144-C-0904

ATKINS & DOWNS STENCILED HALF-COLUMN & SPLAT SHELF CLOCK
INDEX # : 144-C-0904

circa: 1831-1832

CLOCK STYLE Column & Splat Connecticut Shelf Clock

CLOCK NAME N/A

MANUFACTURE

Atkins and Downs, Bristol, Conn. for George Mitchell and Rollin Atkins

Rollin Atkins (1790 - 1844)
Irenus Atkins (1792 - 1882
Anson Downs (1797 - 1876)
George Mitchell (1794 - 1852

Image on top left is of Irenus Atkins

Image on bottom left is of George Mitchell

CASE MODEL # N/A

MOVEMENT TYPE

Type 8.132, 30 hour, movement made by Ephraim Downs. Hour strike on cast bell.

CASE SIZE & CONSTRUCTION Base = 17 1/4", Height = 33 1/4", Depth = 4 ¾"
Mahogany veneered standard half column & splat

LABEL INFORMATION

Original in excellent condition:

"Improved Clocks, / Made by / Atkins & Downs / for G. Mitchell & R. Atkins, / Bristol, Conn. / Warranted if well Used".

DIAL INFORMATION

Original hand-painted dial is 11 1/4" X 12 1/4", with decorative spandrels and ornamentation. Dial glass is original and held in place by putty.

MISC. FEATURES

Appears to have original splat, chimneys and returns.

ACQUIRED FROM Online auction.

CONDITION WHEN ACQUIRED

Clock not running, lower glass has been replaced with an old print. This will be replaced with a historically correct reverse glass painting by KL. One small piece of veneer missing on lower right corner, will repair this as time permits.
Image to the left is the clock prior to restoration work.

RESTORATION

November 2004 - Cleaned case with furniture mask and applied thin coat of wood moisturizer.
March 2005 - KL created a new historically correct reverse painted tablet for this clock. It has a stenciled boarder (each individual stencil cut out by hand) done with bronzing powder. The reverse painting was done with ink line work and artist oils. The pattern was from an original glass that we had in our archive.

HISTORICAL DATA

Atkins Clock shop in Bristol, Ct. c. 1855
The firm Atkins & Downs consisted of Irenus and Rollin Atkins and Anson Downs. They were listed as being in business from 1831-1832 in Bristol, Conn. Irenus was an ordained Baptist Minister besides being a clock maker. Primarily built clocks for George Mitchell who was a retailer, and married to the Atkins brother's sister Polly. Anson left the firm in 1832 and went to Waterville, Conn. where he went into the cutlery business. Anson was the younger brother of Ephraim Downs who was also an important figure in the Connecticut clock industry. In 1859, Irenus Atkins started The Atkins Clock Company which ran successfully for 20 years making shelf, calendar, and marine clocks. Irenus retired from the clock making industry in 1879 due to failing eyesight.

REFERENCES 1. "NAWCC Bulletin # 208 - Wood Movement Identification", page 490, figure 53.
2. "Eli Terry and the Connecticut Shelf Clock" by Kenneth D. Roberts and Snowden Taylor, 1994
3. "Illustrated Catlaogue of Clocks Manufactured by the Atkins Clock Company, Bristol, Conn. - 1873" by Chris Bailey
4. "The Clocks of Irenus Atkins" by Phil Gregory & Robert King

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	Column & Splat Connecticut Shelf Clock
CLOCK NAME	N/A
MANUFACTURE	Atkins and Downs, Bristol, Conn. for George Mitchell and Rollin Atkins Rollin Atkins (1790 - 1844) Irenus Atkins (1792 - 1882 Anson Downs (1797 - 1876) George Mitchell (1794 - 1852 Image on top left is of Irenus Atkins Image on bottom left is of George Mitchell
CASE MODEL #	N/A
MOVEMENT TYPE	Type 8.132, 30 hour, movement made by Ephraim Downs. Hour strike on cast bell.
CASE SIZE & CONSTRUCTION	Base = 17 1/4", Height = 33 1/4", Depth = 4 ¾" Mahogany veneered standard half column & splat
LABEL INFORMATION	Original in excellent condition: "Improved* Clocks, / Made by / Atkins & Downs / for G. Mitchell & R. Atkins, / Bristol, Conn. / Warranted if well Used".*
DIAL INFORMATION	Original hand-painted dial is 11 1/4" X 12 1/4", with decorative spandrels and ornamentation. Dial glass is original and held in place by putty.
MISC. FEATURES	Appears to have original splat, chimneys and returns.
ACQUIRED FROM	Online auction.
CONDITION WHEN ACQUIRED	Clock not running, lower glass has been replaced with an old print. This will be replaced with a historically correct reverse glass painting by KL. One small piece of veneer missing on lower right corner, will repair this as time permits. Image to the left is the clock prior to restoration work.
RESTORATION	November 2004 - Cleaned case with furniture mask and applied thin coat of wood moisturizer. March 2005 - KL created a new historically correct reverse painted tablet for this clock. It has a stenciled boarder (each individual stencil cut out by hand) done with bronzing powder. The reverse painting was done with ink line work and artist oils. The pattern was from an original glass that we had in our archive.
HISTORICAL DATA Atkins Clock shop in Bristol, Ct. c. 1855	The firm Atkins & Downs consisted of Irenus and Rollin Atkins and Anson Downs. They were listed as being in business from 1831-1832 in Bristol, Conn. Irenus was an ordained Baptist Minister besides being a clock maker. Primarily built clocks for George Mitchell who was a retailer, and married to the Atkins brother's sister Polly. Anson left the firm in 1832 and went to Waterville, Conn. where he went into the cutlery business. Anson was the younger brother of Ephraim Downs who was also an important figure in the Connecticut clock industry. In 1859, Irenus Atkins started The Atkins Clock Company which ran successfully for 20 years making shelf, calendar, and marine clocks. Irenus retired from the clock making industry in 1879 due to failing eyesight.
REFERENCES	1. "NAWCC Bulletin # 208 - Wood Movement Identification", page 490, figure 53. 2. "Eli Terry and the Connecticut Shelf Clock" by Kenneth D. Roberts and Snowden Taylor, 1994 3. "Illustrated Catlaogue of Clocks Manufactured by the Atkins Clock Company, Bristol, Conn. - 1873" by Chris Bailey 4. "The Clocks of Irenus Atkins" by Phil Gregory & Robert King
NOTES	N/A