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2.              $750

Joseph Ives New England mirror clock, ca. 1820.  Yes, a lawsuit should be filed against the person who desecrated this iconic clock.  But it has some redeeming value, if you look at the movement – not what you would expect.  The 47-inch case (without the replacement crest) has good walnut/mahogany veneer with a clean finish.  Note the ribbed pilasters on each side with carved capitals.  The crest is interesting and well-done, but not quite a perfect match.  The brass urn finials are on steel posts (left and right) and the larger center finial is on a wooden post.  There is a working lock and key on the right side and the dial glass is old but probably a replacement; who cares about the other two glasses (the center should be a mirror and could be easily replaced).  The heavy cast iron dial is simple, with gilded decorations and clean, with little chipping.  The hands look fine, but the hour hand is a modern hand-made cutout.  Now for the movement:  it is a rare (haven’t see one before) skeletonized front plate.  The backplate is steel, as are the posts, and it is set into a cutout in the backwall.  It is an 8-day, time-and-strike movement driven by two almost 9-lb cast iron weights.  It is running but will not strike, as the winding drum gear is not attached to the winding drum, so the click-stop does not catch.  Probably not a difficult fix for someone with more skill than me; I think solder would be involved. It strikes on the large cast iron bell immediately below the movement and has a rack and snail strike mechanism.  The pendulum rod and bob seem period/original, and the interior has the typical Ives green wash.  There are more holes in the backboard than I like, and no evidence of a label.  Must be worth something.  $750–$1000.

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Antique American Clocks                     january 2025