Antique American Clocks July 2020
22. $350
Wm. Gilbert “Octagon Drop Calendar”, 1861-1866. This is the first edition of the Maranville
patent calendar dial, in which the days and month are adjusted with a winding key to turn the two dials behind the main dial: The upper key stud turns the month dial, the lower stud turns the day of the week dial. You turn the weekday dial to adjust
the weekdays to the calendar days. It’s quite simple and quite ingenious, if you don’t mind adjusting the calendar every month. With that the red calendar hand tells you the day of the week and the date. Later editions of this calendar dial let you use
a pencil to move the back dials; I like this version better. The case is 24 inches long with good rosewood veneer all around. Both glasses are new, the dial old, possibly original. Some chipping is evident. The hands are correct. The 8-day,
time-and-strike movement is unsigned, running and striking on a wire gong, and the calendar is advancing. A label inside. These guys generally sell for around $400. $350-$500.