Antique Simon Willard Jr. Banjo Clock (1815-1830) | ||
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Posted 11 years ago
ayntjunk
(10 items)
Rare early (1815-1830) banjo clock by Simon Willard Jr. This is a good clock, very nearly all original. Works are original, as is the eagle finial and reverse painted glass panels.
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One of the finer clocks I've seen on here!
Thank you. Largest collection of Willard's in the country told me it has a very nice dial. I've looked at hundreds of examples and never seen a similar dial. Pretty rare, I believe. I agreed to a price on it last week.
Interesting findings about this clock! I had the honor of appearing at last weeks Antiques Roadshow in Santa Clara, Ca, June 7th, 2014 and had this clock appraised since I purchased this 10 months ago from ayntjunk. Turns out this is not a Simon Willard, Jr Banjo Clock, instead it is a Aaron Willard, Jr Banjo Clock. Although the glass panels are quite old, I was also told that they are not original and that the clock had also been reguilded. Finally, I was told that the finial is not original, although I tend to disagree with that as there is an example of one almost identical in the Paul Foley Willard Patent Time Pieces on page 45. The finial on the one above has the original patina . They did tell me it was a beautiful Willard Banjo Clock, but looks like I purchased this on wrong information.
wowza!! regardless it's still a beautiful clock! do you mind sharing w/ us how much it was valued at? did you do okay? my family has a simon willard steeple clock which has been in the family for a very long time.
No I did quite bad on the appraisal compared to what I paid based on the dealer's very wrong information. Before the dealer acquired the clock, the clock had never left the family as it had been passed down over the years and the family was also related to Paul Revere and John Hancock. I must also confess that the previous owners also told me that most everything was original on the clock and I only found out that information after the dealer sold it to me, when I contacted the previous owners directly. The glass panels I am told is what truly makes the difference between how much the clock is worth. If the glass panels had been original, the clock would have been worth $$$$$, especially since it's a Willard clock. Because the glass panels are not original even though these are quite old 19th century, it drops the value precipitously. Two other clock dealers told me that the clock looked correct, but I am now going on the assessment from the respectable appraiser from The Antiques Roadshow who has been in the profession for a very long time.
Just spoke with the appraiser from The Antiques Roadshow who looked at my clock and I felt very comfortable with him knowing what he told me.
The clock is definitely an Aaron Willard, Jr Banjo Clock circa 1810-1815. He told me that Simon Willard, Jr never signed his clocks like the one above. The face dial, signature and hands are definitely Aaron Willard,Jr (first period). He also told me that he felt the throat and bottom glass panels are second period, not the originals but perhaps a hundred years later and that the clock has been reguilded. He also said the finial although quite old was probably from a tall case clock. The clock does work quite well and does have the original crank key.