Bidspirit auction | Seth B. Bradley Transitional Mahogany

Seth B. Bradley Transitional Mahogany Veneer Shelf Clock - An early 19th-century American transitional shelf clock manufactured by Seth B. Bradley in Watertown, Connecticut, utilizing Eli Terry's patented design. The rectangular case is constructed of mahogany-veneered secondary wood and features a stenciled top splat and stenciled half-columns flanking the door. The base is supported by front-facing carved wooden paw feet. The square painted wooden dial is detailed with black Roman numerals, an inner ring of minute dots, and gilt-painted foliate spandrels in the corners. A decorative gilt ring surrounds the center, which contains two winding holes. The interior houses a 30-hour weight-driven mechanical movement with wooden plates and gears, including a strike train that hits a wire coil gong. The clock includes two cast iron weights and a brass-faced pendulum bob. The interior features a partial manufacturer's paper label that reads PATENT CLOCKS, / INVENTED BY / ELI TERRY. / MADE AND SOLD / WATERTOWN, CONNECTICUT, / BY / S. B. BRADLEY. A second Directions label is also present inside the case. The backboard has an old rectangular metal repair patch and remnants of decorative wallpaper. Width at top: 11.5 inches. The clock is in as-found condition with heavy wear consistent with age. There are significant veneer losses along the front frame and base. Stenciled decorations on the splat and columns show heavy rubbing and wear. The dial face exhibits extensive paint loss, cracking, and staining, with some numerals partially obscured. The lower glass tablet is opaque and appears to have lost its original reverse painting, showing a large central area of loss. Interior paper labels are heavily torn and missing text. The backboard has a metal patch repair. The functional status of the wooden movement is unknown and likely requires professional servicing.