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"Continental" Blinking Eye Clock, ca. 1875

Value (2016) | $1,500 Auction – $2,500 Auction
Watch  

GUEST:
It was given to my uncle Bill, who worked in a local grocery store, and the gentleman who owned the store was very elderly at the time and eventually decided to retire, and he gave it to my uncle as a parting gift.

APPRAISER:
Was your uncle an antique collector, per se?

GUEST:
No, not at all. APPRASER: So, what... one can wonder why he thought your uncle would like this. It's a curious object. (laughing)

GUEST:
I have no idea why he picked that to give to him as a gift.

APPRAISER:
And then ultimately, it was left to you? Is that the idea?

GUEST:
Yes. He knew that I liked it as a little girl, and he told his sister, my aunt Marjorie, "When she gets old enough, I want her to have it."

APPRAISER:
Great.

GUEST:
He passed away, and she kept it and when I became an adult, she gave it to me.

APPRAISER:
When I was a teenager, I collected clocks. I think that's how I got started in all of this. And I remember in some of the early reference books seeing these clocks illustrated, and I was quite fascinated with them and wondered whether I'd ever get to see one for real. Well, over the years I've seen a few of them. These so-called "blinking-eye" clocks have been collectible since the early part of the 20th century, believe it or not. The thing that impresses me about this particular clock, it's in remarkable condition. Many of these clocks have been repainted over the years because people think, "Oh, the paint's dull. I think I'll dress it up little bit." I don't think I've ever seen one that worked. And in this case, we know it's working, and it's telling good time.

GUEST:
He certainly does.

APPRAISER:
The movements on these clocks were made by Waterbury, a clock company in Waterbury, Connecticut. They're responsible only for the movement. But the case itself was made by Bradley & Hubbard Manufacturing in Connecticut, and they were a remarkably innovative firm making a lot of decorative objects out of both cast iron and brass. If we turn the clock over, you can see that it was patented in the late 1850s. And there's Bradley & Hubbard's logo. This clock has a wonderful profile. Okay, it was called at the time the "Continental" model, and there were a number of these clocks made in a variety of forms, this being, I think, one of the most desirable forms. Great condition-- it's working. It's the best.

GUEST:
Thank you.

APPRAISER:
So I was thrilled when you brought it in, and I think as far as value is concerned, it would be probably between, well, $4,000 and $4,500. So it's a treasure.

GUEST:
Thank you very much.

APPRAISER:
All right, and now, you ready?

Support provided by: Learn more

Appraisal Details

Appraiser
Stephen L. Fletcher
Clocks, Decorative Arts, Folk Art, Furniture
Skinner, Inc.
Boston, MA
Update (2016)
$1,500 Auction – $2,500 Auction
Appraised value (2000)
$4,000 Auction – $4,500 Auction
Featured In
Boston, Hour 2 (#0608)
Vintage Boston (#2025)
Event
Boston, MA (August 19, 2000)
Category
Clocks
Period
19th Century , 20th Century
Form
Clock
Material
Brass , Cast Iron

Executive producer Marsha Bemko shares her tips for getting the most out of ANTIQUES ROADSHOW.

Value can change: The value of an item is dependent upon many things, including the condition of the object itself, trends in the market for that kind of object, and the location where the item will be sold. These are just some of the reasons why the answer to the question "What's it worth?" is so often "It depends."

Note the date: Take note of the date the appraisal was recorded. This information appears in the upper left corner of the page, with the label "Appraised On." Values change over time according to market forces, so the current value of the item could be higher, lower, or the same as when our expert first appraised it.

Context is key: Listen carefully. Most of our experts will give appraisal values in context. For example, you'll often hear them say what an item is worth "at auction," or "retail," or "for insurance purposes" (replacement value). Retail prices are different from wholesale prices. Often an auctioneer will talk about what she knows best: the auction market. A shop owner will usually talk about what he knows best: the retail price he'd place on the object in his shop. And though there are no hard and fast rules, an object's auction price can often be half its retail value; yet for other objects, an auction price could be higher than retail. As a rule, however, retail and insurance/replacement values are about the same.

Verbal approximations: The values given by the experts on ANTIQUES ROADSHOW are considered "verbal approximations of value." Technically, an "appraisal" is a legal document, generally for insurance purposes, written by a qualified expert and paid for by the owner of the item. An appraisal usually involves an extensive amount of research to establish authenticity, provenance, composition, method of construction, and other important attributes of a particular object.

Opinion of value: As with all appraisals, the verbal approximations of value given at ROADSHOW events are our experts' opinions formed from their knowledge of antiques and collectibles, market trends, and other factors. Although our valuations are based on research and experience, opinions can, and sometimes do, vary among experts.

Appraiser affiliations: Finally, the affiliation of the appraiser may have changed since the appraisal was recorded. To see current contact information for an appraiser in the ROADSHOW Archive, click on the link below the appraiser's picture. Our Appraiser Index also contains a complete list of active ROADSHOW appraisers and their contact details and biographies.

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