Forestville Manufacturing Company Acorn Shelf Clock
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
ca 1847-1849
This American acorn shelf clock was produced by the Forestville Manufacturing Company in Bristol, Connecticut, around 1847 to 1849. The source reports that its curved silhouette was achieved through laminating and bending wood, facilitated by early coiled-steel spring-driven mechanisms rather than falling weights.
The movement utilized coiled springs linked to fusees mounted at the bottom of the case to power conventional trains. The upper arched section frames an off-white dial with Roman numerals and floral corner decorations, while the lower body features a tablet depicting the State House in Hartford.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Shelf clock
- Place Made
- Bristol, Connecticut, United States
- Manufacturer
- Forestville Manufacturing Company
- Measurements
- 24 1/2 in x 15 in x 5 1/4 in; 62.23 cm x 38.1 cm x 13.335 cm
- Catalog Number
- 311601
- Place recorded
- United States
- Overall Material
- wood
- Maker / attribution
- Forestville Manufacturing Company
Design
- Visible features
- • Arched upper hood with a pointed gothic top and flanking acorn-form side finials • Lower glass tablet decorated with a painted view of the Hartford State House and labeled banner • Cream-colored dial with Roman numerals, floral corner flourishes, and twin winding arbors • Stepped rectangular wooden plinth base supporting the curved case frame
- Dial and Visual Features
- The upper arched section of the clock contains a cream-colored dial featuring Roman numerals, floral corner flourishes, and twin winding arbors. The lower body of the clock features a glass tablet decorated with a painted view of the Hartford State House and a labeled banner.
- Construction and Case Design
- The acorn-shaped shelf clock, produced by the Forestville Manufacturing Company, is defined by a curved silhouette. The source attributes this form to the technique of laminating and bending wood, which allowed for a departure from elongated clock cases previously required for falling weights. The exterior of the clock consists of an arched upper hood with a pointed gothic top and flanking acorn-form side finials. The case is supported by a stepped rectangular wooden plinth base.
- Mechanism and Technical Notes
- The clock utilizes early locally made coiled-steel springs. Rather than being integrated into the movement, these springs were mounted at the bottom of the case and attached to a conventional weight-driven movement in a manner described as 'rough-and-ready.' Two springs—one for the going train and one for the hour-striking train—were connected to fusees, which are described as cone-shaped pulleys designed to equalize the changing force of the unwinding spring.
Identification
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: Internal spring-and-fusee movement components are not visible in the exterior photograph
- Research required: Source notes conflicting dates of manufacture: 'ca 1849' and 'ca 1847-1848'