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217.         $250

The Progressive Manufacturing Co. “Dixon Special”, 1880-1887.  The PMC was in Pana in central Illinois and was in business for only seven years.  The black enamel wood case was made by Waterbury [the “Dixon”, page 331 of Ly’s book (Vol. 1) on Waterbury clocks] and modified by the PMC to incorporate a “trade stimulator” mechanism that releases one, two, or three 5¢ tokens when you drop in a nickel.  The mechanism works:  drop a nickel into the slot on top and the clock strikes the cathedral gong once and the stimulator pushes one or more tokens into the drop cup on the right side. Three nickels are included and one token that fits the token storage tube (I don’t know if the token is original).  You always get your money back in a 5¢ token, but if it pushes out two or three, you are a winner!  It’s not clear to me how it decides to release two or three tokens, but if you are the lucky bidder, you can figure it out.  The movement is unsigned, and it is not the standard movement found in the Waterbury Dixon; it is a lever movement (no pendulum) that is time-only; it only strikes the gong when you drop a nickel.  The finish on the case is original and in good condition, with gilded incising and marbleized columns and caps.  The dial glass is flat, the dial paper, probably replaced some time ago but still clean.  The hands are likely original.  The instruction label on top is a replacement.  Dan Morphy sold one last year for $400 and one in 2021 for $550.  $250-$550.

 

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Antique American Clocks                     January 2023

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