159.           $250

Southern Calendar Clock Co. “Fashion”, ca. 1895.  This is a controversial model and may not be authentic.  The SCCC went bankrupt in 1889 but was restarted by William Culver, the son of the original owner, in Columbus MS shortly thereafter.  It’s not clear how long he remained in business, but it is known that he bought clocks from Connecticut manufacturers (Gilbert, New Haven); the clock offered here was made by the Gilbert Clock Co. and is so stamped on the movement.  It uses a simple calendar mechanism that must be advanced by hand after months of 30 or fewer days, in contrast to other SCCC models.  Culver had Southern Calendar Clock stenciled on the door glass and “The Fashion” on the glass under the dial; this clock lacks the latter labeling.  These clocks do not have a label from SCCC or GCC and are very rare.  The door glass in this example is very old but shows signs of having been replaced; there is little wear to the stencil. There is no other labeling of Fashion or the SCCC, and no maker’s label inside or on the back.  This model was made in oak or walnut by Gilbert and is called the “Long Branch” (page 331, Ly, Gilbert Clocks) and was offered with and without a calendar. This example is walnut, 29 inches tall, with a glossy old finish; the three finials look original and all the wooden applied ornaments are present.  The dial is old paper, the hands are likely later substitutions and the calendar hand has been painted gold. As noted, the 8-day, time and half-hour strike movement is dirty but it running and striking, and the calendar is advancing. AAC sold a Gilbert Long Branch in 2022 for $415.  $250–$500.

Thanks to Tim Ritchhart for helpful information on this unusual model!