Ansonia Clock Company
Encyclopedia
Ansonia Clocks were made by a clock manufacturing business which started in Ansonia, Connecticut
, in 1851 and which moved to Brooklyn
, New York
in 1878. An enormously successful business, it turned out thousands of clocks in a large number of styles.
. In 1844, metal dealer Anson Greene Phelps
formed the Ansonia Brass company
in Connecticut, to supply the expanding clock business - nine companies were producing clocks in Connecticut.
In 1850 the Ansonia Clock Company was formed as a subsidiary of the Ansonia Brass Company by Phelps and two Bristol, Connecticut
clockmakers, Theodore Terry and Franklin C. Andrews. Terry & Andrews were the largest clock manufacturers in Bristol, with more than 50 employees using 58 tons of brass in the production of about 25,000 clocks in 1849. Phelps decided to get into the clockmaking business to expand the market for his brass, while Terry and Andrews got access to better quality brass at better prices. They had resultantly sold 50% of their business to Phelps, and moved the business to Ansonia.
Thomas Edison
visited the factory in 1878 to experiment combining clocks with his newly developed phonograph. But the experiments proved unviable.
By 1879, a second factory is opened in Brooklyn, New York and by June 1880 employs 360 workers, while the Connecticut factory continues producing clocks as well with a work force of 100 men and 25 women. Hence, clocks marked "Connecticut" were generally produced before 1879, while those marked "New York" were all produced after 1880
In 1899, Phelps grandson William Earle Dodge Stokes commissioned architect Duboy to build the "greatest and grandest hotel in Manhattan, New York" New York's first air conditioned
building, the Ansonia Hotel
still stands at 2107 Broadway
, albeit as a condominium
apartment block http://www.thecityreview.com/uws/bway/ansonia.html
, Ansonia were producing 440 different models. However, the novelty clock became subject to fierce competition. As Ansonia’s strongest selling line, rather than maintain profit, Ansonia attempted to gain volume by offering clocks at "old pricing".
This tactic racked up huge debts, and by 1920 the number of models was down to 136 models, and 47 by 1927. In 1926 the company sold its Brooklyn warehouse, but this could not stem the inevitable. In 1929 the majority of the timekeeping machinery and tooling were sold to the Soviet government's
US trading company Amtorg, just before the stock market crash. The parts, machinery and key skilled workers were shipped out of the USA to form the basis (along with the remains of a watch company purchased a year later) of the clock and watch industry in Moscow
- e.g.: Poljot
, Sekonda
.
In 1969, the rights to the use of the name, trade marks, and goodwill were transferred to Ansonia Clock Co., Inc., Lynnwood, Washington
.
Ansonia, Connecticut
Ansonia is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, on the Naugatuck River, immediately north of Derby and about northwest of New Haven. The population was 19,249 at the 2010 census. The ZIP code for Ansonia is 06401. The city is serviced by the Metro North railroad...
, in 1851 and which moved to Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1878. An enormously successful business, it turned out thousands of clocks in a large number of styles.
History
In 1838, brass movements had mainly replaced wooden and cast iron movements in most clocks due to the volumes of supply of rolled brassBrass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...
. In 1844, metal dealer Anson Greene Phelps
Anson Greene Phelps
Anson Greene Phelps was a co-founder of mining company Phelps Dodge, which he founded in 1833 along with his son-in-law William E. Dodge.-Early life:...
formed the Ansonia Brass company
Phelps Dodge
Phelps Dodge Corporation was an American mining company founded in 1834 by Anson Greene Phelps and William Earle Dodge, Sr.. On March 19, 2007, it was acquired by Freeport-McMoRan and now operates under the name Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.-History:...
in Connecticut, to supply the expanding clock business - nine companies were producing clocks in Connecticut.
In 1850 the Ansonia Clock Company was formed as a subsidiary of the Ansonia Brass Company by Phelps and two Bristol, Connecticut
Bristol, Connecticut
Bristol is a suburban city located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States southwest of Hartford. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 61,353. Bristol is primarily known as the home of ESPN, whose central studios are in the city. Bristol is also home to...
clockmakers, Theodore Terry and Franklin C. Andrews. Terry & Andrews were the largest clock manufacturers in Bristol, with more than 50 employees using 58 tons of brass in the production of about 25,000 clocks in 1849. Phelps decided to get into the clockmaking business to expand the market for his brass, while Terry and Andrews got access to better quality brass at better prices. They had resultantly sold 50% of their business to Phelps, and moved the business to Ansonia.
