Antique American Clocks January 2022
138. $750
New York Standard Watch Co. “Fischer Electric Clock”, 1896-1902. For six years the NYSWC sold
clocks that used S. Fischer’s patented movement that used electric impulse power (similar to that used by the USS Enterprise in Star
Trek when traveling below the speed of light) but here provided by two dry-cell batteries. Specifically, “A recessed block on
the crutch of the pendulum is engaged by a pendant (Hipp toggle) pivoted to a fulcrumed level, said pendant engaging the recess of
the block when the beats of the pendulum are becoming shorter, so that the lever actuates a circuit closing device, closes the circuit
and energizes an electromagnet which attracts an armature attached to the crutch and imparts an impulse to the pendulum” (From Patent
#555313). Despite that straightforward explanation, I was not able to get this guy to run, although my consignor said he had
it running. There is an adaptor included to allow it to run on household current, replacing the dry cells that would otherwise
be in the top behind the crest. The case is mahogany, 32 inches in length, with a 14-inch dial. The glass is old, the
dial repainted by The Dial House, with proper hands including a sweep second hand. There is no strike on this example. The dial is labeled with a Jeweler in Lima OH. The Fischer movement and the NYSWC history of these clocks are described in Crum
and Keller, 150 Years of Electric Horology, 1992, pages 50-51. I can find no sales records for this rare clock. $750-$1500.
Thanks to Pat Loftus for providing the Crum and Keller reference!
