In December of 1828, the Gilbert Clock Company began its long history of producing clocks. Over the course of more than 130 years, it developed into one of America’s industry titans. When William Lewis Gilbert (1807–90) and his brother-in-law George Marsh bought a clock business serving Farmington and Bristol, Connecticut, they established what was originally known as Marsh, Gilbert and Company. They relocated the business to Dayton, Ohio, in 1834, but after just a year they transferred it back to Bristol.
The business became known as Birge, Gilbert & Company after John Birge joined in 1837. Gilbert soon added Chauncey and Nobel Jerome and Zelotus Grant as partners, and the business was renamed Jerome, Grant, Gilbert & Company in 1837. The low-cost brass-movement clocks that Jerome sold were made by this business.
Gilbert relocated to Winchester, Connecticut—then known as Winsted—in October 1841 and partnered with Lucius Clarke to buy a clock manufacture. The new company was known as Clarke, Gilbert & Company. From 1841 through 1845, when William Gilbert acquired Clarke’s share and continued business as W. L. Gilbert & Company, they created affordable brass clocks. Gilbert & Clarke became the name of the company after Clarke repurchased his shares in 1848.
The business changed its name to W. L. Gilbert & Company in 1851 and continued to make brass-movement clocks until 1866, when a joint stock company was established. The Gilbert Manufacturing Company was the name given to the new business. Up until April 2, 1871, when a fire entirely destroyed the plant, it was produced at the same Winchester facility.
Gilbert quickly recovered from this catastrophe and established a new company, the William L. Gilbert Clock Company, just three months later, in July 1871. The new company engaged George Owen as its new general manager and constructed two brick buildings with four stories. For the following 20 years, Owen oversaw the clock manufacturing in addition to running his own business. Although William L. Gilbert passed away in 1890, the business kept its name and operated under Owen until 1900.
Up to the 1907 recession, the business remained profitable after the turn of the century and erected new structures and a bigger stock of clocks. Business declined further from that point on until 1914, when it almost went bankrupt but was saved by its creditors. With sound management, the business turned profitable again by 1920 and had all of its debts paid off by 1925.
When the Great Depression arrived in earnest in 1932, the firm was forced into bankruptcy. At the time, the Bristol, Connecticut-based E. Ingraham Company attempted to acquire the entire business, but for some reason the transaction never closed. The firm emerged from receivership after two years, paid off its debts, and renamed itself the William L. Gilbert Clock Corporation.
The firm was one of the few American clock manufacturers permitted to continue making clocks during World War II rather than being forced to produce war materials. Since alarm clocks were necessary even during a time of war, this is what they mostly produced. People had to arrive on time for their duties connected to the conflict. Gilbert had to use pressed paper or papier-mâché for the casings of these alarm clocks since metal was required for the war effort.
Similar to the majority of the large clock firms, the financial issues persisted after the war. The William L. Gilbert Clock Corporation started developing adding machines in 1953 in an effort to avoid another bankruptcy. Finally, the General Computing Machines Company acquired the business in 1957, and the name was changed to General-Gilbert Corporation. For a half million dollars, the company’s clock section was sold to Spartus Corporation of Chicago, Illinois in 1964.
Many beautiful clocks were produced throughout the Gilbert Clock Company’s 130+ year history. These clocks are still widely used in households today and still function perfectly. Black mantel, wood-finished mantel, pressed-wood kitchen, schoolhouse, regulators, office wall, calendars, and alarm clocks are a few of the designs they produced. Collectors should consider Gilbert clocks. Although they are not as common as some of the other American clocks, their value is progressively rising, and with a little searching, one may find them.