Antique American Clocks July 2021
192. $50
R. Booth Clock Co. parlor clock, 1882-1885. The Booth Clock Co. was owned and run by a jeweler
in Minneapolis from 1882-1885. He bought clocks from Ansonia and dressed them up with his accoutrements. To date the few
clocks that have been found with his signed movement (actually an Ansonia movement) have been Parisians; this one is not shown in
Ly’s Ansonia Clocks & Watches, but closely corresponds to the Windsor. Carroll Horton sold this clock in 2019 for $70; there
is one other sale of a BCC clock, a “Parisian” style parlor clock at Tom Harris Auctions in 2011. The walnut case is 24 inches
tall in a dark original finish. The case appears to be missing a figurehead at the top, a couple of rondels on the carved side
trim, and possibly two wings on the crest. The door glass is original and has lost most of its silver stencil; the dial is new
glossy paper. The 8-day, time-and-strike movement is signed “R Booth Clock Co” in big lettering, with a patent date of 1882. It is running and striking on the hours and half-hours on a wire gong, the base of which says “Booth Clock Co.”; there is also a beat
scale that bears “R Booth Clock Co U.S.” The inside of the case is covered in black paper, with some losses. The pendulum
is not original. A nice enough clock; thanks to Dale Beske for cluing me in to a NAWCC Bulletin article that discusses this
maker (The Bulletin, vol 29 p. 295). $50-$150.
