Lighthouse clock, invented by Simon Willard of Roxbury, Mass., 1819.
Available records indicate that the Willards only made about 200 Lighthouse clocks between 1819 and 1835. While the original patent was for an alarm clock, a few were made without the alarm feature. This clock without alarm, is time only, 8 day, one weight. The mahogany case is superb, with an octagonal base, tapered round trunk, three round ball feet, and it stands 29 inches tall. The brass eight-day, T Bridge, time only movement, is under a blown glass dome. Various styles of dials were used, porcelain, etched brass, and paint on metal. This excellent original dial is paint on metal, hardly any flaking. The hands are original and identical to those shown on other Willard clocks. The clock runs strong and is powered by one large round metal weight. Having never seen another Lighthouse clock I cannot say for sure if the weight is original, but it is very old, and it has a replaced hook. Many lighthouse clocks are pictured and written about in Bulletins, Palmers books, and many other books, and it appears that no two glass domes are alike. All were individually hand blown and it would probably be impossible to make any two alike. Ours looks like many others pictured in the books. We thought the suspension rod had been broken and soldered, but we discovered it is very pliable in a one inch section, and that is how you put the clock in beat . T Height is rare clock Height as been authenticated by several knowledgeable clock collector-historians, to be an early authentic Willard Lighthouse Clock. We know from monitoring other auctions that one sold on the East coast 4 years ago for $400,000, another sold in the past three years for $250,000, and one sold in a Maryland auction last year for $150,000, that was very rough and had been painted.
Clock types
