Type of clock: Tallcase clock Clock maker: Charles Jacques Location: John Hay Library 106 Catalogue number: Historic Property #1453 Height: 77 in. Width: 25 7/8 in. Depth: 16 ¼ in. Country: New York City Date: ca. 1880 Marks: Jacque Reg. U.S. pat. Off Baden 1965 Donor Plaque: Presented to Brown University In Memory of Antonio Alfred Capotosto, Associate Justice Supreme Court of Rhode Island Capotosto 1879-1962
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Description: This hall clock trademarked by Charles Jacques Clock Co. is set in a mahogany case with a segmentally arched pediment; a pair of full-height columns flanks its single swing door. Glazed in beveled glass on its front and sides, and set on a low base, the clock displays nine chimes and a large steel pendulum. The circular dial has switches for choosing between silent/hour strike and among Westminster, Trinity or Notre Dame for chimes. Made in ca. 1880-1920 the chapter ring is engraved with Arabic numerals, each in a sphere surrounded by floral engravings accompanied by serpentine blued steel hands. The arrangement has roomfor a center seconds-dial and three winding arbors for the 8-day movement, hour-strike and for driving the hands. Provenance: Presented to Brown University in memory of Antonio Alfred Capotosto, Associate Justics, Supreme Court of Rhode Island. Capotosto 1879-1962. Clockmaker biography: Jacques Clock Co., operated from Cortland Street, New York City, ca. 1880. In 1901, Charles A. Jacques obtained two American patents for various "improvements" on the tubular bell invented by John Harrington of England. Jacques' patents enabled American clockmakers to produce longcase clocks with tubular chimes of their own design. Before this, Walter H. Durfee, Providence, Rhode Island, was sole importer of the Harrington tubular bells from England. Consequently, Durfee's production of such clocks declined. [1] References: [1] Patent #685,045 for creating variations of a hammer mechanism for striking tubular bells. Patent #686,301 included a solid cap closing the top of the tube, a transverse tube enclosing the supporting cable, and tuning by means of cutting away part of the tube or perforating or notching it. Jacques' patent was assigned to Bawo & Dotter, a corporation of New Jersey.