Ingraham Clocks

[f.webster]

Thanks Inbeat,

I knew that it was a kitchen/gingerbread clock; however, I haven't seen a KEUKA before. It is a project!!

Anyone have a Ingraham catalog that can identify this model and date it for me?

[Jeremy Woodoff]

The "Keuka" was one of Ingraham's "Lake Line" series, that also included "Oneida," "Seneca," "Itasca," "Micha," and "Cayuga." They are all very similar, differing only in details of the pressed designs. They appeared in Ingraham's 1915 catalog. The catalog pictures for all these models show Roman numeral dials, but the listing says they were available with Roman or Arabic dials. The clocks listed for $3.80 each, and for 45 cents more you could get an alarm or a gong (I think that means a cathedral gong rather than the usual thin wire gongs).

The glass in your clock matches the one pictured in the catalog.

[Steven Thornberry]

I had thought this one was posted in this thread before. It is the Phenix, one I grabbed when offered for a reasonable price. Tran shows it from the 1881 catalogue. It is in excellent shape, including the nice door glass, which I have not seen up close and personal before (unless ther's another in this thread), though it does appear on a couple of clocks in Tran's Ingraham book.

Gilbert used the same basic case for its Argus, which also appears among clocks manufactured by George B. Owen & Co. (1875-79). The New Haven Rhine is also similar. Shown here and in Tran with a rounded top door, I have also seen one with an octagon-top door (at least it was said to be the Phenix).

[rmarkowitz1_cee4a1]

Thought it time to revive this tread devoted to Ingraham and the products of his various companies (I'm sure no one would object to the continued posting of clocks which are products of Elias' earlier firms).

Brewster and Ingraham made gallery time pieces. They had 8 day "east-west" movements. The movement back plates could be cast iron or brass. The springs were usually brass. The pendulum was mounted above the movement, the rod passing behind it, with the bob swinging below. The escapement was between the plates.

The cases were made of wood, often gilded. If not gilded, it was of a hard wood. I have also seen cast iron cases.

The dials typically were of wood and convex.

Various examples of these gallery timepieces have been posted on the MB, both on this thread and elsewhere (I posted some on the dial clocks thread in the remote past).

These time pieces came in various sizes, most often found with an about 11 inch dial. Less often found are the the large size and the miniature.

The first clock is the big one. The convex wooden dial is about 16 1/2 inches in diameter, the clock overall about 22 inches. The picture shows it in relation to some standard sized shelf clocks. The dial is untouched. I could not find any evidence that it was once signed. This example has it's original convex glass, an amazing survivor. Original matt and burnished gilt surface with a few retouches. The other picture shows the side. Note the contrasting black band which is absolutely original. Rather slender profile, too.

The next picture shows 2 of the 11 inch dial models, one gilded the other in I think walnut. They're the 2 larger ones in the group photo...sorry, kinda badly chosen picture. The walnut model has a flat wooden dial signed by Pond and Barnes of Boston. Also of note is that it bears the label of Terry and Andrews. For more infomation, see the recent Bulletin research column.

Finally, there is the miniature with the 7 1/2 convex metal dial. Once, again, the dial is untouched and I cannot find evidence that it ever had a signature. The dial is also unusual in that rather than pinning to rails as do the dials in the other clocks, it screws to 3 wooden pillars attached to the backboard. Also, these movements had steel springs with a retaining pin in the winding arbour.

For purposes of the posting, I had planned to hang all of these together on one wall to show the relative sizes, but honestly, would have had to move too much stuff around.

Sorry, wasn't taking any of these apart to show the labels and movements. Look in the books. They're published there

For more information, search the MB. There are releavant postings. Also, see Tran's Ingraham book. Finally, see Handbook of Clocks Produced by Charles Kirk, Elisha C. Brewster and Brewster and Ingrahams, etc, etc (the title is almost as long as the book) by Ultsch and Cowan.

RM

[sherlockclock]

I recently purchased my first Ingraham: a black mantle that, according to the front of the movement, was made in July, 1926. I cleaned up the case, dial, ornaments, and had good luck repainting the incise. I am wondering what this particular style was called (I know black mantles were a dime a dozen, but they still have a history). I suspect that the legs and lions might have been a later add, and that the hands aren't original. Any information would be much appreciated. Thanks.

