Jerome & Co., a marketing arm of the New Haven Clock Co. made this clock in the mid-1850s. It is a 1-day or 30-hour clock called the “Rose Cottage”. In the 1850s and later, cottage clocks could be purchased with a time and strike movement, time and strike with alarm but this one is a very simple clock that was made to do one thing, tell the time.
It is a very small movement. In fact the smallest American clock movement I have ever worked on.
The most interesting features of this movement, besides the size, are the solid third wheel and the high mount escape wheel with the entry pallet just above the wheel itself.
The photo below shows a very interesting “fix” for a worn pivot hole, certainly an add-on by a not-so-professional clock repairer. It consists of a piece of copper wire soldered to the plate. The copper wire then loops around the pivot and keeps it from moving in the worn hole. Many repairers at the time punched around a pivot hole to close it but this is an odd repair.
Other issues included finishing nails instead of taper pins to secure the plates and the mainspring loop end attached to the bottom right post instead of the left. While on the right post (as found) the mainspring uncoils and pushes against the center cannon lantern pinion and stops the clock. I doubt that the movement could run a full day.
The movement
As a time-only movement, it is pretty simple in design. It takes all but a minute to disassemble and reassemble the movement.
My first task was to remove the ugly solder and copper wire. I pulled the wire away and using a soldering gun the solder dissolved easily, both front, and back since both ends had the same “fix”.
Once the copper wire was removed I could see that the front bushing hole was elongated as I suspected.
The only other bushing required was the escape wheel and back-plate. The bushing hole on the escape wheel bridge is a little worn but it should do for now as this clock will not be a daily runner.
The movement is on the test stand and running well. Now to see what I can do with a very worn and very tired case.
Antique and Vintage Clocks 