Waltham Watch Company of Waltham, Massachusetts. Timepiece. Boston State House lower tablet. 221228.
This fine Federal Massachusetts improved timepiece or "Banjo clock" was made by the Waltham Watch Company of Waltham, Massachusetts, circa 1930. This clock is listed in their catalog as the model No. 1500 and originally sold for $75.00 in the first quarter of the twentieth century.
This is a colorful example. The case wood is mahogany and retains an original shellac finish. The shellac has slightly alligatored over the years, forming a textured surface. This is particularly true of the surfaces on the half-rounded frames. Waltham called this frame form "Torus" frames. This model also features a mahogany presentation bracket. The eagle finial, sidearms, and bezel are brass. The bezel opens to a painted iron dial that is slightly convex and features large Arabic hour numerals and the Makers signature, "Waltham," on the front of the dial.
The reverse hand-painted tablets are very colorful and demonstrate excellent skill. The throat features a traditional theme for this form. It is quite intricate in its design. The lower tablet depicts a popular view of the Boston State House from the vantage point of the pasturelands that are now part of Boston Common. The Boston State House was designed by Charles Bulfinch and was constructed from 1795 through 1798. It was built on top of Beacon Hill on land that John Hancock once owned. In this view, Hancock's residence is depicted to the left of the State House. Unfortunately, Hancock's home was torn down in 1863.
The brass movement is mounted to the back of the case with screws. The movement is weight driven and is designed to run for eight days on a full wind. The quality is outstanding. It features heavy brass plates, a recoil escapement, maintaining power, and a Geneva stop winding mechanism. The front plate is die-stamped with the Maker's name in the upper right corner. The weight is cast in lead and features an internal pulley. This weight is original to this clock.
This clock measures approximately 40.5 inches long overall.
Inventory number 221228.
The various forms of the Waltham Clock and Waltham Watch Companies enjoyed a solid reputation for making quality clocks. It was first established in Waltham, Massachusetts in January of 1897 as the Waltham Clock Company in Waltham, Massachusetts. Their products were excellent quality, first selling primarily hall clocks, shelf clocks and then wall clocks. In 1913 they sold out to the watch making giant Waltham Watch but continued to make clocks under the Waltham Clock name until 1923 when the name was changed to the Waltham Watch and Clock Company. In 1925 the name was again changed, this time to the Waltham Watch Co. It is reported that pendulum clock production ended sometime around 1930.
