128-C-1299

CHAUNCEY JEROME OGEE SHELF CLOCK
INDEX # : 128-C-1299

circa: 1840-1845

CLOCK STYLE Ogee Shelf Clock

CLOCK NAME N/A

MANUFACTURE

Chauncey Jerome, Bristol, Conn.

Chauncey Jerome (1793-1868)

CASE MODEL # N/A

MOVEMENT TYPE

Type 1.21, Brass 30 hour T/S, weight driven, hour strike on cathedral gong. Movement is unsigned, but believe it was produced by Chauncey Jerome or one of his firms.

CASE SIZE & CONSTRUCTION Base = 15 1/2", Height = 26", Depth = 4 1/2"

Walnut veneered Ogee case.

LABEL INFORMATION

Excellent condition, stating:

"Patent / Brass Clocks, / Made and Sold by / Chauncey Jerome, / Bristol, Conn. / Warranted Good"

Printer was "Elihu Geer, Ornamental Printer, Hartford"

There is a small jewelers repair note penciled in on label stating "Rep By / W.M.R., / Watchmaker & Jeweler / March 27th, 91"

Elihu Geer, printer (image to left)

DIAL INFORMATION

Original round brass dial, with a 6" chapter ring. The dial glass is original, with it's silver stenciled spandrels, black background, and gold band around dial opening. The glass is 8" x 8" and is held in place with the original putty. The dial had been poorly restored by a previous owner, the brass has been painted a silver color, and the numbers and chapter rings had also been repainted. This dial will have to be stripped down to the original brass, and I will restore as close to original as possible.

February 2004 - I attended Chapter 124's Dial Painting Class in February 2004, and I am currently in the process of restoring this dial to it's original condition.
January 2005 - Completed restoration of the dial, added the chapter rings, and Roman letters to restore dial to it's original condition.

MISC. FEATURES

Original reverse painted tablet of an estate with a willow tree and stream. The tablet is in remarkable condition, and is 8" x 10", and held in place with the original putty. The clock also has it's original weights, pendulum bob, and winding key.

ACQUIRED FROM Christmas gift from my wife in December 1999.

CONDITION WHEN ACQUIRED Clock not running, movement appears to be in good condition. The veneer on the case is excellent, but is missing a 15" x 1" strip on the bottom, which I will replace. The reverse glass tablet is one of the best I have seen as far as original condition. The round brass dial has been poorly restored, and will have to be stripped down and re-done to restore to near original. The minute and hour hands are period, but are not original to this clock.

RESTORATION

February 2004 - In the process of restoring the dial to it's original condition. When this clock was acquired, the dial had been painted silver and the chapter rings and letters were poorly applied. I stripped the silver paint off to reveal the original brass dial pan. Pictures to the left are the dial as it was when we received the clock, and a pic after the silver paint was stripped off.
January 2005 - Completed restoration of the dial, applied chapter rings and Roman letters using a .30 technical pen. The techniques used to restore the dial where acquired by attending the NAWCC Lone Star Chapter 124 Dial Painting class.
Bottom image is the dial in it's restored condition, as it would have looked when the clock was made.
November 2009 - Disassembled movement and cleaned in ultrasonic cleaner, re-assembled, oiled, adjusted, cleaned and waxed clock case, replaced hands with more appropriate size and type, set clock to running.

HISTORICAL DATA

Chauncey Jerome (1793-1868) was one of the pillars of early Connecticut clock making. He was apprenticed as a carpenter when he was 13 years of age. In 1816, he went to work for Eli Terry making the pillar and scroll cases (which he claimed he was the first to do) in Plymouth, Conn.. He moved to Bristol, Conn. in 1821, and by 1824, started his long lived career in clock making with partners Noble Jerome (his brother), Elijah Darrow, and Chauncey Mathews. The firm was called "Jeromes, Darrow and Company", and was in operation until around 1826. Chauncey had many other partners throughout his career and was involved in a number of firms. It is reported that he invented the Bronze Looking Glass clock case in 1827. His brother Nobel invented a cheap 30 hour brass movement in 1838 that had a count wheel strike, and Chauncey used these movements in mostly Ogee case clocks. This movement was to be the demise of the wooden movement clock. Chauncey moved to New Haven, Conn. in 1843, and set up a case shop (his movements were still being made at the Bristol factory). The Bristol Factory was destroyed by a fire in 1845, and he suffered great financial loss. His entire operations was then moved to New Haven, and in 1857 his bankrupt business was bought out by The New Haven Clock Co. Chauncey Jerome is one of the few Connecticut Clockmakers that wrote an autobiography (written in 1860), which gives us a first hand look at the industry of those days (at least according to Chauncey).

The image on the top left is the Chauncey Jerome Factory in Bristol, Conn. as it appeared around 1850.
The images to the left in the middle and the bottom are two different homes that Chauncey Jerome lived in, both in Bristol, Conn.

REFERENCES 1. "NAWCC Bulletin 221, December 1982, The Nobel Jerome Patent 30 Hour Brass Weight Driven Movement, by Snowden Taylor"
2. "NAWCC Bulletin Supplement #15, Spring 1986, From Rags to Riches to Rags - The Story of Chauncey Jerome, by Chris Bailey.
3. "American Shelf and Wall Clocks - A Pictorial History for Collectors" by W.D. Ball, 1992, similar clock shown on page 76 (UL).

NOTES This clock is one of the very first styles of Ogee clocks produced in Connecticut, as indicated by the round brass dial.

Apparently I need more time to dedicate to my hobby! I have had this clock for 10 years and this is the first time I tore down the movement and cleaned it. I had not had this clock running since I got it, finally it has taken it's place on the shelf and is ticking away once again.

