Not a bad year from a horological perspective.
Got my you know what kicked on some nice stuff, horological and otherwise, that came up for auction. The strength of the prices for the horological "good stuff" was somewhat heartening, however, even if it meant that I was repeatedly the underbidder.
I will also add some of the prices for clocks that came up in some of the general antiques auctions absolutely mystified me given how, well, screwed up they were. For example, this summer, a MA shelf clock with absolutely and obviously the wrong works, repainted glass, etc., sold for big $$. Came from an old ME estate. As with many collections put together in the early to mid-20th century, some good stuff along with much monkey business, but all selling for a lot.
The majority of my best finds have been non-horological. I've shared some of them previously.
Not sure anything I got in the past year really compares to some of the wonderful things that have been posted here but here goes a few of them.
Sorry, no watches.
Picked up some rather nice "stuff" for resale, including a very clean # 70, a few rather nice Chelseas. Nothing I really find exhilarating. Here's one of the Chelseas:
Here's the relevant Forums posting:
20th c - American - A couple of Chelseas | NAWCC Forums
8" "special" dial. Though as per the Chelsea book found only in their 1911 catalog, the serial # on the movement of this clock dates to 1905-1909. For now in the room I use as my home office. Lingering about is not an unusual fate for things ear marked for antique shows but kinda nice. Looks and sounds great when it strikes.
Here's a Crane's patent clock I picked up this year:
See this thread for an in depth discussion:
Crane Model B | NAWCC Forums
This is a rather rare single ball 30 day clock. According to Shelley, but just a few of these 30 day early single ball clocks were ever made. Still looking for a good cut and frosted tablet.
I like American fusee clocks. Here's one of the fusee clocks that came my way, a Jerome oversized 8 day fusee steeple:
I discussed this on the American Fusee thread. It completes my "set" of Jerome oversized steeples as shown in the 2nd picture.
There was a Benjamin Morrill mirror:
This clock never had a crest. I discuss it here:
American - 1801 - 1900 - Benjamin Morrill NH Mirror Clock | NAWCC Forums
Here's an organ grinder blinker. I love Victorian painted cast iron:
This clock is discussed here:
American - Blinkah | NAWCC Forums
Gotta include a wooden works, this by Lumen Watson:
See:
19th c - American - Luman Watson | NAWCC Forums
As mentioned, I have made some wonderful non-horological finds. Forgive me for sharing just one recent one. Unfortunately, I only have an absolutely atrocious cell phone picture with shadows and reflections of a watercolor on paper by the English itinerant artist, John Church Dempsey:
In it's original matte and bird's eye frame. When found in a big junky group shop, in a derelict state. Cleaned up wonderfully, though, unfortunately, tough to tell from the lousy picture.
Dempsey is an absolutely fascinating fellow. Self-taught, he traveled about the UK and Ireland from the 1820's to the 1870's rendering silhouettes (I owned a rare and wonderful miniature one by his hand), portrait miniatures and portraits. Meant represent different price points. In his later years, even tried his hand at photography.
What makes him exceptional, however, are his recently discovered and exhibited amazing portraits of what might be called street people and local characters. Here's one example:
Unflinching depictions but without pity or contempt. Fascinating story how these portraits were discovered in a museum store room.
See:
Unknown drawer, National Portrait Gallery
and
Dempsey's people: A folio of British street portraits 1824–1844, National Portrait Gallery
Talk about "new finds"!!
RM
