Mantel clock made in 1820 and manufactured by Silas Hoadley. Mantel clocks are clocks that can be placed on top of a shelf or mantel.

Silas Hoadley (1786-1870) was an American clockmaker born in Bethany CT. He formed a clock-making partnership in Plymouth, Connecticut with Eli Terry and Seth Thomas as Terry, Thomas & Hoadley. These three clock makers pioneered the mass-production of clocks using water driven machinery to tool parts. The partners gradually withdrew to create their own firms – Terry in 1810, Thomas in 1814 – leaving Silas Hoadley as sole owner. Hoadley continued to make clocks until 1849. Standard references spell his name Hoadley. Note that the “e” in his name is missing from the paper label on this clock.

There is not much information on Hoaldley aside from Wikipedia, but there is ample information on his partners Eli Terry and Seth Thomas. Interestingly, on a bidding website the same mantel clock is listed as “Rare Seth Thomas Off-Center Pillar & Scroll Clock.” The clock was in a lot with other clocks and apparently sold for $2,091. Seth Thomas appears to be more of a pioneer (he has a town named after him called Thomaston) in clock making than Hoadley who is often only refers to as a partner.

• Side note: A 1992 article on the Hartford Courant mentions are revival of the old Seth Thomas factory that still exists in Thomaston.

The clock has a pillar and scroll shelf type design. This means that there are two pillars on the sides of the clock with scroll work on top. Scroll work is a form of art that includes spirals and rolling designs. The clock is veneered in mahogany. It also has a painted wood dial along with Roman numerals.

Lower portion of the clock contains an image of a landscape with homes and trees. The glass containing the image is in eglomise decorations. According to Eglmosedesigns.com, eglomise is a French word that means “‘glass gilded,’ decorating glass by painting on the back or reverse side, sometimes gilding with gold or metal leaf.” The image is contained within a border designed with leaves referred to as foliate borders.

The three brass finials on top of the clock are suspected to be unoriginal (Ashley). However, images on the web show the same brass finials on the same clocks as this one. There is also the chance that they were replaced. Movement on the clock is intact, but not in running order.