Here’s an E. N. Welch mantel clock I repaired for a customer. E. N. Welch made clocks in Forestville, Connecticut for many years until 1902, when the company name became Sessions Clock Co. This clock probably dates to around 1890 to 1900. It is an 8-day clock that strikes the hour and half-hour. The case is wood, painted with black enamel paint.
This type of clock is often called a “black mantel” clock by collectors. This was first made in France, with a heavy case made of slate or slate and marble. American companies (such as Seth Thomas) made a relatively small number of clocks with slate and marble cases, but the vast majority are either enamel painted wood or cast iron. Also, Seth Thomas made the beautiful “Adamantine” cases of wood veneered with colored celluloid.
Repair job 8782. This seems to be an earlier example of a mantel clock movement, having the front regulator shaft located between the movement plates. (It cannot be removed except by removing the back movement plate.)
I overhauled the movement including polishing or burnishing the pivots, installing 15 bushings, straightening one bent pivot, and adjusting the escapement.
The clock had very strong mainsprings! (0.019 inch thick). I don’t know if they were original or replacements. I installed thin, long mainsprings to reduce future wear and to make the timekeeping (rate) more constant during one week of running from fully wound up. The new springs were MS-298 11/16 by 0.015 by 108 inches from Merritt’s.
If you have a clock you’d like repaired, see my website billsclockworks.com.
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