The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-18

= @AA - 9 o.
were cherubs' heads.
The spandrels, as these ornaments were
called, were generally of brass handsomely
chased and sometimes gilded. and after
the eighteenth century came in two oupids
holding up a crown was the fashionable
device. Then came a crown with crossed
sceptres and foliage, and when the passion
for rococo seized the furniture
makers the clock makers followed suit,
and the spandrels degenerated greatly,
were made of cast brass, and frequently
not even touched with the graver's tool.
Almost all clocks before the eighteenth
century had straight tops. Tompion's last
clocks, made about 100, shortly before his
death. show IN arched top, in which was
placed q register for the equation of time.
This arched top was regarded a. q great
Improvement in the appearance OF the
clock, and was used for ornament II not for
the register. Sometimes name plates were
put there, and these plates, bearing either
the name OF owner or maker, have proved
most annoying to collectors, since IL the
name is not that of u well known maker,
it IL difficult to tell which il Is, owner
or maker.
Not all clock makers belonged TO the
guild, and in many towns like Canterbury,
Preston and Worcester there were makers
who sent their clocks to all the English
colonies, and many of these were marked
with the purchasers name. In this coun-
try by l7H watches and clocks were COM
mon enough.
They were made here in small numbers
from almost the first, but it was not till
about 1850 that the manufacture was carried
on to any great extent. New England
started the business. and Eli Terry OF Wind
sor. Conn, James Harrison OF Waterbury
and Benjamin Hanks Of Litchheld were
among the first makers.
All these men made brass works, which
made the clocks expensive. and then Eli
Terry began to use wooden works in his
clocks, some OF which keep good time TO
this day. In 1907 Terry undertook to make
500 clocks with wooden works, but this
overstooked the market to such an extent
that he was forced to reduce the price from
SIS to SIS, and then to $40.
IL you have a clock marked Daniel Bur-
nap, Silas Merriam, Thomas Harland,
Timothy Peck, Seth Thomas, Herman Clark,
James Harrison, Asa Hopkins or by any of
the Willards, you have something good.
Have it put in order and hang or set il up.
In 1914 what was called the short shelf
clock was invented by Terry. and the earliest
ones were made with wooden works, but
after the invention by which blank wheels
could be struck out OF a sheet Of brass and
tire teeth cut by machinery the brass wheel
clocks could be made cheaper than those
with wooden wheels. This was not, how
ever, till about 1897.
The next improvement was making
springs which could be substituted for
weights. Springs had been in use in Europe
for 200 years, but they were 80 costly that
they could be used only on the most expen-
sive clocks. American ingenuity invented
a steel spring which could be- used in low
priced clocks, and which revolutionized
the business.
Perhaps the most famous name in clock
making annals in America is hat Of Will
lard. There were at least four clock max
ers OF this name. Simon, Aaron, Benja-
min and Simon, ~. 1t Is supposed to be the
last who invented tina peculiar style Of
clock known as the Willard or banjo.
In 1907 Willard of Boston, who was, no
doubt, Benjamin, and had workshops at
Grafton and Roxbury, as we'll as at Boston,
took out a patent for his ~timepieces. or
all the old clocks these seem 20 be the ones
most desired.
Twenty-Five dollars is not a large price
to give for one that is out of order, and
when you find one keeping good time, with
the picture on the glass showing some old
scene connected with our early history,
secure it by all means. 1t will be an orna-
ment, and a pleasure to you as well