038-T-0392

BOSTWICK & BURGESS COLUMBUS TIMEPIECE
INDEX # : 038-T-0392

circa: 1892-1893

CLOCK STYLE Wall Clock

CLOCK NAME Columbus / Anno 1492

MANUFACTURE Bostwick & Burgess, Norwalk, Ohio

CASE MODEL # N/A

MOVEMENT TYPE Wood gears, single weight, time only, folliot
escapement.

CASE SIZE & CONSTRUCTION Base = 5 ½", Height = 14", Depth = 5 ½"

LABEL INFORMATION No label, original paper label was on the wood box that clock was packaged in.

DIAL INFORMATION Wood dial with raised pressed Arabic numerals, single hand for hour and minute. Dial serves as front plate of movement. 5 ½" chapter ring.

MISC. FEATURES Advertisement on dial for Riverside soap ("Riverside Soap Saves Time and Labor"). Also has raised likeness of Christopher Columbus and the date 1492.

ACQUIRED FROM Antique auction at "Conestoga Auction Co.", Manheim, PA.

CONDITION WHEN ACQUIRED Not running, missing escapement wheel, time weight missing, folliot
and acorn weights.

RESTORATION May 1999 - Replaced missing escapement wheel, folliot
, and time weight with ones from another Columbus Clock that I had for parts. Cleaned all wooden parts, and set clock to running.

HISTORICAL DATA

This clock was made by Bostwick and Burgess to mark the 400 year anniversary of Columbus's discovery of the America's, and was produced for the Chicago Columbus Exposition in 1893. It is reported that these clocks were also given away as souvenirs for a production of Rice's 1492 at the Palmer Theater in New York City in 1893 & 1894. The company made some 15,000 to 20,000 Columbus clocks as souvenirs. Initially, they charged $5.00 apiece, and later it was reported that the left over clocks were sold for $1.00 each.

The image to the left is of the Bostwick-Goodell Co., c. 1920, which took over from Bostwick and Burgess. They made window blinds and screens.

Additional historical information has been provided by a descendant of the company, click here to view this information.

This is one of only two Columbus clock I have seen with product advertising on it (the other sold on ebay in 2004). I have to assume that this clock was left over from the Worlds Fair, and the company that manufactured Riverside Soap purchased and added the wooden advertising ring to it. I have not been able to find any information on "Riverside Soap".

REFERENCES 1. NAWCC Bulletin No. 280, Volume 34, October 1992. Picture of timepiece on back cover, and description on page 513.
2. "The Book of American Clocks" by Brooks Palmer, 1967, picture of similar timepiece, illustration 281.
3. "The Columbus Clock" by Willis I. Milham, 1945.

NOTES I must admit, I had know idea what we were buying when we bid on this timepiece. It was months later when I saw the above bulletin, that I finally realized what it was.

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	Wall Clock
CLOCK NAME	Columbus / Anno 1492
MANUFACTURE	Bostwick & Burgess, Norwalk, Ohio
CASE MODEL #	N/A
MOVEMENT TYPE	Wood gears, single weight, time only, folliot escapement.
CASE SIZE & CONSTRUCTION	Base = 5 ½", Height = 14", Depth = 5 ½"
LABEL INFORMATION	No label, original paper label was on the wood box that clock was packaged in.
DIAL INFORMATION	Wood dial with raised pressed Arabic numerals, single hand for hour and minute. Dial serves as front plate of movement. 5 ½" chapter ring.
MISC. FEATURES	Advertisement on dial for Riverside soap ("Riverside Soap Saves Time and Labor"). Also has raised likeness of Christopher Columbus and the date 1492.
ACQUIRED FROM	Antique auction at "Conestoga Auction Co.", Manheim, PA.
CONDITION WHEN ACQUIRED	Not running, missing escapement wheel, time weight missing, folliot and acorn weights.
RESTORATION	May 1999 - Replaced missing escapement wheel, folliot , and time weight with ones from another Columbus Clock that I had for parts. Cleaned all wooden parts, and set clock to running.
HISTORICAL DATA	This clock was made by Bostwick and Burgess to mark the 400 year anniversary of Columbus's discovery of the America's, and was produced for the Chicago Columbus Exposition in 1893. It is reported that these clocks were also given away as souvenirs for a production of Rice's 1492 at the Palmer Theater in New York City in 1893 & 1894. The company made some 15,000 to 20,000 Columbus clocks as souvenirs. Initially, they charged $5.00 apiece, and later it was reported that the left over clocks were sold for $1.00 each. The image to the left is of the Bostwick-Goodell Co., c. 1920, which took over from Bostwick and Burgess. They made window blinds and screens. Additional historical information has been provided by a descendant of the company, click here to view this information. This is one of only two Columbus clock I have seen with product advertising on it (the other sold on ebay in 2004). I have to assume that this clock was left over from the Worlds Fair, and the company that manufactured Riverside Soap purchased and added the wooden advertising ring to it. I have not been able to find any information on "Riverside Soap".
REFERENCES	1. NAWCC Bulletin No. 280, Volume 34, October 1992. Picture of timepiece on back cover, and description on page 513. 2. "The Book of American Clocks" by Brooks Palmer, 1967, picture of similar timepiece, illustration 281. 3. "The Columbus Clock" by Willis I. Milham, 1945.
NOTES	I must admit, I had know idea what we were buying when we bid on this timepiece. It was months later when I saw the above bulletin, that I finally realized what it was.