Looking to date an E. Ingraham Co Clock (2024)

Hello, I am trying to find the date for when this clock was made. I have been doing some research to find out about this clock and I cant actually find the exact one yet. Here is what I have so far. It has a partial label on the back that has the name of the clock model on it that says Victor. I found another photo online of the rest of the label and that says it was made exclusively for the for the American Wringer Company. The movement is labeled E. Ingraham Co and has the Pat'd Oct 8, 78 Nov 11, 79, Bristol Conn which I think that means that it was made after the company switched its name to E. Ingraham Co in 1884 but before they started putting the 2 number dates on it in 1897. I have checked the E. Ingraham Co catalogs that are available for free online and found the Victor in the 1897, 1899, and the 1901 book but it looks different, no metal feet or columns on the side. I am also wondering if the E. Ingraham Co catalogs would even have it in their books if it was made exclusively for the American Wringer Company. If there is any one that could help me with figuring out more about this clock I would be very appreciative.

c.kugle said:

Ingraham did the same as Seth Thomas after the name/location change they used up their Plymoth hollow works and put them in Thomaston labeled cases.. My guess would be your clock was made right after the 84 renaming if the company.. I have a Seth with Plymoth works in a Thomaston case original to it and I think yours has the same issue...

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Thanks for the info, I am also thinking that it would be between 1891 and 1897 because I believe the American Wringer Company was created in 1891. I am just running out of free resources haha

Mbrez88 said:

Hello, I am trying to find the date for when this clock was made. I have been doing some research to find out about this clock and I cant actually find the exact one yet. Here is what I have so far. It has a partial label on the back that has the name of the clock model on it that says Victor. I found another photo online of the rest of the label and that says it was made exclusively for the for the American Wringer Company. The movement is labeled E. Ingraham Co and has the Pat'd Oct 8, 78 Nov 11, 79, Bristol Conn which I think that means that it was made after the company switched its name to E. Ingraham Co in 1884 but before they started putting the 2 number dates on it in 1897. I have checked the E. Ingraham Co catalogs that are available for free online and found the Victor in the 1897, 1899, and the 1901 book but it looks different, no metal feet or columns on the side. I am also wondering if the E. Ingraham Co catalogs would even have it in their books if it was made exclusively for the American Wringer Company. If there is any one that could help me with figuring out more about this clock I would be very appreciative.

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I am curious if I am in the right ball park for my ideas of dating this E. Ingraham Co black mantel clock. Any further insight would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

Willie X said:

Just take the movement out, or take the dial off. The date will likely be stamped on the front plate. Digg?
Willie X

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Hello WIllie, that is what I was hoping to do but the only date on the movement is the patent date, I tried to show it in the first picture. There are no marks for the 2 number dating system that E. Ingraham Co had on their movements which I was reading in the forums that they may have started in 1897.

Well, Mbrez88 is correct about 1897 for the movement dating - April of that year was when that system was first used routinely, though I have run across the odd clock with a March 1897 date, apparently dated after the word went out from Augustus Ingraham, etc. on the April date. The thumbwheel drive was patented in the mid 1880's and was used until ca. 1920.

If this is an American Wringer product, then 1891-1897, as suggested above, seems a good guesstimated range.

Steven Thornberry said:

Well, Mbrez88 is correct about 1897 for the movement dating - April of that year was when that system was first used routinely, though I have run across the odd clock with a March 1897 date, apparently dated after the word went out from Augustus Ingraham, etc. on the April date. The thumbwheel drive was patented in the mid 1880's and was used until ca. 1920.

If this is an American Wringer product, then 1891-1897, as suggested above, seems a good guesstimated range.

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Thank you all so much, this was my first clock ever and had zero knowledge of anything clock related before trying to research all of this. It’s a fascinating world and I am so thankful for all the kind people in this forum, this will definitely not be my last clock!