Watch made by the American Watch Co. c.1885. Allen Collection.

In 1857, after initial failures and bankruptcies, a watch factory was established in the small town of Waltham, Massachusets. In the decades that followed the superb mechanical engineers at Waltham designed the new machinery through which watchmaking entered the industrial age. The Waltham factory was to produce over twenty million watches by the end of the century.

Mass produced watches of this type were exported in huge numbers to Europe. By contrast the English watch industry was slow to adopt the new manufacturing techniques. Its products remained bulky and comparatively expensive. Attempts to introduce the American system were too little too late and the industry went into terminal decline.

Accession number 1992.7.25.41

This clock was made by the Brewster Manufacturing Company. The movement is stamped Brewster and Ingrahams. Elias and his brother Andrew Ingraham were cabinet makers who worked separately for many clockmakers including Jerome, Ives and Bartholomew. They invented the sharp gothic and round gothic cases. In 1844, they formed a partnership with Elisha Brewster which survived until 1852, following which E Ingraham and Co was formed and continued until 1967.

Now with steel springs, the movement was originally fitted with brass springs. Because of the difficulties of manufacturing coiled steel springs in America, and the expense of importing them from England, alternatives were attempted. In 1836, Joseph Shaylor Ives procured lengths of brass strip and coiled them into springs. Despite the unsuitability of brass for this purpose, many clocks, like this example, had them fitted. The movement plates have a flange stamped into them; an invention of Brewster's to increase strength.

The round gothic or beehive case was designed by Andrew Ingraham in contrast to his brother's sharp gothic or steeple case. The door is curiously designed with a round upper and square lower section joined together. The painted glass tablet in the lower door is one of thousands of designs used in American clocks.

The Connecticut shelf clock was developed as a more convenient design than the Tall clock. As the United States rapidly expanded westwards and brass replaced wood for movements, the standard product of the Connecticut industry became a small compact, reliable spring driven clock able to withstand long journeys over rough terrain and repairable by inexperienced hands.

Accession number 1992.7.25.9

A Connecticut eight day spring driven shelf clock, c.1855. By E C Brewster and Son

Made by E C Brewster and Son, Bristol, Connecticut c.1855-1860. Elisha Curtis Brewster, born in 1791, was originally a clothier but by 1820 was selling clocks. A shrewd businessman, he never manufactured clocks but marketed the products of others.

In 1832 Brewster purchased the factory of Charles Kirk who continued as his workshop manager and in 1844 went into partnership with the Ingrahams. Several partnerships followed including that with his son which failed due to management difficulties in 1859. Brewster was a deacon of the Congregational Church.

By this date the standard product of the Connecticut industry was firmly established. An economical rolled brass movement, steel spring driven, recoil escapement and count wheel strike. The entire clock was light and easy to transport. In areas where there were no clock repairers, the movement could be cleaned in boiling water and oiled with fat.

The mahogany veneered case with reversed curves and acorn finials is probably the design of the Ingraham brothers, combining as it does the sharp gothic style of Elias and the round gothic of Abraham. The painted glass tablet is a typical example of the numerous different designs used by the Connecticut industry.

Accession number 1992.7.25.9

The movement of this clock is by E N Welch and Co of Connecticut. The case was manufactured in England, c.1870 by Holloway and Co, 128 and 129 Minories, 17 Great Alie Street, 28 New Square, EC, London.

Elisha Niles Welch (1809-87) began life as a bell founder, but his clock company, formed in 1856, amalgamated with several smaller companies to become one of the seven Connecticut giants. After his death fire destroyed most of the factory in 1899 and in 1903 as there were no living men left in the family and his widow and sister did not know how to run a business, the company was sold to members of the wealthy Sessions family and re-designated the Sessions Clock Co. Nelson Holloway and Co (1848-c.1883) specialised in importing American clock movements and the manufacture of English made American style cases.

The eight day movement by Welch and Co is fundamentally unchanged from those designed by the earlier Connecticut manufacturers in the 1840s. It is driven by coiled steel springs, with recoil escapement and count wheel strike. In the second half of the century manufacturers concentrated on increased production.

The English made, Connecticut style case is in the sharp gothic style invented by Elias Ingraham. The lower glass tablet was probably painted by an Italian artist known to be employed by Holloway at this time.

In the 1860s German manufacturers began to copy the Connecticut style of clock and their lower costs alarmed the Americans who established agents, like Holloway, in England. In order to reduce transport costs, American movements were frequently cased in English made cases like this example and the bell strike would further appeal to traditional English customers.

Accession number 1992.7.25.13

A Connecticut 8 day shelf clock in a ‘gingerbread’ case  c.1900

Made by Seth Thomas, Connecticut, 1789-1859. Thomas?€™s career began in 1806 when he joined Eli Terry?€™s clock factory as a carpenter and he later bought out Terry, continuing as a successful manufacturer of wooden and brass clocks. He was not a great innovator but copied the designs of others and concentrated on greater production, achieving 24,000 annually by 1850. His business empire included farmland, cotton factories and a brass rolling mill. The Company ceased trading in 1955, but the name survives as a division of Talley Industries.

The 8 day movement by Seth Thomas is fundamentally unchanged from those designed by the earlier Connecticut manufacturers in the 1840s. It is driven by coiled steel springs, with recoil escapement and count wheel strike. In the second half of the century manufacturers concentrated on increased production. A form of Maltese stop-work prevents the spring from either fully winding up or down which theoretically gives better timekeeping.

These style of cases were officially called ?€œOaks?€ but were more generally known as ?€˜gingerbreads?€™. After the elaborate head and ear pieces were fretted, presses were used for decoration. The glass is decorated with a gothic arch and foliage in a William Morris style design.

The great improvement in transport that came with the railroads meant that clock manufacturers were no longer confined to light and simple designs. Seth Thomas produced quite elaborate clocks which were imported to all parts of the world.

Accession number 1992.7.25.17

A 30 hour 'marine' time keeper in an octagonal case, single train with detached level escapement. Made by the New Haven Clock Company, c.1860.

By the 1840s long journey times in the United States led to the development of the so called 'marine' time keeper. This was a cheap timepiece with simple lever escapement which was suitable for use on riverboats or railroad cars. Large numbers of them were made by the New Haven Clock Company (formerly the Chauncey Jerome Co.)

Accession number 1992.7.25.22