19th C. Ansonia Wood Kitchen Clock

21 x 11 inches. This late 19th-century American shelf clock, often referred to as a kitchen or parlor clock, features a mechanical eight-day, spring-driven time and strike movement. The case is constructed from stained wood with elaborate pressed and fretwork ornamentation, including a crenelated peaked top and stylized geometric motifs at the base. The front features a hinged glass door decorated with a gilt transfer-print design of architectural columns and foliate scrolls. The paper dial is set within a brass bezel and features Roman numerals with two winding arbors; a patent date is printed at the top center reading FEB 11 1879. The interior houses a coiled wire gong for the hourly strike. On the reverse, a distressed paper label is affixed to the backboard. The readable portions of this adhesive label include A in a top section, NG. below it, Clock in a larger bold font, and EN, CONN. at the bottom. The label also includes printed instructions beginning with the word NOTICE and detailing how to adjust the time and strike. The clock is accompanied by a separate brass winding key and a pendulum. The pendulum bob is made of brass and features an integrated scale numbered from 0 to 45 with a blue-steel indicator needle.