[Taking A Close Look At...]
[CULTURES]

Clocks



"Watches! Watches! Before purchasing elsewhere call and see L.N. MARCOU'S Stock of Newly Imported Watches. Andre Lever Silver Case fifteen jewel Prices from $6 to $28. Excellent Waltham Watches in a common case for $12. Also a large supply of 'thirty-hour clocks' which are sold--AT BOTTOM PRICES--L N MARCOU, Watchmaker, Main Street Antigonish." [Aurora, 19 September 1883]

"Notice, To all customers and the public in general, call and see a large assortment of Watches, Clocks, Jewellery and Silverware. To be sold as follows: Silver and Clocks 15 per cent below price list, Watches 20 per cent, Jewellery 25 per cent." [Casket, 20 August 1884]

"It is a singular fact that in Antigonish everybody has a time of his own, and among any half-a-dozen watches there will be found a difference of from ten to fifteen minutes." [Aurora, 1883]






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Item: Ansonia "COTTAGE STYLE" SHELF CLOCK
Date: 1875
Dimensions: 29.6 high, 20 cm wide

Comments:This "cottage style" shelf clock (sometimes called a kitchen clock) was purchased in Stellarton, Pictou County, in 1875 by Lauchlin MacDonald, one-time stonemason, miner and farmer. This clock has a solid base and a white metal face with roman numerals. It is plain and utilitarian. The veneered case is devoid of the usual ornamentation such as feet, gilt stencilling, pillar and scroll or pillar and splat style. Even the decorative detail on the glass is unsophisticated, featuring simply a row of geometric shapes in green and red. It is difficult to date this clock. There is no trademark label identifying origin or seller's name.

The history of clockmaking in Canada has been described as "short and fragmented." Although clocks existed in Canada as early as the 1690s, they were considered a luxury well into the 18th century. Clocks came to the colony via importers who sold both English and American clocks. Peddlers were frequently vendors of such wares. Canadian clockmakers who made clocks "from scratch" were rare, but there were those enterprising few who imported the movements and produced the wooden cases themselves. After all, the importation of these cases was far from practical or economical, especially when Canada had an abundant supply both of wood and able craftsmen. By the 19th century, clocks ceased to be rare commodities in Canada. The shelf clock was particularly attractive to consumers. It boasted at least one distinct advantage--it could stand on its own without needing to be hung on the wall. The market quickly grew as American clocks were sold throughout Canada in unprecedented numbers. After the American Revolution, a fledgling Canadian clockmaking industry struggled to survive, drawing most of its influence from Connecticut.

Attitudes towards the concept of time were transformed dramatically in the 19th century. Pre-industrial rural society was governed by the rhythms of the seasons and the daily routine of chores. The demands of urbanization, industrialization and modernization dictated that human activity be measured in hours, even minutes. For this reason, time ceased to be variable and the clock increasingly defined the pace of the day and became a fixture in many homes. This late 19th-century cottage clock, manufactured by the Ansonia Clock Company (USA), was probably an attractive purchase for the North America consumer with its reasonable price of $1.80.

Researched by Mark Pitts



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Item:MANTLE CLOCK
Date: 1870s
Dimensions: 45.5 cm high, 28 cm wide

Comments: This New Haven Clock Company mantle clock originally belonged to Angus McLean of Malignant Cove. It was purchased in Florida in 1870. The New Haven Company was established in New Haven, Connecticut in 1853. At first, it made movements for the Jerome Manufacturing Company and then branched out on its own in 1856 with a line of 8-day clocks. This particular clock has brass movements and can be classified as a 30-hour and hourly strike clock. It has a walnut finish and gilt-decorated glass with an orange half-moon. The case is ornately carved and features in a central position the head of a female classical figure. With its fancy design and rich appearance, it must have been an elegant touch in the McLean home. The family lavished careful attention on this possession. There are pencil notations on the back of the clock recording the dates of different cleanings, including one by local jeweller J.R. Hellyer. The cleaning on 20 February 1915 cost 50 cents. At the turn of the century, mantle clocks were available from T. Eaton's catalogue for prices ranging from three to six dollars.

Mark Pitts






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