Yard Sale Find (United Clock Corp., Model #418)

[SidneyEllen]

Hello everyone,

I picked this up for a buck at a yard sale yesterday, mainly just because I thought it looked cute--imagine my shock when I plugged it in, set the time, and discovered it worked perfectly... Anyway, I was hoping someone might be able to tell me more about it, because the internet just isn't helping me the way I expected it to with information on this.

In case you can't see in the pictures, the front says, "United" above the sunburst and "Made in U.S.A" below. On the back, the mechanism box reads, "Use on A.C. Current only, 60 cycle - 115 Volt - 2 W., Mfd. by United Clock Corp, Brooklyn, N.Y.,
Model No. 418.

ANY help you could give me would be thoroughly appreciated. All I've found so far is that most of the clocks made by United were built more like statues than this one was.

 

[ejc544]

Sidney Ellen,
Welcome to the Message Board. The clock that you had recently acquired appeared a year ago in the NAWCC monthly bulletin (April 2009, Issue 379, Vol.51, Pages 165-176) in an article written by David Morgan. Apparently, the company was founded in 1905 by Abraham Levy who served as its president until 1961. The United Metal Goods Manufacturing Company of Brooklyn, NY, who was its parent company, acquired the clock making division of the Sessions Clock Company in 1968.

Interesting so far. However, on page 170 of that article the complete clock is shown and described as “Model No. 418 – decorative wall clock.” The full name of the company at that time was the United Metal Goods Manufacturing Co. Inc, Brooklyn, NY. I can only surmise that the seller of this clock did not include the entire clock in your recent purchase.

Ed Cypress

 

[SidneyEllen]

Hmmm... Well, it's a tad frustrating that it's apparently not the whole clock--but at the same time, I think I like it better with just the top part and it was only a dollar! Looking at the back of the clock, I think it must have been separated from the lower portion a LONG time ago (the wearing looks pretty even across the back).

The guy who ran the yard sale had an awful lot of items that he said he and his ex used to buy then try to turn a profit in consignment shops--now he was just sick of all of it and wanted it gone. I wonder whatever happened to the bottom...

I'm not sure if I'm able to access that newsletter (I'm about to look). In case I can't, did you happen to see a date anywhere for the age of the clock?

 

[ejc544]

I don't know if this would be of help regarding the date of maufacture, but the article cited above states, "In 1968 United Metal Goods Manufacturing Company of Brooklyn, NY (parent company of United Clock Company), purchased the clockmaking division of Sessions Clock Company.Very little is known about this company, and production records are not available. Magazines carried advertisements showing only a limited number of models."

I could not find the date that your clock was manufactured. Perhaps some time after 1968.

Ed Cypress

 

[Steven Thornberry]

I'm moving this to the Electric Clocks forum where it might find better exposure. In the meantime, this earlier thread might give you some more info. on United.