Refurbished Waterbury York Mantel Clock: A Few Unexpected Findings, Yet Ultimately Disappointing
A Worn but Charming Waterbury York Parlour Clock: A Journey Through Time
In the heart of Waterbury, Connecticut, a city once synonymous with clockmaking, a charming relic from the past has found a new home. This is the tale of a Waterbury York parlour clock, circa 1900, a testament to the evolution of American timekeeping from cabinetry and mechanical clocks to modern wristwatches.
The Waterbury Clock Company, founded in 1857, was a pioneer in the industry, known for its affordable and mass-produced clocks. Among its notable products were the Waterbury York parlour clocks, characterised by their wooden cases and reliable mechanical movements.
This particular clock, with its machine cut walnut case and paper dial marked "Waterbury", stands approximately 19 inches long by 12 inches wide, making it a short drop wall clock. It features a black and gold pendulum aperture and an 8-day time-only movement.
However, this clock has seen a hard life, as evidenced by the well-worn pillar screws. The strike side mainspring is a replacement, and the shroud securing the main wheel assembly on the strike side was not properly secured. The strike side second wheel gear teeth have damage due to a broken mainspring. Despite many attempts, the strike side of the clock refused to work, presenting a challenge for the owner.
The clock was purchased at auction in the spring of 2019, and the author wrote about the struggles of adjusting the strike side in December of the same year. Despite the clock's wear and tear, it is surprisingly undervalued, with a good example fetching almost nothing in the market.
The Waterbury Clock Company's journey did not end with clocks. By the early 20th century, it shifted focus and expanded beyond clocks into wristwatches. This evolution culminated in the creation of the Timex brand in 1944, a name that became synonymous with rugged and affordable watches, famously marketed with the slogan “takes a licking and keeps on ticking.”
Though specific details about individual Waterbury York parlour clock models and their designs are documented in horological collections and antique clock catalogs, the overall trajectory from Waterbury York clocks to Timex watches shows a classic example of American industrial evolution from cabinetry and mechanical clocks to precision wristwatches.
The clock's journey, however, is far from over. With the author being close to a solution for the clock's strike side issue but not realizing it at the time, the story of this worn but charming Waterbury York parlour clock continues to unfold.
