Thought I would post a ripple steeple similar to one that specop posted earlier.
The case is a standard steeple in terms of size. It is rosewood and rosewood veneer on pine. The door is is not rippled and bevels outward. It retains it's original turned bone knob.
The divided door retains both original glasses. The lower tablet has a free hand geometric design which I think is rather attractive.
The inner back board bears the printed paper label of the Forestville Manufacturing Company. Only J.C. Brown is listed. Also note the date of Sept., 1848 (it's partially covered by the gong base). The label states "springs with equalizing power, warrented not to fail". Odd, this would be the label for a fusee clock.
The signed movement is steel spring driven brass 8 day time and strike. Notice that the the escape wheel bridge has a flat tip and flat tapering sides. It has a 24 hour count wheel. A thorough examination leaves little question in my mind that this has been the only movement ever housed in this case.
The white painted metal dial with black Roman numerals is signed at the peak (now faint). Something I found curious about this dial is that it is held in place with a wood crossbar. The top of the dial and the upper support block behind it, which appears absolutely undisturbed and original, never had a screw hole.
A virtually identical clock with the same movement is illustrated on page 28, figures 23a and b in Roberts and Taylor in
Johnathan Clark Brown and the Forestville Manufacturing Co. For the sake of convenience, this reference will be referred to as "Roberts and Taylor" and Forestville Manufacturing Co as "FMC".
By 1847 FMC was under the sole management of J.C. Brown. According to Roberts and Taylor the movement in this clock is considered an earlier one and the first true spring driven FMC movement. They state that in 1847 or shortly thereafter, it was redesigned with a differently shaped escape wheel bridge. However, there is patent date on the label of September 1848 (of note, no patent can be found that was granted for that date) and also as per Roberts and Taylor, the Wells' Steam Press at 26 State Street in Hartford is listed in directories from 1849-1.
Now what about that label? A careful survey of the picures in Roberts and Taylor reveals its use in both fusee and non-fusee clocks! See page 28, figure 23 b. Though dark and with some losses, upon careful examination, the label appears to be the same as in this clock. See page 41, figure 34b showing the label in a non-fusee ripple beehive. Albeit not the same label, but note it includes the same assurance about the springs with equalizing power warrented not to fail. Also see Ball,
American Shelf and Wall Clocks, page 100. Another ripple non-fusee steeple with yet another label with the same assurance of springs with equalizing power warranted not to fail! Apparently Brown used labels with this statement in both fusee and non-fusee clocks.
What about the dial?. See the clock referred to in Ball. I don't see a screw at the peak there either.
So those of you with J.C. Brown ripples, please go back and look carefully at the movements, dials and labels. Report what you find.
RM