109-C-0399

SPERRY & SHAW FOUR COLUMN N.Y. STYLE SHELF CLOCK
INDEX # : 109-C-0399

circa: 1845-1849

CLOCK STYLE New York Style Empire Clock

CLOCK NAME N/A

MANUFACTURE Sperry & Shaw, New York City, NY.

Henry Sperry (????-????)
George Shaw (????-????)

CASE MODEL # N/A

MOVEMENT TYPE

Type 2.(10)22, Brass, weight driven, 30 hour T&S. Hour strike on cathedral wire gong. Movement plates are pinned together. Movement signed "Sperry & Shaw / New York".

It is unusual to find a movement signed by Sperry & Shaw, as they did not manufacture movements, they purchased them from other clockmakers and installed into cases which they manufactured. It is unknown who actually manufactured this movement for Sperry & Shaw.

CASE SIZE & CONSTRUCTION Rosewood veneer, Base=16" , Height=26" ,Depth=4 3/4"

LABEL INFORMATION

Excellent Label.
"Sperry & Shaw / 10 Cortlandt St. / New York / Warranted "

Sperry & Shaw were located at 10 Cortlandt St. from 1845-1849, thus narrowing down the dates of manufacture for this clock.

DIAL INFORMATION

Wood dial, white background (some crazing) with black roman numerals. Dial plate is 8 1/2" x 8 1/2", chapter ring in 7 1/2". The dial had been attached to the case by means of four screws through the dial, and there was also damage to the strike side winding arbor whole.

MISC. FEATURES

Four full columns (Height=16", two on each side of clock). Thin time and strike weights (5" x 2 1/4" x 1"). Dial glass is 8 1/2" x 8 1/2", lower tablet glass is 8 1/2" x 5", and is missing the original reverse glass painting. Pendulum has 13 1/2" drop. Appears to have original hour and minute hands.

The reverse painting was restored by my wife, KL, in November 1999. The pattern for the glass was provided by a fellow collector from Wyoming, and was recreated from an original broken glass from a CS Sperry four column clock. Our thanks to J.S. for providing the original pattern, which allowed us to restore the tablet as accurately as possible.

ACQUIRED FROM Online internet auction on Ebay. Clock was purchased from seller in Georgia.

CONDITION WHEN ACQUIRED Clock in running order, case in fair condition, a few small chips on veneer. Movement has been cleaned and oiled by former owner. Clock is missing original reverse glass painting, dial glass appears to be original. I do not believe the dial is original to the clock, however it is the correct type. A poor repair effort was made on the strike arbor hole.

RESTORATION November 1999 - The reverse painted tablet was restored by KL. The pattern is an accurate recreation from a CS Sperry four column clock.. The dial was also restored by KL, the four screw holes were patched, and the strike side winding arbor hole was repaired. Numbers were touched up along with inside chapter ring, the original finish was left intact. The movement was disassembled, new bushings inserted in several worn pivot holes, cleaned and oiled, and set to running .
November 2009 - Cleaned, oiled and adjusted movement, cleaned case, set clock to running.

HISTORICAL DATA Sperry (Henry) & Shaw (George) produced clocks at the above address from 1845 until 1849, when production was moved to 18 Maiden Lane & 293 Pearl. The Sperry family had a long history of clock making in New York dating from William Sperry in 1827 (clock dealer) until 1863 (Timothy Sperry). Henry Sperry and George Shaw were partners in business from 1843 until 1851. There is some controversy over morals of this company, as they were said to have sold clocks with labels of Chauncey Jerome (they had no known business ties to Jerome). They advertised in 1846 that they made 100,000 clocks a year, and had a large export business in England.

REFERENCES 1. NAWCC Bulletin No. 256 "Sperry Clockmaker Genealogical Data" by Chris H. Bailey, page 419.
2. NAWCC Bulletin No. 190 "More On The Four-Column Controversy" by H. Fred Bausch, page 530.
3. "American Shelf and Wall Clocks - A Pictorial History for Collectors" by Robert W.D. Ball, 1992, picture of similar clock on page 50.
4. "The Book of American Clocks" by Brooks Palmer, 1967. Short biography of company on page 282.
5. NAWCC Bulletin #221 (12/82), "The Noble Jerome Patent 30-HR Brass Weight Movement and Related Movements" by Snowden Taylor.

