52. $5000
E. Howard & Co. “No. 1 Regulator” (banjo),ca. 1874. The Imperator of banjo wall clocks, 50 inches long with a 12-inch enameled iron dial. Most notably, the case
is veneered in rosewood rather than grain-painted to resemble rosewood. It is absolutely beautiful and I wish I could keep it. There are a couple of chips near the dial bezel release button (see photo) and the hook has been modified to keep the bezel closed;
the repainted dial has a small chip between the VII and VIII. The screws holding the throat piece in place at the bottom do
not go through the throat piece base and it is not anchored to my satisfaction, but the dial holds it in place; the machine screw
holding the pendulum bob lock-down in place is a replacement and requires an allen wrench for tightening, and the throat weight shield
has been replaced. The dial glass and lower tablet glass are modern. If those imperfections throw you off, no soup for
you. Everything else about this clock is perfect. There are even remnants of the original label on the bottom board, which,
from all appearances, has never been broken out by the No. 1 iron weight. The bob is damascened and shows little wear. The 8-day, time-only movement is signed and running without issue. What a beauty. Schmitt Horan sold one last year for
$5000, and it was grain-painted. $5000-$8000.
Antique American Clocks January 2023
