124-C-0699

DANIEL PRATT, JR. HALF-COLUMN & SPLAT SHELF CLOCK
INDEX # : 124-C-0699

circa: 1838-1839

CLOCK STYLE Mirror Column and Splat Shelf Clock

CLOCK NAME N/A

MANUFACTURE

Daniel Pratt, Jr. , Reading, Mass.

Daniel Pratt Jr. (1797-1871)

CASE MODEL # N/A

MOVEMENT TYPE

30 hour, wood "groaner" movement, weight driven, T&S. Hour strike on cast bell located on top of case, strike hammer extends from top of movement through case. Movement known as a "groaner" due to the noise made when the strike train runs. Movement probably made by Chauncey Boardman, who made movements for Pratt.

CASE SIZE & CONSTRUCTION Base = 16 1/4", Height = 34 1/2", Depth = 5 1/2"

Mahogany veneered case with mirror insets in the flat columns on either side of clock. Columns are integral part of door, and are 26" long. They are tapered with the bottom of the column being 2", and the top being 1 1/2".

LABEL INFORMATION

Partial label, stating:

"Improved / Clocks / Manufactured and Sold / wholesale and retail, by / Daniel Pratt, Jr. / Reading, Mass. / 1838 / Warranted if well used / The public may rest assured that clocks made at this factory.........to any other made in this country"

DIAL INFORMATION

Replacement wood dial with white hand painted background with gold leaf spandrels and numeral rings, black Roman numerals. Dial is 11" x 12 1/2", with a 10" chapter ring. Dial glass (10 1/2" x 11") is original, and is held in place with putty. Dial was originally out of a shelf clock with an alarm groaner movement as indicated by the alarm winding hole at the 7:00 position being plugged by a previous owner.

MISC. FEATURES

Mirror tablet is believed to be an early replacement, and is 10 3/4" x 15 1/4"", and is held in place by four wood strips.

Bell for striking the hour is located on top of the clock case as seen in picture to the left.

Clock has original pendulum bob, and hour & minute hands.

ACQUIRED FROM Auction at the 1999 NAWCC National at the AstroHall in Houston, TX.

CONDITION WHEN ACQUIRED Clock running, movement in very good condition. Minor veneer repairs made on several places on case. End caps for splat posts are replacements and were poorly attached by a previous owner.

RESTORATION September 1999 - Replaced broken dial glass with a piece of old window glass which came out of my great grandfathers house. Repaired veneer damage and chimney caps. Set clock to running.

HISTORICAL DATA Daniel Pratt, Jr. in clock making/dealing business by self from 1832-1858. Exported clocks to India and other overseas countries. Started selling brass movement clocks after 1838. Died 1871, business was carried on as Daniel Pratt's Son from 1871-1880. Business was finally dissolved in 1916 with the death of Daniel's son Frank W. B. Pratt.

According to a 1999 auction list from R.O. Schmidt (horological auctions), they have only seen a couple of Pratt clocks with this case style in the last fifteen years.

REFERENCES 1. "A Treasury of American Clocks" by Brooks Palmer, 1967, pg. 84, picture of similar clock with groaner movement and bell on top of case.

NOTES Oh No! My first clock disaster, this clock fell off the fireplace mantle when the door swung open. CRASH. Luckily the only damage sustained was the original dial glass shattered, and a couple of pieces of veneer came off. Will be doing some restoration work on this clock that I hadn't intended to do (as if I didn't have enough projects already).

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CLOCK STYLE	Mirror Column and Splat Shelf Clock
CLOCK NAME	N/A
MANUFACTURE	Daniel Pratt, Jr. , Reading, Mass. Daniel Pratt Jr. (1797-1871)
CASE MODEL #	N/A
MOVEMENT TYPE	30 hour, wood "groaner" movement, weight driven, T&S. Hour strike on cast bell located on top of case, strike hammer extends from top of movement through case. Movement known as a "groaner" due to the noise made when the strike train runs. Movement probably made by Chauncey Boardman, who made movements for Pratt.
CASE SIZE & CONSTRUCTION	Base = 16 1/4", Height = 34 1/2", Depth = 5 1/2" Mahogany veneered case with mirror insets in the flat columns on either side of clock. Columns are integral part of door, and are 26" long. They are tapered with the bottom of the column being 2", and the top being 1 1/2".
LABEL INFORMATION	Partial label, stating: "Improved / Clocks / Manufactured and Sold / wholesale and retail, by / Daniel Pratt, Jr. / Reading, Mass. / 1838 / Warranted if well used / The public may rest assured that clocks made at this factory.........to any other made in this country"
DIAL INFORMATION	Replacement wood dial with white hand painted background with gold leaf spandrels and numeral rings, black Roman numerals. Dial is 11" x 12 1/2", with a 10" chapter ring. Dial glass (10 1/2" x 11") is original, and is held in place with putty. Dial was originally out of a shelf clock with an alarm groaner movement as indicated by the alarm winding hole at the 7:00 position being plugged by a previous owner.
MISC. FEATURES	Mirror tablet is believed to be an early replacement, and is 10 3/4" x 15 1/4"", and is held in place by four wood strips. Bell for striking the hour is located on top of the clock case as seen in picture to the left. Clock has original pendulum bob, and hour & minute hands.
ACQUIRED FROM	Auction at the 1999 NAWCC National at the AstroHall in Houston, TX.
CONDITION WHEN ACQUIRED	Clock running, movement in very good condition. Minor veneer repairs made on several places on case. End caps for splat posts are replacements and were poorly attached by a previous owner.
RESTORATION	September 1999 - Replaced broken dial glass with a piece of old window glass which came out of my great grandfathers house. Repaired veneer damage and chimney caps. Set clock to running.
HISTORICAL DATA	Daniel Pratt, Jr. in clock making/dealing business by self from 1832-1858. Exported clocks to India and other overseas countries. Started selling brass movement clocks after 1838. Died 1871, business was carried on as Daniel Pratt's Son from 1871-1880. Business was finally dissolved in 1916 with the death of Daniel's son Frank W. B. Pratt. According to a 1999 auction list from R.O. Schmidt (horological auctions), they have only seen a couple of Pratt clocks with this case style in the last fifteen years.
REFERENCES	1. "A Treasury of American Clocks" by Brooks Palmer, 1967, pg. 84, picture of similar clock with groaner movement and bell on top of case.
NOTES	Oh No! My first clock disaster, this clock fell off the fireplace mantle when the door swung open. CRASH. Luckily the only damage sustained was the original dial glass shattered, and a couple of pieces of veneer came off. Will be doing some restoration work on this clock that I hadn't intended to do (as if I didn't have enough projects already).