168.                $200

Wm. L. Gilbert & Co. “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 mahogany veneer all around and an old finish. The dial glass is an older replacement, the lower door glass likely original with the original tablet, with losses.  The painted dial is very clean with little fading and the hands are correct, although the hour hand has been trimmed.  The 8-day, time-and-strike movement is unsigned, running and striking on a wire gong, and the calendar is advancing.  A label inside. AAC sold one in 2021 for $300.  $200-$300.