Litchfield Mfg. Company. An oversized and decorated papier-mâché case. MM-166.
The Litchfield Manufacturing Company made this very unusual clock. It is considered an oversized example, having a case that measures 26.5 inches tall and 21 inches wide and is made from papier-mâché. It retains a very high percentage of its original decoration, including the mother-of-pearl inlays, gilt designs, painted florals, and a large peacock. This decoration is in good original condition. Much of the gilt design trims the edges of the case. The painted details are somewhat subdued. Another detail worth noting is the molded-in shelf on which the clock case is mounted.
The painted zinc dial measures 8 inches in diameter and is protected by glass. The glass is fitted into a brass bezel. This dial is original to this clock and features a segmented time ring with Roman-style hour numerals. An adjustment for the rating of the movement is located below the numeral “XII.” Spade-shaped hands display the time.
The movement is framed in brass plates. The front plate is die-stamped by the manufacturer, and the plates are unusually shaped. Steel shafts support the steel pinions, polished pivots, brass gearing, and Botsford escapement. Samuel Botsford designed this lever escapement for clocks to be used in unstable environments like marine use, on locomotives, and in rooms with considerable vibration. It is spring wound and features a single-time-only train that runs eight days between required windings.
This clock was made circa 1851 and is in excellent original condition.
Inventory number MM-166.
$6,500.
The Litchfield Manufacturing Company was founded in 1850 by Dr. Josiah G. Beckwith. He was a local physician and druggist who operated a medical practice and pharmacy on South Street in the building currently occupied by the Post Office. After founding the Litchfield Manufacturing Company, Dr. Beckwith acquired the property on South Street along the Bantam River. A decade earlier, this property had been used by Wadsworth, Lounsbury, and Turner and later by Julius Peck & Co. to manufacture shelf clocks. When Dr. Beckwith acquired the building, it measured 80 feet by 50 feet and was three stories high. In 1851, the Litchfield Manufacturing Company was incorporated, and several investors, including circus owner P.T. Barnum, joined the Board of Directors. The Company manufactured papier-mache goods such as small tables, card cases, fire screens, portfolios, small boxes, vases, and clock cases. Papier mache products were popular in Europe. To ensure the highest quality, Dr. Beckwith brought in skilled papier-mache workers from England and Germany. These artisans not only brought their unique techniques but also trained local men and women, leaving a lasting international influence on our town's industrial history. At its peak, the factory employed over 50 people. However, the success of the Company was short-lived. In 1854, P.T. Barnum persuaded the board to move the factory to East Bridgeport. A year later, due to financial difficulties, the factory closed.
