Removing paper from painted side of tablet

[mrclockman]

I have found a Forestville Manufacturing Co. Pillar and Scroll clock, circa 1835-56. It was sitting in the corner atop a display case. It spoke to me for two reasons - $195. and the Big Ben painting that I think is in pretty good shape. Not until I acquired this clock did I think too much of reverse paintings. I did hear Lee Davis give a talk recently at a Chapter 158 meeting. The pictures here will show the clock and the tablet. The brown paper on the backside of the reverse painting is almost off. I have read many of the posts here for the diffrents views of restoration or just leave it alone. Perhaps I could do the stabilization of the painting to prevent future flaking, some of which adhered to the paper as it came loose. The clock label is in very bad conditon.
I have gotten the clock ticking. It has the "improved movement with brass bushings". Except for an occasional sticking of the strike (I can see numerous replaced teeth) it is keeping good time. I think it will clean up nicely and will be more of a show clock then being wound each day.

Thanks in advance for your comments and suggestions. :)

[harold bain]

Very nice clock. I would date it to between 1835 and 1839. Canfield stopped printing in 1838-9. There were not a lot of wooden works Forestville clocks made. Yours is pictured on page 5 of Roberts and Taylor's Jonathan Clark Brown and the Forestville Manufacturing Company book. The movement was made by others. Never seen that tablet before.:thumb::thumb:

[Sooth]

Though the tablet is old, it is definitely not original to your clock. Weather you wish to remove the rest of the paper or stabilize it is up to you, but honestly, I'd replace it with something that is period correct instead.

[laprade]

the tablet date can be set by the fact that in 1834 the original palace of westminister burnt down. the replacement took 30 years to finish.

[about_time]

Hi, The movement in your clock appears identical to the movement in a clock that I am currently building. The movement I have came out of a David Dutton clock (a New Hampshire clock maker). I believe he just made cases and purchased movements to place in these cases. Anyway, I found an identical movement on eBay and the seller (who seemed to be reputable in his knowledge of clocks) said that these movements were made by Boardman and Wells.