Here is a very strange beast. It has very thick veneer, done on a reverse ogee profile. While it pretends to be a Chauncey Jerome style clock I think that is also very unlikely. The veneer alone is a tour de force, not to exclude the profile of the moldings either. Has anybody seen or have anything similar? Its label is German so is that to be taken as its origin also? This was posted on Facebook this AM by a lady whom I think to be Australian. I have her approval to use her photos. She wants more information on her clock if we can assist?
I think it is German, also from the stringing on the case and the glasses. Saig is a village in Baden-Wuerttemberg (not far from Lenzkirch!) Mr. Sauer would no doubt have been the village clock maker - perhaps he had seen an American ogee clock. It would be good if we could see the movement. JTD
If you like beautiful, thick, burr walnut veneer...Check out some of the Black Forest clocks. There's more to them than cuckoos. Probably c.1870. Not the same type of clock, but likely close to the same date: Winterhalder Hofmeier, burr walnut, Camerer Kuss, c. 1875
I would call it German. As best as I can tell from the pix, E. J. Tyler shows a similar OG, said to be by Junghans, on page 107 of his American Clocks for the Collector. See also Tyler's article in the Feb. 1993 Bulletin, page 14, where an again similar OG is shown and is said to be by the same J. B. Sayer of Saig. Other German-made OG's are shown as well. https://docs.nawcc.org/Bulletins/1990/articles/1993/282/282_4.pdf
I have seen examples of these in the literature including the Bulletin. Alas, given the nature of the Bulletin search engine, I'm stymied in my efforts to find the reference. Maybe someone can. What I recall is that it is they are the essentially hand made Black Forest version of the ogee hence the German label. Not to be confused with the later versions made by the likes of Junghans that were basically mass produced imitations of the American ones. Based upon the ones I've seen in the literature, the cases are great using wonderful figured (fruit wood?) veneers high lighted with line inlay. Like Biedermeier furniture. The tablets, as in this one, were quite wonderful and painted on tin. That is also seen on PA clocks. That's what I can come up with on short notice. RM
PS: hats off to Mr. Thornberry!! He posted one of the articles I had in mind while I was typing that I couldn't find Thanks! There's another article that shows a clock similar to the one being discussed with a tin tablet showing a religious scene. Hope he can find that? RM
I only found that Tyler article because I have it downloaded among my files, as, in fact, this one from the October 1970 Bulletin. See particularly pp. 638-39. The article appears to show the same OG , there is included a picture of the movement. The OG is said to have a zinc dial. https://docs.nawcc.org/Bulletins/1970/articles/1970/148/148_634.pdf Is the "tin Tablet OG article also by Tyler?
JTD, RM, Steven Thornberry, Chris, et'al. Thanks for the quick feedback and all the information on this clock. The lady who bought it yesterday, $100 AUS, is going to take it in for service and she will take photos of the movement when that happens (we hope). Between the tin tablet, the reverse ogee molding, and the veneer itself, this is certainly unusual and to me a highly desirable piece. And I don't collect other than American stuff? I would have to make an exception on this clock! I would offer her a good profit but shipping might be a bit of an issue? And, no, it is not for sale. Just joking on that point.
