Village find

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Back in April neighbor Rick Simms brought me over to see Marge, a lifelong resident of Carmel Valley. Marge had been working as a caretaker for an elderly woman who recently passed away. The woman left Marge the house and its contents. Rick said there were "some clocks" in the house and arranged for Marge to show them.

The house was not visitor friendly. An old bungalow that had clearly gone bad decades ago. The place was rancid with decay. Almost to the point of driving me out but your correspondent persevered. The assortment of life detritus was abundant.

There were several clocks.

This tall case (Grandfather) one was a Ridgeway. Probably no more than 40 years old. And had seen better days. Too new.


Then there was what seemed like a home-brew of a custom case and a cheap movement. This was an odd clock.

  

There were two Korean made clocks. Pass.

Then there was this...


A Seth Thomas Tambour style mantle clock.

With this charming pendulum fob.

Now your correspondent was still quite green to horology in April and I was taken aback by the crusty dial face of the clock. Nevertheless, feeling emboldened, I offered $30. She said no and that she'd have an estate sale during the summer and see what she could get for it. I left without any fresh game.

But that fob stayed on my mind...

I did some research (natch).

Here’s a tidbit: the fob is called the “boy on a fence” and the originals are desirable. They make replacements for them:
https://timesavers.com/i-8948593-mantel-clock-bob-seth-thomas-boy-on-fence.html

Wonder if I might have been hasty in dismissing the beastie...

On Rick's next visit to the house I mentioned that "if Marge wants to reconsider that clock I'd be happy to consider another offer.”

Time goes by. Life intervenes.

Three months later clan Brown embarks on visiting a few yard sales in the Village.

Yup.

She remembers me. $40. Sold.

Now a couple of highlights and post-purchase photos:

While perhaps not the sine qua non of clockmakers, my research quickly revealed that Seth Thomas is one of the most respected and that the quality of their work is considered to be very high for a broadly commercial manufacturer.

This is what is known as an 89 movement. Several varieties. This is an AD version. Considered to be a very reliable workhorse.


The case is actually in very good shape but it took me over an hour of cleaning and some nuclear radiation to get it to stop smelling like smoke and death. Sheesh.

Made in 1916. January I believe. (A = January, B = February, etc.)


Coming up next... getting her to run.


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