Anyone in to Clock Toppers? I have had this one a few years "Pandora and Her Magic Box"
This is supposedly made by Gilbert Clock Co...Any thoughts?

This label is on the bottom.

Topper on Black Mantle Clock.

I read an interesting article in an un-named watch collectors magazine of a series made by Ansonia back in the late 1800's celebrating major inventions of the past 200 years (at that time).

One of the most interesting one was of the inventor Denis Papin, and the clock had a statue of the inventor wearing his powered wig sitting in a chair next to his invention....a pressure cooker!

At first I thought, 'what'? Then the article explained it was considered a major invention as before that people were dying from ill prepared meat, and the pressure cooker changed all that. Due to the way it cooked meat, impurities were removed and some cuts of meat originally deemed in eatable, the pressure cooker made useable.

All made sense, but in our day and age, seeing a special order series clock celebrating a cooking item we take for granted today was an eye opener!

Apparently of that series of clocks, it was rarest as fewer were made and sold of it than the others.....at least that's what I recall.

https://www.google.com/search?...9Ytpu5ZBXox4BttUo%3D

Regards! Mark

Thanks Mark for the story and insight!

Tim

Cool clock, You never or hardly ever see any Gilbert clocks with any kind of top decorations.

I've got only one Gilbert with a very mellow almost musical bim bam chime.

Just ran across this clock, and discovered they call this a Normandy Chime.

Gilbert 1807

Here is a url for the YouTube recording of a Normandy chime:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HA0i53Q8f7o

Thanks David,
Evidently there are at least two versions of this by Gilbert. Mine has three rods.
I'll see if I can make a decent video.

I forgot to mention that the hammer striking thr lower note in that video is not adjusted properly. The rod hasn't the same resonance as the upper; it is shorter and "tinnier". Being a musician as well as a clock repairer is a double-edged sword. Yes, I know how to fix the problem, but I also hear problems where most people do not.

@ Dave - Does your clock strike three different notes, or just two, with the second note being two tones struck simultaneously? I have never encountered a Gilbert like that, but I once overhauled a Sessions clock that had three rods. It struck a single high note, and the lower note was actually two notes struck simultaneously. That clock was in a "marble" style case, not the usual "humped center" that most times is associated with bim-bam strike.

It has three different notes. Haven't got around to the video yet but here's a couple of pictures.

Gilbert Normandy chime

(I've never serviced this clock yet, looks like that bob could use a little polish too.) It gains quite a bit on first windup and then slows down at about half wind.

Here's the video. (recorded with my cell phone, mediocre sound at best)

Gilbert Normandy Chime video

That is realy cool Dave ., and in perfect beat.

Nice video
Tjm