1890-1910 Triple Fusee Westminster Chime on Nested Bells Excellent

Stunning turn-of-the-century Westminster chime shelf clock in excellent running condition. The familiar quarter-hour progressing Big Ben chime is heard striking 4 tuned 3" nested bells then sounding the hour count on a separate 4 1/2" solid brass bell.

The sound is soft and unbelievably beautiful. The walnut case measures approximately 29" high including a removable 6" hand-carved wooden finial x 14 1/2" wide x 9" deep. Both the front and rear access doors have glass panels. The sides have brass grill sound vents with solid brass carrying handles. The four brass top corner finials are complemented by four solid brass feet.

All 5 top finials are made in the classic torch style. Richly carved trim can be seen above and below the front door. The solid brass face is unusual and somewhat puzzling having the days 1-31 circling the inside of the I-XII. Ordinarily this is present on simple calendar clocks but there is no evidence of this movement ever having supported a calendar feature while the dial appears to be original to the movement.

On the bottom of the face is an ornately inscribed eagle with'Tempus Fugit', a popular Latin expression seen on clock faces meaning'time flies'. Before then nearly all mechanical clocks used weights to power the movement and were seen primarily in wall and tall case styles. In the late 1700s fusee movements were beginning to be used in watches.

By the mid 1800s fusees were used in a few shelf clocks to compensate for the non-linear performance of springs. But due to their complexity and cost were used sparingly. The item "1890-1910 Triple Fusee Westminster Chime on Nested Bells Excellent" is in sale since Wednesday, June 28, 2017.

This item is in the category "Collectibles\Clocks\Antique (Pre-1930)\Shelf, Mantel". The seller is "dhbrand" and is located in New London, New Hampshire. This item can't be shipped, the buyer must pick up the item.