American American tall case clock

[DR.K]

I recently purchased at auction this clock and would welcome any information anyone can provide I have a couple of photos to help It is about 7.5 ft tall in a walnut case

 

[David B Pendley]

Movement looks like a New Haven. Might try a search on them!

 

[DR.K]

Movement is unusual to me as the chime mechanism uses a key through the dial. It has a tube gong for the hour powered by weight and rod chime powered by the key wind mechanism

 

[Steven Thornberry]

Spittlers and Bailey's Clockmakers and Watchmakers of America mention the American Chime Clock Co. as operating between ca. 1916-29 in Nicetown, PA. (Nicetown-Tioga is a neighborhood in the No. Phila. section of Philadelphia.) The company sold banjo and grandfather clock case kits, assembled kits and installed the movements acquired elsewhere, and sold complete clocks.

I'm not sure into which of the above categories your clock fits. As David mentioned, the movement is a New Haven. From what I see of the case, it appears similar to New Haven's Sherbrooke model which Tran Duy Ly's book on New Haven clocks shows from the 1911 catalogue. But the catalogue description mentions that it could be fitted with a Westminster Chime movement chiming on cathedral gongs. Although 1911 is before the estimated dates of the American Chime Clock Co., it might have been offered several years after 1911. Of course, I am not certain it is the Sherbrooke model.

 

[DR.K]

I finally got pictures of the clock case so Steven could compare to the Sherbrooke he spoke about.

 

[Steven Thornberry]

I finally got pictures of the clock case so Steven could compare to the Sherbrooke he spoke about.

View attachment 532652

It's not really a match for the Sherbrooke, at least so far as can be told from the 1911 catalogue illustration.



I also found no real match with any other Longcase clock in Tran. That's not to say it isn't a New Haven case, and possibly it was made specially for the American Chime Clock Co. However, as I mentioned above, there are other possibilities.

 

[Isaac]

This could be a potential marriage (although it could also be a custom design from New Haven for the American Chime Clock Co.) All of the New Haven hall clocks with the Westminster Willcock option utilized a weight driven Willcock movement that was seated behind and below the time and strike movement. The unused fastener on the corner of the Willcock movement also raises suspicion. I would pay close attention to the interaction levers that allow the movements to communicate with one another and see if they looked like later additions to the time/strike mechanism. However, the winding hole in the face looks original and would match up with the winding arbor of the spring driven Willcock movement.

A very interesting clock that I wouldn't mind owning!