Description

Rodney Brace false hollow-column shelf clock, ca. 1830. A beautiful 33-inch mahogany-veneered case with flame mahogany on the columns, lower door and side panels, with a clean, old finish. The dial glass is old but looks like a replacement, as is the middle mirror. The wooden dial board is clean and highly decorated with gilded gesso, including the center ring with fine designs. The hands are likely original. The 30-hour wooden movement has an inboard alarm (not tested); it will run for a few minutes but the strike chain is hung up. There are two standard 30-hour weights (~2.5 lb) which might be a bit light; a previous example AAC sold has 4.5 lb weights. (Note that the weights run behind the columns, not through them.) There is also a small alarm weight. I believe you set the alarm by rotating the brass alarm ring such that the small indicator arrow on the back end of the hour hand is directly over the time on the alarm ring that you want the alarm to ring. The label is readable, and is from when Brace was working in North-Bridgewater, MA. AAC sold a similar example in 2021 for $600. $350–$600.

Record courtesy of AntiqueAmericanClocks.com