|
|
 |
Clock Mantel Were Mainly Of French Make, In Cast Ormolu Cases And Often With Porcelin Paint Mounts
, Such As Urns And Inset Panels.
|
|
|
In the 18th and early 19th centuries, a few fine long case clocks were made in centres such as Boston.
Long case clocks were either related in style to those of the English provinces or
|
70% OFF
|
30% OFF
|
71% OFF
|
31% OFF
|
30% OFF
|
|
|
|
had the clock wooden movements made in the German Black Forest tradition. A popular clock at
the start of the 19th century was the Wag On The Wall clock, a 30 hour,
weight driven wooden clock with a pendulum clock movement swinging in front of the clock dial.
The banjo Clock was another clock invented by Simon Willard (1753-c. 1845) in 1802
beside the Simon Willard grandfather clock.
The Simon Willard banjo clock had a circular dial above a tapered trunk and box shaped
base. Banjo clocks did not usually strike the hour. Other makers developed the clock banjo into
the lyre clock, which had curved sides and applied carving, and the girandole clock, which had a
circular base.
|
Antique Wall Clock
|
Antique Banjo Clock
|
Antique Girandole Clock
|
Antique Shelf Clock
|
Pillar Scroll Clock
|
|
|
The first shelf clocks were made by Simon Willard and his brother Aaron (1757-1844). Known as
Massachusetts shelf clocks were about 1.2 m (4 ft) high and constructed with a wider base
section called as wooden clock shelf chest on chest.
In 1816 Eli Terry (1772-1852) patented a small rectangular shelf wooden clock about 75 cm (2 ft 6 in) high.
The shelf clock dial was at first painted on the glass clock face but soon it was fitted between
the door and the clock movement.
The half seconds beating pendulum clock movements was hung originally to the right, after 1823 in the centre.
The movement clock was driven by weights in the sides of the case, their lines running over pulleys
at the top.
|
Original Shelf Clock
|
Antique Porcelin Clock
|
Antique Mantel Clock
|
French Mantle Clock
|
Antique Marble Clock
|
|
|
The finest shelf clocks are of pillar and scroll design (introduced by Terry in 1817): slender,
turned pillars flank the case, which has a wavy apron (lower front edge) and a swan neck pediment
(moulding on top) with brass urn finials (spire like ornaments).
The early american shelf clock was an inexpensive timepiece and was exported to
Europe in large numbers. Later
developments included the bronze and looking glass clock(with thick half columns on the door
beside the dial and with bronze mounts called as bronze clock shelf chest) and the ogee (or OG) clock (
rectangular, with an ogee moulded door). Other clocks produced by makers such as Chauncey Jerome,
had gabled doors flanked by spire finials.
French clock mantel These (known as clock sets when they have a flanking pair of candelabra) were mainly
of French make, in cast ormolu cases and often with porcelin paint mounts, such as urns and inset panels.
The candelabra stems often take the form of ormolu putti or porcelin urns. Porcelin ornamentation was
painted in the Sevres style with sprays of flowers against a blue, pink, yellow or green ground.
Clock dials were always circular, in enamel and protected by clock glass door, clock hands were ormolu,
pierced and engraved.
|
Original Four Glass
|
Four Glass Clock
|
Ansonia Emperor Clock
|
Tiffany Four Glass Clock
|
Antique Mystery Clock
|
|
Late in the century Belgian black marble was increasingly used. The marble clocks movements
were comparatively cheap but reliable, and many clocks marble are still in excellent condition.
Their plinth shaped
cases of marble clocks often have coloured marble insets or incised decoration.
The most valuable antique marble clocks have a calendar dial below the standard dial.
Four glass clocks in France these clocks which were like giant carriage clocks, had brass framed
glazed cases and circular clock movements and clock dials before 1860 striking was on a bell, thereafter on a
coiled steel gong. In England their cases were normally wooden and their dials large, rectangular and
of white enamel, gilt or silvered metal.
Mystery clocks were so made that the connection between clock hands and movement was hidden. They took
several forms. In one Mystery clock with a transparent dial the hand was carried round
by a rotating inner sheet of glass, held between two fixed sheets.
In another Mystery clock, turtle porcelin figurines floating in a basin of water
was carried round past the chapters by the pull of a magnet on a rotating arm below. And in another
Mystery clock the clock dial was at the base of a clock pendulum movement swung from the
outstretched hand of an imperceptibly
oscillating female figure, the clock hands being driven by the motion of the
clock pendulum movements like pendulum clock.
A Brief History of The Mantle Clocks :
The highly ornate and decorative works of mantle clocks are usually made up of
materials such as wood, ormolu, and porcelain. They can be constructed from any
combination of these materials. Strictly speaking, mantel clocks are those small
conventional house clocks that are placed on shelves, above the fireplace, or mantel.
During the 1750s, in France, was the beginning of these small clocks. They are similar to
other chamber clocks. But the difference is easily distinguished by the lack of of a
carrying handle, which other chamber clocks have.
An early and notable design of these small mantel clocks was presented by Simon
Willard, a well known clock maker of Boston Massachusetts. During the early years of
the 19th century, he invented the designs further and patented them. He called his designs
The Simon Willard Shelf Clock. In the years that followed he changed his designs,
making improvements in them. He worked to maintained the overall concept of the
original clock designs.
The specifications of mantle clocks are highly contrasted to wall clocks. Wall clocks'
movements are basically attached to the clock's backboard, whereas these shelf clocks'
movements were basically supported by its seat board.
Before patenting his own design, Simon Willard was selling other standard shelf clocks
during the 1790s. It looked very much like other conventional tall clocks except that their
base and hood were conjoined directly and it minimized the body which made it look like
it was cut in between. These early models already had a calendar dial ingeniously built
into them as well as a second hand that was almost uncommon during those times.
The designs by Simon Willard were weight driven and some models even featured a base
for the balancing of weight. This allow for and increased running time of half a fortnight
and included a pinwheel escapement and strike mechanisms were snail and rack. The
length of the pendulum of the mantel clock was adjusted easily through a hole in the face
at the 12th hour position. This made is easier and unnecessary to open the case.
Willard's clocks were not considered trends during this time. Since Eli Terry was
considered the mainstream designer. However, today Simon Willard's clocks are
considered to be the masterpiece of American innovation. Antique dealers and collectors
and museums actively and eagerly seek these treasures. They range in cost from
$50,000.00 to $250,000.00 dollars each, in perfect condition.
The producers of the modern designs of this type of clocks are companies such as Seiko
and Rhythm Small World Clocks. A combination of metal, wood and products produced
by modern technology are used in their production. These modern clocks are run by the
standard battery. They can also play around fifteen unique tunes each hour. Although
some designs vary. Features include light sensors to automatically turn off music during
sleep or night and volume control. The, that is most, Seiko mantel clocks play either
Westminster tunes or Whittington melodies.
The symbol of American ingenuity is the mantel clock and the masterwork of master
craftsmen with touches of timeless beauty and history.
References: “The Illustrated History Of Antiques”, General Editor by Huon Mallalieu.
London: Quantum Books Ltd. 1999.
A Brief History of The Mantle Clocks? Written By Phillip Zoidberg
|
|
|
|