[Richard T.]

I did not find your clock in LY's Ingraham book but that is not unusual. I agree that the hands are not a match and probably are not original. The feet and lions heads are, in my view, original.

Good job, enjoy your clock.

Best,

Richard T.

[Dch48]

My only Ingraham was my first eBay buy of an antique timepiece. It was listed as not having been run or cleaned for several years but I really liked how it looked and figured it would be a nice decorative piece even if it didn't work. The price was right so I got it. It arrived without a key or pendulum and the side decorations as well as 2/3 of the pillar mountings were detached with the brass nails lying loose in the packaging. I fitted everything back together and then proceeded to oil the movement as best I could without taking it out of the case. It still hasn't been out so I don't know what it says on the front. I had no idea what make it was but while searching for a pendulum was told by a seller that it looked like a Gilbert and he sold me a Gilbert pendulum. I then deduced from extensive Googling that it was in fact an Ingraham since it has a wheel time adjustment protruding from the dial and Ingrahams were the only ones I saw that had that. The wheel seems to be stuck though and I can't turn it in either direction. I started out by borrowing the adjustable pendulum from our William S. Johnson Ogee and it worked very well. The clock now has an adjustable pendulum from another old ogee that was parted out on eBay and will run a full 8 days on a winding within what I understand are as good as can be expected time differences that can be achieved by this type of clock. It gradually gets to be about a minute fast after 3 days, then runs right on for the 4th day and starts slowing down after that. After 7 days, it's about a minute slow or maybe a little more.

My research has told me that it is an Ingraham Adrian model that could have been made anywhere between 1899 and 1926. I have touched it up a little and it looks even better than in this picture.

[Steven Thornberry]

Actually, it might well be the Anchor, which Ingraham made between 1901 and 1908 as a black mantel, and between 1902-04 as a mahogany case. The anchor was 11 inches high and 17 1/2 inches wide at the base. The dimensions are the same as the Adrian, but the side handles are different. The ones on yours seem more like the Anchor's. See Tran's Ingraham book, p. 233, figs. 713 and 714. Take of the dial and see what dates are on the movement to get a ballpark for the actual clock. Of course, that will not decide definitively in favor of the Anchor or the Adrian.

[Jay Fortner]

Here's a 1911 Adrian. The case is the same but the dial pan is different and where yours has carvings in the case mine has dimples filled with gold paint. It's currently being repaired from mainspring explosion.

[Dch48]

I saw one being sold on an auction site that looked exactly the same as mine and was listed as an Adrian from 1905. Of course they may have been wrong but it had the same dial and fittings. It was actually an exact duplicate. Mine was listed on eBay as a "Victorian Eastlake Mantel Clock", whatever that means. The seller was a picker who bought it from an old couple and he obviously had no idea who it was made by. Here's a better picture I just took. It also has a round door on the back and a cutout on the bottom under where the pendulum swings that lets me start and stop it easily.

[Steven Thornberry]

The Anchor and Adrian are so similar that without a label, it's difficult to positively it's one or the other. You just take your best guess. I wouldn't be surprised that they took identical clocks and alternatiely slapped on one label then the other. What customer would know (or even care). With the Adrian, however, the dates on the movement might provide a clue, since it was made over a longer period of time.

[Dch48]

Yes I wish it did have the label but alas, such is not the case. My Seth Thomas has most of the label still on it and is also dated at 1902 by the 2091 stamping on the bottom. ST is also plainly visible on the back of the movement. Ingraham didn't make it that easy unfortunately.
.

[Bruce Barnes]

Here is one that doesn't appear in the Ingraham book, movement and a different escape set up...........
Bruce

[rmarkowitz1_cee4a1]

I've always liked Ingraham "candy stripe" clocks. I recently acquired another that I thought I would share.

It's virtuallly identical to an example I've previously posted on this thread here . I actually like the state of the finish on the recently acquired example a bit better, though the paint on the doors is a bit more worn. I also like it's equestrian themed glass.

RM

[Jay Fortner]

Nice clock! Did they create that striped veneer by laying up strips of different woods or with the stain? If strips then those are some tight joints.