Expansion
In 1877 the clock company purchased a factory in New York, and moved most of its production there after being spun off from the brass company. Henry J. Davies of Brooklyn, himself a clockmaker, inventor and case designer, joins the newly reconstituted company as one of its founders. As President, he is thought to be largely responsible for the figurine clocks, swing clocks and other unusual and desirable novelties for which the Ansonia firm became known.Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. In addition, he created the world’s first industrial...
visited the factory in 1878 to experiment combining clocks with his newly developed phonograph. But the experiments proved unviable.
By 1879, a second factory is opened in Brooklyn, New York and by June 1880 employs 360 workers, while the Connecticut factory continues producing clocks as well with a work force of 100 men and 25 women. Hence, clocks marked "Connecticut" were generally produced before 1879, while those marked "New York" were all produced after 1880
The peak years
After the New York factory burnt down in 1880 - the loss is reported to be $750,000 with only $395,000 insured. (See New York Times October 28, 1880; http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9905E4DE173FE533A2575BC2A9669D94619FD7CF ). The company rebuilt the factory on the same site, and reopened the expanded factory in 1881, with capacity to exceed that of the Connecticut factory - which closed completely in 1883. By 1886, the company has sales offices in New York, Chicago and London, and more than 225 different clock models are being manufactured. The prosperous and debt free Ansonia Clock Company reports having an inventory worth $600,000 and receivables valued at $250,000. In 1904, Ansonia added non-jeweled watches to their line, and produces an estimated 10 million of these by 1929In 1899, Phelps grandson William Earle Dodge Stokes commissioned architect Duboy to build the "greatest and grandest hotel in Manhattan, New York" New York's first air conditioned
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
building, the Ansonia Hotel
Ansonia Hotel
The Ansonia is a building on the Upper West Side of New York City, located at 2109 Broadway, between 73rd and 74th Streets. It was originally built as a hotel by William Earle Dodge Stokes, the Phelps-Dodge copper heir and share holder in the Ansonia Clock Company, and it was named for his...
still stands at 2107 Broadway
Broadway (New York City)
Broadway is a prominent avenue in New York City, United States, which runs through the full length of the borough of Manhattan and continues northward through the Bronx borough before terminating in Westchester County, New York. It is the oldest north–south main thoroughfare in the city, dating to...
, albeit as a condominium
Condominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
apartment block http://www.thecityreview.com/uws/bway/ansonia.html
Downfall
In early 1914, just before World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Ansonia were producing 440 different models. However, the novelty clock became subject to fierce competition. As Ansonia’s strongest selling line, rather than maintain profit, Ansonia attempted to gain volume by offering clocks at "old pricing".
This tactic racked up huge debts, and by 1920 the number of models was down to 136 models, and 47 by 1927. In 1926 the company sold its Brooklyn warehouse, but this could not stem the inevitable. In 1929 the majority of the timekeeping machinery and tooling were sold to the Soviet government's
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
US trading company Amtorg, just before the stock market crash. The parts, machinery and key skilled workers were shipped out of the USA to form the basis (along with the remains of a watch company purchased a year later) of the clock and watch industry in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
- e.g.: Poljot
Poljot
Poljot , is a brand of Soviet/Russian wristwatches, produced since 1964 by the First Moscow Watch Factory . The flagship brand of the USSR's watch industry, Poljot produced numerous historical watches used in many important space missions, including the world's first space watch worn by Yuri Gagarin...
, Sekonda
Sekonda
Sekonda is a British distributor of fashion wristwatches. Sekonda is the best-selling watch brand in the United Kingdom. Originally a company which marketed Soviet-made time pieces in the West, Sekonda's Soviet ties ended with the break-up of the USSR...
.
In 1969, the rights to the use of the name, trade marks, and goodwill were transferred to Ansonia Clock Co., Inc., Lynnwood, Washington
Lynnwood, Washington
Lynnwood is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The population was 35,836 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest in Snohomish County and twenty-ninth largest in Washington State. The city is a mix of urban, suburban, small city, crossroads and bedroom community to many...
.