Gingerbread Mantle Clock

In 2016, I shared the story of an Elgin pocket watch passed down to my husband by his uncle, Ralph Murphy. Today, I share another treasure from Uncle Ralph’s collection: a Waterbury gingerbread mantel clock.

This ornate antique clock was produced by the Waterbury Clock Company, founded in 1857 and known for its beautifully crafted timepieces. The clock features a pressed oak case with intricate carvings that resemble the decorative trim found on Victorian-era “gingerbread” houses—hence the name. It stands 22 inches tall and 15 inches wide, with a large glass panel adorned with gold stenciling that opens like a door to reveal the brass clockworks. The clock has a wind-up mechanism and chimes hourly when wound with a key.

The movement inside was manufactured by the E. Ingraham Company, another American clockmaker of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Since Waterbury and Ingraham produced their own proprietary parts, this suggests the clock was likely repaired or restored at some point. The screws also appear to be replacements.

The dial features large black Roman numerals and two winding holes—one for the time mechanism and one for the chime. It measures 5 inches in diameter. Each hour is marked with five rectangular indices, and the top of the hour is distinguished by a triangle.

A small silver ring encircling the numerals is known as a chapter ring. I noticed that the Roman numerals on the chapter ring do not align perfectly with those on the dial. We checked to see if it rotates, but it does not. Whether this misalignment is intentional or the result of a manufacturing or restoration quirk remains unclear. The chapter ring itself measures 1¼ inches in diameter.

The pendulum is 8 inches long, with 6 inches visible through the glass. Its decorative medallion measures 3 inches in length and 2½ inches wide. Fortunately, we still have the original key to wind the clock, which you can see in the bottom right corner of the photo below.

The rear label is in poor condition, but I found a matching version online that includes helpful instructions:

Directions for Setting the Clock Running and Keeping it in Order. 

The long hand is the Minute hand, and the short hand is the Hour hand.

Remove the packing wire holding the pendulum rod, and hang the ball on the rod. The beat should be equal and regular, and will be so if the clock is set in a LEVEL position.

To Set The Clock:—Always use the Minute hand (which can be turned in either direction, without injury) never turn the hour hand.

The Clock Is Regulated by means of a screw at the bottom of the Pendulum. If the Clock should go too fast, lower the ball. If too slow, raise it.

DIRECTIONS FOR A STRIKING CLOCK. 

The Clock can be made to strike to correspond with the position of the hands by carrying the minute hand forward to the figure II, then backward to the figure VIII, and back and forth between these figures until the right hour is struck.

There is some writing above the Waterbury label on the back of the clock, but it’s too faded to read.

Family heirlooms are more than objects—they’re storytellers. Uncle Ralph is no longer here to share the stories behind his clock, but I’ll always remember the day I visited his home and saw part of his cherished gingerbread clock collection. The photo below captures a portion of that display, proudly arranged in his family room.