56. $400
Hotchkiss & Benedict “Patent Eight-day Brass
Clock”, 1834-1836. Hotchkiss and Benedict were partners with Asa Munger, and when Munger quit clockmaking the business they reformed
as Hotchkiss & Benedict, leaving a clockmaking firm headed by a silversmith (Benedict) and a tailor (Hotchkiss). The
business only lasted two years, in part because the use of NY state prison labor was becoming an issue in Albany, and in part because
of poor marketing. They continued to use Munger-designed movements, now numbered (this one is #2579). The case
is 39 inches tall with mahogany veneer in a clean, old finish. There are some chips and missing pieces, and a large piece of
matching mahogany veneer is included if you wish to repair the missing segments. The carved splat is also mahogany and
there are two pilasters on the lower half, with carved capitals. It stands on paw feet in front and turned feet in back. The
dial glass appears to be original; the wonderful middle tablet is typical for these clocks, slightly primitive, and is held in place
with wooden strips. It may be a replacement but is appropriate for these makers. The bottom mirror is old, possibly period/original,
held in place with wooden strips and backed by cardboard. The wooden dial is reasonably clean but has some paint losses
and staining. It has an inked Hotchkiss & Benedict stamp below the mainstem, and the gilded leaf spandrel decorations are
seen in another example AAC sold. The minute and hour hands are appropriate; these are sometimes found in brass. The seconds hand is not correct and should be a “pointing finger”, as found in other examples. The 8-day time-and-strike brass
movement is running without difficulty, striking on an overhead wire gong which is usually a bell mounted to the top of the case. I think this wire gong is a replacement, but I can’t be sure. The movement is numbered, as noted, and there may be a date on
the back of the movement. There are two 8 lb replacement weights compounded on four brass pulleys that I think are replacements. The embossed pendulum bob is normally the Munger-style flying eagle. There is paper inside on the backboard and a good label. AACsold a similar example a year ago for $500. $400–$600.
Antique American Clocks JULY 2026
Try it!
