Jerome & Co (New Haven) cottage clock question

[jboger]

I recently bought a run-down cottage clock that had no paper label pasted either on the inside back or outside back. It is a very ordinary-looking clock with the usual small reverse-painted tablet. Although the time-only movement was unsigned I was able to identify it as one manufactured by Jerome & Co, aka New Haven. The dial is a paper replacement. I see no sign that this case ever had a label pasted anywhere, either from the color of the wood or the presence of residual glue. I see two possibilities: (1) the clock was sold by New Haven, just never signed, or (2) New Haven supplied the movement to a casemaker who never signed the clock. Are other examples of this sort of thing known, i.e. no clock paper? I don't think I've seen a signed dial.

 

[Steven Thornberry]

Do you have pictures of the clock so we can see what you are seeing?

 

[jboger]

Steven:

Is there anything specific you want to see? I prefer not to take the dial off--again. I can find a photo of the movement. --a link--on the Internet and post that. I've seen plenty of boxy ogee clocks with fragments of the clock paper. The wood where the paper had been is of a lighter color because it hadn't been oxidized to the same extent. I see none of that. Nor do I see any remnants of glue. But another pair of eyes can help.

I'll take a photo of the front, back, and with door open. Bear with me. That'll be tomorrow.

John

 

[jboger]

Here's a link to a website that has a picture of the same movement as in my cottage clock: Jerome & Co Rose cottage clock – the case is a mess but the movement is interesting

And here are pictures of my clock. Any known examples of cottage clocks with no identifying marks such as a clock paper?

 

[Willie X]

It most likely had a label long ago. It's not unusual to see an old clock with no paper.

Also, posting photos from the internet is of no help. We need photos of your clock, the clock in question.

Willie X

 

[jboger]

First, Willie X, I thank you for your response, which suggests that this clock, like most other clocks of this sort once had a clock paper. I lean towards that myself.

But the absence of any remaining indication that there was once a clock paper--well, that raised a question. I would expect to see some sign that it once had a paper. The inside back panel wood is of a uniform color. If the clock once had a label, it would have been pasted on the bottom half of the inside back, below the movement. And I might expect to seem some residual hide glue. None.

I'm not sure what else to write. I posted three pictures of my clock. I don't think pictures of the sides, top, and bottom will add any information relevant to the lack of a clock paper, but I can post them if it might help. As for the movement, it was a mass produced movement, and so rather than once again remove the hands and and dial--as I had done several times whilst servicing the movement--I simply posted a link to the same movement that someone else uploaded. That way, a Forum member like yourself has the opportunity to either confirm or deny I correctly attributed the clock to Jerome & Co.

So let me gladly repeat that the picture of the movement in my clock is the same as the one in the link. I feel certain that this is a New Haven product.

Well, perhaps there is no answer to my question. Or maybe this particular clock simply slipped by and never received a paper because, like Charlie Chaplin in Modern Times, the conveyor belt on the assembly line moved the clocks along too fast. Like so many of life's little questions . . .

John

John

 

[jboger]

Clock Assembly at the New haven clock factory:

 

[Tim Orr]

Good afternoon, John!

As others have said, it is not unknown for a clock to slip through without any paper on the inside. Particularly a cottage-style clock, where the space for labels is tiny anyway. We've seen papers installed upside down too, so mistakes did happen.

You have a Swigart dial and I see evidence of an extra backboard hole in the middle picture on the left. Any possibility this might have once had an alarm? Someplace, I have a Jerome "Rocket," that has only time and alarm, no strike. If that was taken out, the alarm setting wheel might have been removed when the Swigart dial was added.

Did someone install a metal grommet around the handshaft area when the new dial was added? Don't usually see that on an original. Might indicate a lot of work was done.

The backboard looks to me to have a significant negative "shadow" in the middle, where a paper label might once have lived. And are there some kind of paper scraps in the upper left of the back?

Best regards!

Tim Orr

 

[jboger]

Tim:

Thank you for your response. With regards to your comments about the absence of papers or having them installed upside down, that's the sort of information I was hoping to obtain. This is the first cottage clock I've had. An upside-down clock paper would be interesting to see.

And now I need to congratulate your keen eye and backtrack my earlier statement. Yes, there is the remains of a bit of paper in the upper left corner of the back! It has completely darkened and matches the color of the wood rather closely. Also, what I took to be some spilled shellac on the back becomes sticky when wetted. I believe it may be the remains of some old hide glue. I don't see any shadow; the back wood is uniform in color. But I now believe if the clock had a paper label, it was pasted to the outside back.

Are cottage clocks of this sort and age known to have labels pasted to the back? I've seen later mantel and wall clocks (ca. 1890 to 1920) with labels on the back. Earlier clocks seem to have them on the inside.

As for the dial, it seems to be some sort of stiff paper, almost like a plastic (but I think paper, not plastic). Behind the paper is a flat zinc plate that I think was the original dial; the paper was cut to size. I believe when this was done, the grommet was added. Nearly all the paint--like 99%--is gone from the zinc plate.

I spotted that same small hole where you speculated an alarm might have been attached. I believe the movement is original. The movement is time only--small. It has three feet to screw down to the backboard. These three feet have left depressions in the wood where the movement was positioned. You only see them when one removes the movement. If there had been an alarm, I think this may have been a time-only clock with an alarm. I've only ever seen alarms with T&S clocks. Wouldn't there need to be a lever or a pin or something to trip the alarm at the right hour?

I will inspect the hole to see if it appears to have had a screw in it at one time. That could be revealing.

JOhn

 

[Steve Neul]

Is it normal to have the pendulum hanging that low? It's almost out of sight.

 

[jboger]

Although I inserted a new pendulum rod, I kept the same length and bob. I adjusted the position of the bob. Where it is now causes the clock to keep pretty good time.

 

[Steve Neul]

It's just odd to see the pendulum that low when there is a piece of glass there to be able see the pendulum.

 

[jboger]

Well, we don't have an ideal pendulum here, so I imagine if I change the mass of the bob that will change the length of the pendulum rod and that will alter the time it takes for the bob to do one complete oscillation. I think the pendulum that came with the clock is not original, possibly too light.

 

[Willie X]

The glass was painted and the pendulum was not see.

The makers wanted the pendulum to be as long as posible. Some bottom boards were actually gouged out to accommodate a pendulum that was a bit to long ...

There is no standard as to the pendulum bob's position but most are below the bottom of the glass.

Willie X

 

[jboger]

Thanks, Willie X. With the current set up, the clock keeps time although the pendulum hangs low.