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CLOCK STYLE	Ogee Shelf Clock
CLOCK NAME	N/A
MANUFACTURE	Chauncey Jerome, Bristol, Conn. Chauncey Jerome (1793-1868)
CASE MODEL #	N/A
MOVEMENT TYPE	Type 1.21, Brass 30 hour T/S, weight driven, hour strike on cathedral gong. Movement is unsigned, but believe it was produced by Chauncey Jerome or one of his firms.
CASE SIZE & CONSTRUCTION	Base = 15 1/2", Height = 26", Depth = 4 1/2" Walnut veneered Ogee case.
LABEL INFORMATION	Excellent condition, stating: "Patent / Brass Clocks, / Made and Sold by / Chauncey Jerome, / Bristol, Conn. / Warranted Good" Printer was "Elihu Geer, Ornamental Printer, Hartford" There is a small jewelers repair note penciled in on label stating "Rep By / W.M.R., / Watchmaker & Jeweler / March 27th, 91" Elihu Geer, printer (image to left)
DIAL INFORMATION	Original round brass dial, with a 6" chapter ring. The dial glass is original, with it's silver stenciled spandrels, black background, and gold band around dial opening. The glass is 8" x 8" and is held in place with the original putty. The dial had been poorly restored by a previous owner, the brass has been painted a silver color, and the numbers and chapter rings had also been repainted. This dial will have to be stripped down to the original brass, and I will restore as close to original as possible. February 2004 - I attended Chapter 124's Dial Painting Class in February 2004, and I am currently in the process of restoring this dial to it's original condition. January 2005 - Completed restoration of the dial, added the chapter rings, and Roman letters to restore dial to it's original condition.
MISC. FEATURES	Original reverse painted tablet of an estate with a willow tree and stream. The tablet is in remarkable condition, and is 8" x 10", and held in place with the original putty. The clock also has it's original weights, pendulum bob, and winding key.
ACQUIRED FROM	Christmas gift from my wife in December 1999.
CONDITION WHEN ACQUIRED	Clock not running, movement appears to be in good condition. The veneer on the case is excellent, but is missing a 15" x 1" strip on the bottom, which I will replace. The reverse glass tablet is one of the best I have seen as far as original condition. The round brass dial has been poorly restored, and will have to be stripped down and re-done to restore to near original. The minute and hour hands are period, but are not original to this clock.
RESTORATION	February 2004 - In the process of restoring the dial to it's original condition. When this clock was acquired, the dial had been painted silver and the chapter rings and letters were poorly applied. I stripped the silver paint off to reveal the original brass dial pan. Pictures to the left are the dial as it was when we received the clock, and a pic after the silver paint was stripped off. January 2005 - Completed restoration of the dial, applied chapter rings and Roman letters using a .30 technical pen. The techniques used to restore the dial where acquired by attending the NAWCC Lone Star Chapter 124 Dial Painting class. Bottom image is the dial in it's restored condition, as it would have looked when the clock was made. November 2009 - Disassembled movement and cleaned in ultrasonic cleaner, re-assembled, oiled, adjusted, cleaned and waxed clock case, replaced hands with more appropriate size and type, set clock to running.
HISTORICAL DATA	Chauncey Jerome (1793-1868) was one of the pillars of early Connecticut clock making. He was apprenticed as a carpenter when he was 13 years of age. In 1816, he went to work for Eli Terry making the pillar and scroll cases (which he claimed he was the first to do) in Plymouth, Conn.. He moved to Bristol, Conn. in 1821, and by 1824, started his long lived career in clock making with partners Noble Jerome (his brother), Elijah Darrow, and Chauncey Mathews. The firm was called "Jeromes, Darrow and Company", and was in operation until around 1826. Chauncey had many other partners throughout his career and was involved in a number of firms. It is reported that he invented the Bronze Looking Glass clock case in 1827. His brother Nobel invented a cheap 30 hour brass movement in 1838 that had a count wheel strike, and Chauncey used these movements in mostly Ogee case clocks. This movement was to be the demise of the wooden movement clock. Chauncey moved to New Haven, Conn. in 1843, and set up a case shop (his movements were still being made at the Bristol factory). The Bristol Factory was destroyed by a fire in 1845, and he suffered great financial loss. His entire operations was then moved to New Haven, and in 1857 his bankrupt business was bought out by The New Haven Clock Co. Chauncey Jerome is one of the few Connecticut Clockmakers that wrote an autobiography (written in 1860), which gives us a first hand look at the industry of those days (at least according to Chauncey). The image on the top left is the Chauncey Jerome Factory in Bristol, Conn. as it appeared around 1850. The images to the left in the middle and the bottom are two different homes that Chauncey Jerome lived in, both in Bristol, Conn.
REFERENCES	1. "NAWCC Bulletin 221, December 1982, The Nobel Jerome Patent 30 Hour Brass Weight Driven Movement, by Snowden Taylor" 2. "NAWCC Bulletin Supplement #15, Spring 1986, From Rags to Riches to Rags - The Story of Chauncey Jerome, by Chris Bailey. 3. "American Shelf and Wall Clocks - A Pictorial History for Collectors" by W.D. Ball, 1992, similar clock shown on page 76 (UL).
NOTES	This clock is one of the very first styles of Ogee clocks produced in Connecticut, as indicated by the round brass dial. Apparently I need more time to dedicate to my hobby! I have had this clock for 10 years and this is the first time I tore down the movement and cleaned it. I had not had this clock running since I got it, finally it has taken it's place on the shelf and is ticking away once again.