012-C-1091

J.C. BROWN OGEE SHELF CLOCK
INDEX # : 012-C-1091

circa: 1842-1849

CLOCK STYLE Ogee Shelf

CLOCK NAME N/A

MANUFACTURE

J.C. Brown (Forestville Mfg. Co.), Bristol, Conn.

Jonathan Clark Brown (1807-1872)

CASE MODEL # N/A

MOVEMENT TYPE

Brass, weight driven, T&S, hour strike on cathedral gong, 8-day. Movement stamped
"Forestville Mfg. Co.". Recoil escapement.

CASE SIZE & CONSTRUCTION Base = 16 ¼", Height = 28 ¾", Depth = 4 ¼"

LABEL INFORMATION

Partial original label, picture of the Forestville Mfg. Co..

DIAL INFORMATION

Original 8 1/2" x 8 1/2" painted wood dial, with black Roman numerals, floral spandrels, and a 7 1/2" chapter ring. Dial is signed "J.C. Brown, Bristol, Conn., USA". Dial glass appears to be original, and is 8 1/2" x 8 1/2", secured in place with three wood strips.

MISC. FEATURES Stenciled glass of fountain acquired from another Forestville Ogee clock which was in very poor condition. Visible escapement, through opening in dial.

ACQUIRED FROM Public auction in Jonestown, PA.

CONDITION WHEN ACQUIRED

Not running, no glass in lower door. Clock was in pieces, weights missing, pendulum missing. The hour and minute hands are reproduction replacements. The mahogany veneer on the case is in excellent original condition.

RESTORATION

November 1991 - Replaced lower door glass with etched fountain scene from another Forestville clock. The tablet is 12" x 8 1/2" and held in place with two wood strips. Cleaned and oiled movement. Replaced weights and pendulum.
March 1995 - I re-bushed and cleaned movement and set clock to running.

HISTORICAL DATA

Clock was formerly property of the Geisse estate, Jonestown, PA.

J.C. Brown was born in 1807, and died in 1872. He entered the clock making scene in 1831. In 1835 (with partners) he built the first factory in Forestville, where he manufactured clocks under the name The Forestville Clock Company. In 1842 he bought out Wm. Hills, and formed J.C. Brown & Co. He used both his own name and Forestville Mfg. Co. on the labels. He conducted business without partners from 1847-1855 as the Forestville Manufacturing Company or the Forestville Clock Manufactory. His factory was destroyed by a fire in 1853. Although the plant was rebuilt, the business never fully recovered. Brown's business failed in 1855, and he was bought out by E.N. Welch. The J.C. Brown factory became part of the E.N. Welch clock manufacturing complex.

The image on the top left is J.C. Brown's Forestville Manufacturing Company as it appeared in 1850.
The image on the bottom left was J.C. Browns home in Forestville. This house was featured on the tablet of many of his ogee clocks.

REFERENCES 1. "American Shelf and Wall Clocks - A Pictorial History for Collectors" by Robert Ball, 1992, page 81.
2. "The Book of American Clocks" by Brooks Palmer, 1967, brief history of firm(s) on page 160.
3. Reprint of "The E.N. Welch Mfg. Co. Clock Catalogue 1889-90"
4. "Price Guide to Antique Clocks" by Robert & Harriett Swedburg, 1988, pg. 24, picture of similar clock.

NOTES N/A

Continue with selection:

Previous ClockNext Clock

Back to Pictorial Index

Back to Text Index

Please note, that our interests are in preserving and restoring horological items, we do not sell pieces from our collection or provide online appraisals. Any emails requesting values will be discarded. Sorry, but I am not an appraiser nor do I have time to provide this service. If your questions are of a historical nature, I will be happy to respond.

Updates

Main Clock Page

Email JD

Email KL

Legal Stuff: I have made every effort not to infringe on any copyrighted material. The images contained within these pages were either taken by myself, scanned by myself from engravings, or historic literature, or were available on the web. If you feel that a copyright is being infringed upon, please notify me by email. No part of these pages may be reproduced without the express written consent of the author ©2005-2009 Clocks Are Us

CLOCK STYLE	Ogee Shelf
CLOCK NAME	N/A
MANUFACTURE	J.C. Brown (Forestville Mfg. Co.), Bristol, Conn. Jonathan Clark Brown (1807-1872)
CASE MODEL #	N/A
MOVEMENT TYPE	Brass, weight driven, T&S, hour strike on cathedral gong, 8-day. Movement stamped "Forestville Mfg. Co.". Recoil escapement.
CASE SIZE & CONSTRUCTION	Base = 16 ¼", Height = 28 ¾", Depth = 4 ¼"
LABEL INFORMATION	Partial original label, picture of the Forestville Mfg. Co..
DIAL INFORMATION	Original 8 1/2" x 8 1/2" painted wood dial, with black Roman numerals, floral spandrels, and a 7 1/2" chapter ring. Dial is signed "J.C. Brown, Bristol, Conn., USA". Dial glass appears to be original, and is 8 1/2" x 8 1/2", secured in place with three wood strips.
MISC. FEATURES	Stenciled glass of fountain acquired from another Forestville Ogee clock which was in very poor condition. Visible escapement, through opening in dial.
ACQUIRED FROM	Public auction in Jonestown, PA.
CONDITION WHEN ACQUIRED	Not running, no glass in lower door. Clock was in pieces, weights missing, pendulum missing. The hour and minute hands are reproduction replacements. The mahogany veneer on the case is in excellent original condition.
RESTORATION	November 1991 - Replaced lower door glass with etched fountain scene from another Forestville clock. The tablet is 12" x 8 1/2" and held in place with two wood strips. Cleaned and oiled movement. Replaced weights and pendulum. March 1995 - I re-bushed and cleaned movement and set clock to running.
HISTORICAL DATA	Clock was formerly property of the Geisse estate, Jonestown, PA. J.C. Brown was born in 1807, and died in 1872. He entered the clock making scene in 1831. In 1835 (with partners) he built the first factory in Forestville, where he manufactured clocks under the name The Forestville Clock Company. In 1842 he bought out Wm. Hills, and formed J.C. Brown & Co. He used both his own name and Forestville Mfg. Co. on the labels. He conducted business without partners from 1847-1855 as the Forestville Manufacturing Company or the Forestville Clock Manufactory. His factory was destroyed by a fire in 1853. Although the plant was rebuilt, the business never fully recovered. Brown's business failed in 1855, and he was bought out by E.N. Welch. The J.C. Brown factory became part of the E.N. Welch clock manufacturing complex. The image on the top left is J.C. Brown's Forestville Manufacturing Company as it appeared in 1850. The image on the bottom left was J.C. Browns home in Forestville. This house was featured on the tablet of many of his ogee clocks.
REFERENCES	1. "American Shelf and Wall Clocks - A Pictorial History for Collectors" by Robert Ball, 1992, page 81. 2. "The Book of American Clocks" by Brooks Palmer, 1967, brief history of firm(s) on page 160. 3. Reprint of "The E.N. Welch Mfg. Co. Clock Catalogue 1889-90" 4. "Price Guide to Antique Clocks" by Robert & Harriett Swedburg, 1988, pg. 24, picture of similar clock.
NOTES	N/A