. Welch one from Forestville, CT. BUT I don't know if this is a Welch clock or the succeeding company Sessions ? The woman that sold it to me lives in Dorchester, MA, but is originally from PA where her grandmother owned the clock. If anybody knows anything about this clock--it's age, maker, etc., I would appreciate any info. Why would a "premium" pendulum be on a random clock ? Unless I am underestimating the clock & it's a kind of Eastlake style.
Hello PileOfJunk,
Welcome to C.W.! Thanks for sharing your pick. A very nice example of a "Gingerbread" Mantel Clock.
Evidently, this type of "premium" ornate pendulum was not that uncommon on this type of Welch Clock. As far as "Gingerbread" or "Kitchen" clocks go, yours is pretty intricate. Far beyond the pressed wood examples one very often sees.
See a similar example here: http://image.invaluable.com/housePhotos/schmitt/92/420992/H1101-L43082386.jpg?h=EBCA21A8E4AEE020F65FB1C02D84FCA3&cn=AFTOKEN-PROD
Here is an example of your clock which was described by the auction house as a "Welch Schiller" clock.
http://p2.la-img.com/267/37165/15623177_1_x.jpg
http://p1.la-img.com/267/37165/15623177_2_x.jpg
http://p2.la-img.com/267/37165/15623177_3_x.jpg
It auctioned for $150 plus 18% Buyer's Premium in Feb of 2013
Although that doesn't give us a model name, or circa, it does show that the pendulum was at least offered with this model and that your clock is most likely a Welch model and not a Sessions My guess would be late 19th Century. Perhaps someone out there has access to a catalog or reprint and can provide more specific info. In any case, I hope that helps a little.
Regards
I missed the "Circa 1885" on the back of one of the Auction Listing photos...which may be helpful.
Bruce99, You're so "smaht" (smart). My Boston accent ;-D. Thank you so much ! I spent many hours looking on eBay & elsewhere looking for a similar clock. I found this site: http://www.antiqueclockspriceguide.com/manufmodellist.php?manufacturer=Welch,_EN&ordertype=DESC -which gave a lot of "Welch" models, but not mine. I saw some that looked like 'brothers or sisters' (similar), but different.
I figured where Sandwich Glass Co. went out of business in 1888, that this clock was made before this date (unless the pendulum was added to this clock). But the woman told me it was in her family from her grandmother. I'm glad you noticed the circa 1885.
The picture of the clock that you sent is very light. It looks like "pine" or a "natural" finish. Mine is so dark. At first the wood on the clock seemed light in "weight" and I thought it was "pine". But the more I look at it in bright light I can see the graining of "oak". Did they usually make 2 finishes ? Or does the oak "oxidize" and get darker with age ?
I WAS originally looking for a "pressed-patterned" Gingerbread clock on eBay until I saw the one I bought (only $50). A lot of the "pressed-patterned" onea have that dark, satin finish. Like the shellac was taken off and they put a dark stain. The intricate pattern shows up & I like them, but I thought these type of clocks were made in the "Golden Oak" period ?
Well, kudos again to you Bruce. You know they named a movie after you,--"They Call Me Bruce" Thanx Billy from Boston
I'm thinkin your clock is walnut rather than oak and that it's what would be referred to as a "parlor" clock. The difference being that it's walnut instead of oak and that the designs are incised rather than pressed into the wood. It's a higher grade of clock than a "kitchen" clock. Plus, most kitchen clocks have an alarm feature to time what's cookin...lol... Very nice clock! Thanks for sharing it...
You're very welcome Billy from Boston. We have some very knowledgeable and helpful collectors here. Nathan makes very good points. Cases were sometimes offered in a variety of wood types. I'm not too familiar with Welch clocks and I have no reference materials on them but the company did offer some beautiful models with unorthodox mechanisms. The "Patti" you mentioned earlier is a prime example. Also, the finishes themselves were applied in different shades. And that's beyond the stains often used.
Shellac can be almost a clear as water or it can be a dark amber. It may darken (or lighten) over time depending upon the environment and/or exposure to bright light.
As far as "Parlor", "Kitchen" and "Gingerbread"...a clock may be referred to as "all of the above". Noted authority Tran Duy Ly simply refers to them as Wood Cased Mantel Clocks. They didn't always go on the Mantel though. :)
I think you did *really* well for $50. It's a beautiful example. Hope to see you around.
Best regards,
Bruce
Thanks again Bruce for some explanations of finishes. I know I used shellac in the past and it left a yellow finish. My brother sanded & refinished his oak floors in his house. He didn't care for the "golden oak" and wanted something to bring the GRAIN out. He picked a medium color called "Provincial" I believe. He was right--very warm & pretty. He has a thick oak table that has a linseed oil finish which is different. I had 4 unfinished Windsor style chairs that I bought 30 years ago. They were solid beech from Romania. I had to match them with a dark pine trestle table with drop leaves, so I stained them a dark walnut color. The pine table didn't last long (too soft) and we went out to the furniture capital, Gardner, Mass. to the outlets. I was able to order a solid ash table in a dark stain. Ash and oak are similar, but the ash has a "prettier" grain pattern. The beech chairs & the ash table match very well.
Thanks "toolate2" for your comments. Walnut is such an expensive and rare wood that I am totally unfamiliar with it. I've seen some high end furniture with "walnut burl veneer", but "burl" has a unique look to it. Maybe if I go to a local clock repair shop that deals with antique clocks, the owner can identify the wood for me. I know my aunt had a chest of drawers that my great grandfather made out of chestnut. One of my cousins has it & I haven't seen it in years. I was at an antique store and asked the owner if he had any "chestnut" furniture. He had a bureau made of "chestnut" and he told me it was similar to oak. It was old & dark so it was hard to get a bead on the grain pattern. I know people are scouring thru New England--buying old barns--dismantling them for the "chestnut" wood. It's a very rare wood because of a chestnut blight disease.
I went to wind the clock for the first time the other day. The woman that sold me the clock gave me TWO keys ??? I have a New England Clock Co. Steeple Clock that I bought new in 1971. The chime spring "sprung" and no longer chimes. When I wind that clock, I turn it "clockwise". I tried to turn the key (gently) on the Welch Clock "clockwise" and got 'resistance'. I tried the other hole with the same result ? I tried the OTHER key--same thing. So, I gently turned the key "counter clockwise" and it wound fine. So, something changed during all these years with the "winding" pattern.