118.           $600

Rodney Brace carved column & splat, ca. 1830.  Mr. Brace moved from Torrington CT to North Bridgewater MA in 1825; he was evidently trained in Torrington to make the east-west movement invented by Norris North, and worked with Isaac Packard in North Bridgewater.  The case is 31.5 inches tall with inset carved quarter-columns and a carved acanthus splat.  The case is veneered in mahogany with no significant losses.  It has carved paw feet in front and turned feet in back, there are no finials and never were.  The dial glass is a modern replacement, the lower glass and tablet are original, with a stable crack through the glass.  The tablet has been expertly touched up and is held in place by the original putty.  There is a penciled signature on the back of the tablet from 1871.  The wooden dial is clean with gesso ornamentation, the hands are cast iron and likely original.  The 5-arbor, 30-hour wooden movement was not removed; it doesn’t care to run or strike, but I didn’t try very hard.  There are two square weights and a replacement bob.  The yellowed and stained label is behind a plastic sheet.  This is a nice example with good originality, and relatively uncommon.  $600-$800.