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**LOCAL PICKUP IN Carmel, Indiana.  Sorry, NO shipping.  You are welcome to contract your own shipper to pick up and be liable for delivery.  PLEASE NOTE DATES AND LOCATIONS OR PICKUP. 

Due to downsizing and moving out of state, up for grabs is a beautiful RUNNING and collectable eight day (8-Day) mantel or shelf clock, also known as a grandmother's clock.  Photos do not do this item justice.   This is a wonderful item that keeps perfect time.  The wheel that makes it chime needs repair, so you might know how to repair that (or know someone who can).  I've been told that there is a company in North Carolina who could repaint the clock face if you prefer.  Key is included.  Has a pink rose design on face and door glass decorated with a unique gold painted design on back side of glass with a scene that looks like a King with lots of silver in the image and his royal crest on his shield in the garden of Eden.  You can see in the photos that this clock has been well-loved and there are a few imperfections in the veneer around the base as well as the paint on the clock face.  However, the scene that is reverse painted on glass on the front door is in amazing condition!  Was told that this clock is from ca 1850's.  It is from the William L Gilbert Company in Winsted, CT (Connecticut, Conn).

Some of the history follows:

 The clockmaking operations of William L. Gilbert (1806-890) who, since 1828, had been involved in various clockmaking partnerships in Bristol, Farmington and Winsted, Connecticut.

In July of 1873, the new factory complex was completed and manufacturing commenced. George B. Owen (1834-1916) had come to Winsted in 1866 as General Manager and ran the firm for nearly 50 years, designing many interesting cases and patenting several clock movement features. Owen also operated a concurrent clock business at Winsted between 1875 and 1894.

In 1897, the Gilbert firm built a four-story building for a new case shop and another building by 1900 for storage and shipping. A three-story office building was built in 1902. The recession, which began in 1907, along with the financial pressures of their recent expansion headed the firm in a decline that culminated by forcing George B. Owen and his sons to relinquish control in 1914

Bankruptcy and liquidation were barely avoided in 1914 and a new manager, Charles E. Williams, was appointed and served until his death in 1930, just a few months following the stock market crash. Pressures of the Great Depression and money spent in developing electronic clocks sent the firm into receivership in September, 1932.

In December, 1964, the clockmaking division was sold to Spartus Corporation of Chicago, not having produced a profit for about 12 years.

This is a great useful item, decorative, or a wonderful addition to your collection! 

 

Contrary to popular belief, grandfather clocks aren’t clocks that had to move into the downstairs bedroom of your house because they have a bad hip and can’t get around so well these days. They’re actually beautiful and masterfully crafted timekeepers. The scoop on big clocks:

• Grandfather clocks have a tall base so that they can be seen over the heads of houseguests lingering late into the night and household residents who aren’t supposed to be out of bed at that hour.

• The ticking sound a grandfather clock emits each second reminds its owner of how swiftly time passes, time that could have been spent getting a sound night’s sleep.

• The only person to ever successfully open a grandfather clock didn’t find any gears inside, just a list of men who were too busy wasting their time to be successful.

• The White House has a famous grandfather clock called The Honorability. Little-known, single-term president Franklin Pierce once said of it, “I know that clocks can’t actually form opinions or frown disapprovingly, but that overgrown wristwatch is judging me.”

I'm listing many other unique collectibles over the next couple of weeks, so please check out my other auctions! 

 

Please e-mail with any questions before bidding and allow up to 24 hours for a response.  I’ll be listing many great items over the next few months, so please check back regularly.

 I DO NOT ACCEPT CHECKS 

Items are from a clean, smoke-free and pet-free home.   My goal is for the buyer to be more than happy with your purchase!  I sell only items that are of a quality that I would want to purchase for myself.

Please bid early, so you won't miss out.  I appreciate your bid, and your early bid is even better.

Thanks for looking!