I'm curious if someone can identify the name or model of this clock. I bought it recently and the lady that sold it to me says its not listed in any of the books but says it original.

Who knows for sure but the ripple molding and the turned columns are made of the same type wood. It appears to me to be a rosewood veneered case. The label says Welch, Spring and the clock has a EN Welch marked movement with no extra movement holes. The lower tablet is original but has been rebacked. Regardless, its a nice looking clock and I thought it might make an interesting topic on the board.

Derek Phelps

Derek,
Nice looking clock! I believe the book on JC Brown mentions that there was a fire at the Brown factory, and that possibly the ripple carving machines were destroyed in the fire and never remade. Brown also owned the Forestville plant. They had ripple mouldings made and stored in other buildings that didn't burn, so they still made clocks with carving on it until they ran out. I believe Brown went bankrupt shortly after the fire, and Welch bought out all of Brown's clock business (I believe Brown already owed Welch a lot $$$). So I think there are some Welch clocks as well as Brown ones that have a variety of carvings, like yours. The book is by Kenneth Roberts and Snowden Taylor and called Jonathan Brown and the Forestville clocks.

Andy

Very interesting clock Derek. The molding looks to me like J.C.Brown style. The ripple molding I have seen on the E.N.Welch clocks were (in my opinion) not as good looking as the J.C.Brown moldings.

It looks to be a variation of the "Italian" models. The top arch, base shape and door configuration all match, but the design of the columns and the ripple around the base are not shown in the books I have seen so far.

THIS LINK shows examples of the J.C.Brown and Welch rippled cases.


Very neat clock.

Tom & Andy,

Thank you for your insight. It makes some sense when one thinks that Welch bought out or at least took over JC Brown's operation, that this clock might possibly be correct. The fit and finish on this clock seems to be just a little too good to be something that someone marriaged up after the fact. It might have happened, who knows for sure, but its just a little too slick for someone to go to that much trouble. Anyway, thanks for your input. That is what is great about this resource, everyone's input.

Derek