Kenmore Model 906 "Dowling" Shelf Clock

The Kenmore Model 906 "Dowling" was manufactured circa 1929-32 by the Kodel Electric & Mfg. Company of Cincinnati. Kodel also made Havlin brand clocks and claimed to be the "World's Largest Manufacturer of Electric Clocks." Interesting side note: the patents for all of Kodel's initial Kenmore offerings (excluding this one) were issued on Oct. 29, 1929, aka "Black Tuesday," the start of the Great Depression. Great timing.

This Dowling's exuberant Zig-Zag Art Deco skyscraper-styled case is molded of gleaming maroon-brown Bakelite. The dial has the deluxe feature of a day/date readout. Unlike the readout of the similarly styled Hammond "Gregory", this one uses rotating disks rather than rollers. The Dowling is non-self starting, like most electric clocks of the day, and a knob on the back must be spun to get it going.