Pictures

New Haven 30-Hour OG Shelf Clock, circa 1870.

Typical American OG style clock, probably from the 1860s or 70s. The label is missing and there is no name on the movement. I have been told by a NAWCC member that this "...is almost certainly a product of the New Haven Clock Co and was made after [Chauncey] Jerome's bankruptcy and the purchase of Jerome's assets by the NH Clock Co. [circa 1856] The clock could have been marketed under the NH Clock Co name, or Jerome & Co (a trade name of the NH Clock Co), or conceivably even the American Clock Co". I have also been told that this "....movement appears to be of the type 1.4, by Jerome & Co/ New Haven clock company. It was used in New Haven Clocks, Jerome and Co Clocks, and occasionally Crosby and Vosburgh. That type appears to be an exact match to yours".

Acquired from a local estate auction in June 2007, and found to be running but needing to be refurbished. This is a 30-hour weight driven clock (you need to wind it every day). It's a good strong running clock. The movement is been completely gone over. Previous sloppy repairs were made right and bushings installed as needed. The weight cords were replaced. The upper glass looks old, possibly original. The pendulum bob, weights, and iron winding key are very old and may also be original. The finish is nice, but probably not original. There are a few veneer repairs. The back is good. The reverse painted tablet that was in the clock is broken and has considerable paint loss. It is appropriate for this clock and may be original, or an older replacement. The dial is believed to be original and is painted on a zinc metal plate. The dial has considerable paint loss damage.

A proper direct restoration of the face and tablet are beyond my capabilities, so I opted for the next best thing. The face and tablet were scanned and the damaged parts "fixed" with Photo Shop. The resulting image was laser printed and pasted onto a new metal plate that was patterned to exactly match the original. The tablet was "restored" using the same technique with the resulting laser print being sealed to a new glass using shellac. I'll be interested in seeing how well it holds up, but for now, it looks nice. The original tablet and face remain unaltered and are kept with the clock.

The information on this page is believed to the writer to be correct at the date of posting but is presented with no guarantee expressed or implied. Pictures were a true representation of this clock at the time of posting but may not be current. Please contact me if you believe that any of the above information is incorrect, or if you wish to share additional information about this clock.

Unless otherwise credited, the pictures and information on this page are the property of Robert H Croswell & Greenfield Clock shop, 4180 Main Street, Trappe, MD 21673 and may not be sold or used for commercial purposes without permission. © 2016