The Ithaca Calendar Clock Company was established in 1865 using Henry Bishop Horton’s perpetual roller-type calendar clock patent. Horton (1819-1885) was granted two calendar clock patents, the first on April 18,1865. The second, issued on August 28,1866, was an improvement on his first patent. Because Horton’s clock was a perpetual-calendar clock, it could be adjusted to automatically compensate for a leap year.
From about 1855, until the turn of the century, calendar clocks were very popular, and larger companies manufactured several models of them. Most calendar clocks used a simple mechanism that required corrections to be made to accommodate leap year and the irregular number of days in the months. With the perpetual calendar device, however, no manual changes had to be made for the entire year.
Ithaca specialized in calendar clocks, but Horton could not find manufacturers in the Connecticut area who would use his mechanism in their clocks. He was independent enough, however, to establish a factor}’ in Ithaca, New York, where the cases and calendar mechanisms were made.
The clock faces on the Ithaca clocks had two circular dials, one above the other. The top dial indicated the time, while the bottom dial showed the day of the week, the date of the month, and the month of the year. In most cases, the two dials have the same diameter, but in some clocks, the top dial is smaller than the bottom one.
Ithaca Calendar Clock Company, “Farmers” walnut perpetual calendar shelf clock, w/Welch movement & provisions for the date, day, &month on the lower tablet, eight-day time & strike, ca. 1865, 25 1/2″ h. $750.
These unique clocks were shipped to various parts of the world and were available in fifteen languages. Most ran for eight days, although some were thirty-day clocks. Walnut, rosewood, and painted cases were available.
Unfortunately, in 1876 a fire destroyed the Ithaca clock factor}7. Destructive fires were common occurrences among clock companies. Undaunted, Henry Horton secured another building and business continued as usual, but the business began to decline after 1900 and finally went bankrupt. Today perpetual calendar clocks are extremely expensive. Prices can soar to $4,000 or more.
The instruction label that follows was found on the outside of the back of an Ithaca calendar clock. We print it here to show you how exacting a company can be about its product.