NOTES This was our second experience buying a clock on an internet auction.

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CLOCK STYLE	New York Style Empire Clock
CLOCK NAME	N/A
MANUFACTURE	Sperry & Shaw, New York City, NY. Henry Sperry (????-????) George Shaw (????-????)
CASE MODEL #	N/A
MOVEMENT TYPE	Type 2.(10)22, Brass, weight driven, 30 hour T&S. Hour strike on cathedral wire gong. Movement plates are pinned together. Movement signed "Sperry & Shaw / New York". It is unusual to find a movement signed by Sperry & Shaw, as they did not manufacture movements, they purchased them from other clockmakers and installed into cases which they manufactured. It is unknown who actually manufactured this movement for Sperry & Shaw.
CASE SIZE & CONSTRUCTION	Rosewood veneer, Base=16" , Height=26" ,Depth=4 3/4"
LABEL INFORMATION	Excellent Label. "Sperry & Shaw / 10 Cortlandt St. / New York / Warranted " Sperry & Shaw were located at 10 Cortlandt St. from 1845-1849, thus narrowing down the dates of manufacture for this clock.
DIAL INFORMATION	Wood dial, white background (some crazing) with black roman numerals. Dial plate is 8 1/2" x 8 1/2", chapter ring in 7 1/2". The dial had been attached to the case by means of four screws through the dial, and there was also damage to the strike side winding arbor whole.
MISC. FEATURES	Four full columns (Height=16", two on each side of clock). Thin time and strike weights (5" x 2 1/4" x 1"). Dial glass is 8 1/2" x 8 1/2", lower tablet glass is 8 1/2" x 5", and is missing the original reverse glass painting. Pendulum has 13 1/2" drop. Appears to have original hour and minute hands. The reverse painting was restored by my wife, KL, in November 1999. The pattern for the glass was provided by a fellow collector from Wyoming, and was recreated from an original broken glass from a CS Sperry four column clock. Our thanks to J.S. for providing the original pattern, which allowed us to restore the tablet as accurately as possible.
ACQUIRED FROM	Online internet auction on Ebay. Clock was purchased from seller in Georgia.
CONDITION WHEN ACQUIRED	Clock in running order, case in fair condition, a few small chips on veneer. Movement has been cleaned and oiled by former owner. Clock is missing original reverse glass painting, dial glass appears to be original. I do not believe the dial is original to the clock, however it is the correct type. A poor repair effort was made on the strike arbor hole.
RESTORATION	November 1999 - The reverse painted tablet was restored by KL. The pattern is an accurate recreation from a CS Sperry four column clock.. The dial was also restored by KL, the four screw holes were patched, and the strike side winding arbor hole was repaired. Numbers were touched up along with inside chapter ring, the original finish was left intact. The movement was disassembled, new bushings inserted in several worn pivot holes, cleaned and oiled, and set to running . November 2009 - Cleaned, oiled and adjusted movement, cleaned case, set clock to running.
HISTORICAL DATA	Sperry (Henry) & Shaw (George) produced clocks at the above address from 1845 until 1849, when production was moved to 18 Maiden Lane & 293 Pearl. The Sperry family had a long history of clock making in New York dating from William Sperry in 1827 (clock dealer) until 1863 (Timothy Sperry). Henry Sperry and George Shaw were partners in business from 1843 until 1851. There is some controversy over morals of this company, as they were said to have sold clocks with labels of Chauncey Jerome (they had no known business ties to Jerome). They advertised in 1846 that they made 100,000 clocks a year, and had a large export business in England.
REFERENCES	1. NAWCC Bulletin No. 256 "Sperry Clockmaker Genealogical Data" by Chris H. Bailey, page 419. 2. NAWCC Bulletin No. 190 "More On The Four-Column Controversy" by H. Fred Bausch, page 530. 3. "American Shelf and Wall Clocks - A Pictorial History for Collectors" by Robert W.D. Ball, 1992, picture of similar clock on page 50. 4. "The Book of American Clocks" by Brooks Palmer, 1967. Short biography of company on page 282. 5. NAWCC Bulletin #221 (12/82), "The Noble Jerome Patent 30-HR Brass Weight Movement and Related Movements" by Snowden Taylor.
NOTES	This was our second experience buying a clock on an internet auction.