Mantel clock made by the Wm. L. Gilbert Clock Co., Winsted, Conn. A very unique clock and considered a novelty at the time. Case is 17” wide, 17 ½” tall, 6 ¼” deep, dial is 5 ½” diameter. Please read the full description and view all of the photos as they are part of our description. The week duration movement was completely rebuilt. See below for detailed restoration performed. This unique clock, strikes the bell for the correct hours and once at the half hour. It sounds great. The wood case retains all of the original black enamel, a few spots were touched up. The sides are serpentine shaped and retain the green marbleized alligator finish. The clock retains the original dial with age and some wear, 4 metal feet were cleaned and NOT painted. The wood case was cleaned and waxed. It comes with original pendulum and a double end key. The bell and bell housing retains most of the original gold gilt. The top weighs 5 pounds and is held in place with 4 screws. It will have to be removed for safe shipping. This is good looking, fun clock, keeps time, and is not considered a common clock.

"THE FOLLOWING IS THE RESTORATION PERFORMED".

All Brass parts were cleaned. I am a purest and believe in preserving as much as humanly possible. The Value for Good Antiques is in Originality and Condition. Not Damaged, Broken, or comprised of non-original parts and overall dirty condition. This should be of importance to you if you are a serious collector or just want a good reliable original Antique Clock. Most of you would be astounded at the amount of time, labor, technical know how, clock machinery and stock of obsolete clock materials it takes to do this level of restoration and the dollar figure associated with it.
The clock movement was completely disassembled and cleaned in an Ultra Sonic cleaner. all pivots were resurfaced and polished on the Watch Makers lathe, 12 new bronze bearings were installed into worn pivot holes. I use the more expensive bronze bushings simply because they are harder and last longer than brass bushings. All bushing work in done by hand not with a drill press or bushing machine. This ensures the bushings are the correct size and are installed perpendicular. Once installed the interior of the bushing is polished with a smoothing broach and the oil sinks are hand cut into the front of the new bearing, the back side is cut to remove troublesome burrs. All metal to metal wear was eliminated. The verge was hand stoned and polished with a Sapphire file then trued to the escape wheel. The clock was cleaned again in the Ultra Sonic cleaner to remove any metal particles. It was assembled and lubricated with the finest clock oil. One main spring was replaced with the correct American made springs. The main springs that are currently available are made in China and India which are pure rubbish. The clock now runs with a very strong pendulum amplitude as it should. I run and test All my clocks for 15 to 30 days prior to being offered for sale. This is what I do and have done for the last 40 years. As a clock Maker, all work is performed to the highest Horological standard.

Basic Information You Should Know!
For those of you who are not familiar with the term "Restoration", this simply means cleaning, waxing original finishes and rebuilding the clock movement or preserving the integrity of any type of Antique to original condition WITHOUT ALTERATION. The more an item is original the more it is worth. The less original the less it is worth. If the clock movement is changed for whatever reason, the Antique Value is diminished to parts only and can not be valued as a complete original Antique. This in not just my opinion but a fact. Any good Appraiser or legitimate Antique Clock Dealer would be in total agreement. We are at a point in time where completely original Antique Clocks are very few and far between. In many cases it has been considered acceptable to restore an original dial, replace a clock hand, replace a broken door hinge, replace a broken wood pendulum rod, replace broken glass or repaint reverse painted glass. But NEVER replace an original clock movement.
Polishing the Brass will not alter the Antique Value of a clock if it was that way originally. In some cases it is best not to polish the brass.
Not everyone can afford or even appreciate this level of restoration. However, that is no reason to perpetuate the misrepresenting and dishonesty by other clock sellers. Especially those that are replacing clock faces with fake advertising dials, especially Rail Road Dials . Replacing the glass with newly painted advertising to make the clock appear to be something that it never was. Also there is a perfectly good reason why clock sellers will not show you the clock mechanism. #1 their clock is dirty, badly worn and probably not original to the case. When in this condition it will cost you hundreds of dollars to have the movement rebuilt properly. #2 you could see additional holes in the back of the case where the original movement was mounted. if it is shown it does not look like my professionally restored clock movements. #3 The latest deception is that sellers are taking a photo of the movement with a bright flash giving the illusion that the brass movement is clean and bright, but you can still see the dirt and grease around the gear pivots as the penetrate the brass plates. Saying that a clock is running good does not mean it will keep accurate time or even run when you receive it.
Many internet clock sellers claim that they guarantee the clock runs, however when the clock arrives it will not run. When the seller is contacted he simply passes the buck to the shipper that it was damaged in shipping and you the buyer should file a insurance claim. This gets him off the hook for selling a clock that was not in good order to begin with. WARNING, If not packed properly the shipper will refuse the damage claim. Sound Familiar? Yes, rarely a properly packed clock can be damaged, that is why the clock we ship are fully insured. I always have the habit of over packing with plenty of fresh materials to insure it arrives in good order. I am always here, unless out fly fishing, to provide assistance and answer questions. I know my clocks intimately and provide lengthy operation and care instructions to my clock buyers. My properly restored original Antique Clocks will provide years of uninterrupted service and pleasure. Hope this little tidbit of information aids you in making an intelligent decision on what to buy or NOT. All my clocks come with a correct fitting key, a set of instructions specific to this clock and the best packing in the business. I expect you to take the clock out of the box and have it up and running in a short time with a few exceptions and I am here to support you .

All clocks are professionally restored, authenticated and keep accurate time. NO excuses here. We provided operating instructions with our clocks and a KEY.

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All items at Drury House Antiques are available to purchase, unless they are marked Sold or Sale Pending