Birge, Peck & Co. Eight-Day Column and Cornice Weight Clock

This beautiful clock came into my shop for repair recently. It was made by Birge, Peck & Co., Bristol, Connecticut. The accepted name for this style of clock is “Eight-Day Standard Column and Cornice Clock”.

I really like the reverse painted glass tablets in the doors. The middle glass shows “Public Square, New Haven”, and the “S” in “Square” is printed backward. The lower glass shows “Smithsonian Institute, Washington”

See more photos.

Birge, Peck & Co. was in business from 1849 – 1859. The backboard label says at the bottom: “Press of Elihu Geer, 10 State Street, Hartford; which dates the clock from 1850 – 1855.

When the clock came into the shop, the dial had brass grommets around the winding holes. These grommets were not original to the clock, and I removed them per my customer’s request.

The verge (the antique American term for pallets or anchor) had been replaced in the past with an incorrect part. The old replacement verge spanned only 7 teeth instead of 8, so I installed a new verge of the correct size. I moved the saddle (brass piece with the bearing holes) toward the exit pallet to be half way between the pallet tips to make their motions equal (before moving it, it was too close to the entry pallet, causing the exit pallet to move too far and dig into the escape wheel teeth). I also moved the crutch wire toward the exit pallet.

The backboard label has the following headlines:

Extra Eight Day
Rolling Pinion Steel Pivot
Brass Clocks
Birge, Peck & Co
Bristol, Conn.

The label features  a picture of a locomotive named “The Breeze”. The case is 32 1/2 inches  tall, and 19 3/8 inches wide at the top. The dial’s minute track is 7 inches in diameter. The minute hand is not original.

Birge, Peck & Co. was one of a series of clock companies involving John Birge. They used rolling pinions, a form of lantern pinion in which the pinion wires or “trundles” are pivoted on each end and rotate in the brass shrouds. Regular lantern pinions have the wires don’t rotate.

Here is a summary of the Birge companies as listed in “The Contributions of Joseph Ives to Connecticut Clock Technology 1810 – 1862”, by Kenneth D. Roberts, Revised Second Edition, Bond Press, Hartford, Connecticut, 1988.

  • John Birge    Birge & Ives 1831 – 1833;
  • Birge, Case & Co. 1833 – 1835;
  • Birge, Gilbert & Co. 1835;
  • Birge & Gilbert 1835 – 1837
  • Birge, Mallory & Co. 1837 – 1843;
  • Birge & Fuller 1843 – 1848;
  • John Birge    John Birge & Co. 1848 – 1849;
  • Birge, Peck & Co. 1849 – 1859.
  • Clock manufacturing was discontinued in 1859 and John Birge died in 1862.

When setting up this clock, the heaviest weight goes on the right (time) side. The weights weigh as follows:

  • Time weight (right): 7 pounds 11 ounces
  • Strike weight (left): 5 pounds 10 ounces

The pendulum bob is 2 3/16 inches diameter and weighs 2.4 ounces. The regulating nut is not original, it should be a thin, straight knurled disc.

References:

“The Contributions of Joseph Ives to Connecticut Clock Technology 1810 – 1862”, Kenneth D. Roberts, Revised Second Edition, Bond Press, Hartford, Connecticut, 1988.

“The Greek Revival Influence on  American Clock Case Design and Empire Clock Case Development”, Lee Davis, NAWCC Bulletin Supplement 18, Spriing 1991.

Repair job 5524.


Share this post:

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin

4 comments

  1. Our family has this exact clock. It was recently handed down due the passing of our mother. My eldest brother is now in possession of it and would like to know the approximate value for insurance purposes. Any insight would be helpful.

  2. I have a working Birge & Co three tier mantle clock. Appears to be original glass, weights, pendulum, hands etc. the string for the weights is not original.

    Is this a rare clock? I have no interest in selling it, but I am curious about the uniqueness.

  3. i AM BIDDING ON A PARTIAL HOUSEHOLD.tHERE IS A CLOCK BY bIRGE AND PECK. uT IS SIMILAR TO YOUR PICTURES. tHE LABEL IS COMPLETE AND IN TACT. cORNICE IS DAMAGED, dONT KNOW IF FACE IS CORRECT ONE, nOT INSTAKKED, wEIGHTS AND PENDULEM ARE THERE . nO CHAIN OR WEIGHT CORDS, fRONT GLASS IS PRETTY NICE tWO SEPERATE VIEWS WITH WOOD SERARATING. iS THIS CLOCK WORTH REPAIRING? pLEASE CALL 217-434-8556 0R 217-430-1463 ORM WRITE ME AT 1344 nO. 172OTH aVE fOWLER, iLL 62338

  4. Appreciate the info. I have the same clock with a floral scene painted on the face. I have been trying to date the clock. Thanks again for info.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.