68.               $3000

C & LC Ives “Patent Lever Brass Eight Day Clock”, 1830-1837.  Chauncey and Lawson’s most coveted clock, the wagon spring triple decker.  It is thought that only about six exist; the only triple decker clock that uses a wagon spring power source.  Chauncey was the youngest of the six Ives brothers, including Joseph, the inventor of the wagon spring; Lawson was their cousin (son of older brother Philo Ives).  In 1835 Chauncey and Lawson were 48 and 31 years old, respectively; Lawson ran the business, Chauncey made the movements, based on older brother Joseph’s experience, and Elias Ingraham provided the cases.  John Birge was a silent partner.  The 36-inch case has mahogany veneer, a bronze-stenciled splat with brass rosettes on the corners, two painted columns bracketing the middle section with a period mirror, on small ball feet.  The dial glass appears to be original with a crack at the top, the lower door glass may be a replacement (newer putty) and a tablet repainted by Tom Moberg.  The interior is red-washed, the wooden dial is in clean condition with proper period hands.  The strap brass 8-day, time-and-strike movement is unsigned, with large brass wheels. It is running, barely, and striking on a large iron bell.  The winding arbors are connected to the wagon spring arms with compounded cords running through wooden pulleys and anchored to the seat board.  There is a good paper label on the backboard.  I could find only one sale, in 2002 by my mentor, Carroll Horton, for $3950.  $3000–$4000.

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Antique American Clocks                            July 2025