Gilbert Melody

[lfnel]

I've been looking for a Gilbert Melody mantel clock for a long time now. Though they appear to maybe have been a "cheaper" model, they must be pretty scarce. Right, or am I just not looking the right places?

 

[Steven Thornberry]

I was unable to find a reference to a Melody in Tran Duy Ly's bok on Gilbert clocks, but I did find two catalogue pictures (1922, 1925) of a tambour called the Melodious. I wonder whether this might be the clock you are refering to. The Melodious also had a numeric designation, No, 2054. If this is the one, it had production life of at least 4 years, not bad for a simple tambour, and it could have an even longer life. Of course, tambours were produced by droves in the 1920's and 1930's. To complicate matters, the case used for the Melodious was also used for several other versions under different names (and numbers). They differed in the type of finish and type of strike, either Normandy chimes, single rod strike, or cathedral gong. Apparently, some models acquired a different type of strike between 1922 and 1925. So, if the Melodious, it had to compete with its cousins for the basic same house, as it were. This would have limited the number on the market. But whether that makes it scarce, I'm not sure. These poor clocks may have been badly treated (tossed out or pillaged for parts) or simply neglected in some attic, basement, or barn, and completely forgotten.

There is also another tanbour called the Medley, which is of a fancier case style, with scrolls where the case meets the base.

But, it's not clear to me that either of these is what you mean.

 

[Steven Thornberry]

Well, after searching again, I did find a bell-top clock called the Melody, shown in Tran's Gilbert book from the 1904 catalogue, a much more desirable model and, I suspect, much scarcer than the tambour. The more common bell-top would probabaly be the Curfew, though Tran shows 4 different clocks with bell tops. The best bet to find one, if anyone is selling, might be eBay. Apologies for not finding it earlier and for telling you more about the Melodious than any human could possibly want to know.

 

[shutterbug]

Also check out clock auction sites. They often (almost always) have on line bidding options.

 

[lfnel]

Well, after searching again, I did find a bell-top clock called the Melody, shown in Tran's Gilbert book from the 1904 catalogue, a much more desirable model and, I suspect, much scarcer than the tambour. The more common bell-top would probabaly be the Curfew, though Tran shows 4 different clocks with bell tops. The best bet to find one, if anyone is selling, might be eBay. Apologies for not finding it earlier and for telling you more about the Melodious than any human could possibly want to know.

Not at all more than I wanted to know. Thanks. Yes, the melody I'm after. It is a bell top and looks much like the Cerfew, probably same top bell, but without the big S-shaped, stone I think, pieces on either side. - lfnel

 

[shutterbug]

Here's a picture of the critter in question, taken from Tran Duy Ly American Clocks Volume 1.

 

[Jordan1939]

Ifnel there's a Gilbert melody on eBay right now, I don't know if you see this but I can hope so.

 

[Jordan1939]

Ifnel there's a Gilbert melody on eBay right now, I don't know if you see this but I can hope so.

ANTIQUE Black MANTEL NOVELTY GILBERT CLOCK Rare Model Not Ansonia Seth Thomas. | eBay