53.              $350

C. & N. Jerome “Eight Day Repeating Brass Clock”, 1834-1839.  Just to get started on the right foot, this is a rare clock.  Brothers Chauncey and Noble Jerome worked together for about five years, making mostly wooden movement clocks; it became apparent soon enough that prices for these clocks were too low to be profitable, motivating Chauncey to develop the “cheap brass clock movement” that revolutionized the clock business. The 8-day brass movement in this clock was not the first, but it has several unusual characteristics, including an internal rack and snail strike movement that Jerome incorrectly (intentionally?) labeled as “repeating”.  A rack and snail strike offered the ability to trigger a repeat strike of the last hour, but it appears that the Jeromes did not actually include such a trigger mechanism, which could be as simple as a wire connected to the strike lever.  

This clock stands 38 inches high with an absolutely gorgeous finish on the mahogany veneer, including mahogany on the columns (note the carved capitals) and the uncommon middle panel, which appears to be painted metal and an applied carving of some kind.  The design of this clock turned out to be a drawback, as it is very narrow (about 5 inches in depth), making it rather unstable, particularly when the weights are at the top of the clock; I do not see any evidence of feet on this clock.   The dial glass is original with the original putty, but the lower glass is a modern replacement with an applied decoration.  The wooden dial has gilded rings with some losses and gilded gesso designs in the spandrels; the dial has been professionally cleaned, the hands are correct.  The unsigned brass movement is clean and running, striking on a large iron bell.  Note the internal rack and snail mechanism mentioned above.  There are two large but thin iron weights; much of the large label has been lost, but enough is retained to identify the makers.  AAC sold a fancier version of this model in 2022 for $1425.  Replacing the lower glass with a reverse-painted tablet would make a world of difference here.  $350-$1000. 

 Delivery in the eastern half of the US for $200.

Can I return my clock if I don’t like it?

You betcha!  Save your packing and box, you have 30 days from receipt to return it for a full refund if you are unhappy.  If the clock is not as described, or I missed something important and that is not evident from the pictures, I will refund your shipping costs (both ways) as well.  Find another auction company that does that!