The Ansonia Story: It was on the banks of the Connecticut Naugattuck River in the early 1800's that Anson Phelps developeda brass foundry. He named the town that grew uparound it 'Ansonia', and began producing clock parts for the fledgling American clock industry. The company was incorporated in 1870 and moved to Brooklyn, New York. Ansonia grew to become, by the turn of the century, one of the largest clock manufacturers in America. These clocks have become treasured heirlooms, as well as dependable timepieces for clock lovers throughout the world. The Ansonia Clock Company was best known for its decorative imitation gold, and ornate novelty clocks. Petulant cupids and angels, deep thinkers, athletes, babies, and languid ladies drape and adorn the ornamental designs, that characterize the name and products of Ansonia. Anson Phelps founded the Company in Derby, Connecticut. An importer of tin, brass, and copper in the Eastern section of the states, he already owned a copper mill (hence the ormolu). Phelps maintained considerable financial backing, as well as contacts and knowledgeable business associates in his venture. From such formidable beginnings he suffered two serious setbacks. In 1854 the factory burned at a loss of several thousand dollars. At this time the Ansonia Clock Company became the Ansonia Brass and Copper Company, as Phelps had little choice but to move the clock facilities into the standing copper mill. By 1879, or thereabouts, the clock company was reformed, and manufacturing operations were moved to the Brooklyn section on New York City. Unfortunately this factory also burned, after a scant few months in its new location of operations. By the late 19th and early 20th century, Phelps had reestablished his name in the clock industry as one of the major manufacturers. The factory was rebuilt and expanded. Ansonia sales officers and agents could be found all over the world. It was during this time also, that many different designs of clocks were included in the manufacturing process: alarms, cabinet, carriage, crystal regulators, galley, kitchen, mantel or shelf, onyx, and marble, porcelain and china, statue, etc. Ansonia was in its heyday, at the height or its productivity, fame, and power. Any type of business enterprise is vulnerable to some extent or another; changing tides in the publics' imagination. world events and crisis, new inventions, world leaders, even literature and art can spell success or eventual failure in a business or industry. The events leading up to these financial difficulties are not always completely fair insofar as the amount of effort or expertise expended by the company, may be complete professional. We have already discussed some of the elementary threats to business in those days. Fire was the greatest hazard. Ansonia had already weathered two severe setbacks for this reason, and recovered admirably. Their next major problem was not as obvious although just as dehabilitating. Just before World War I Ansonia's strongest selling point, the novelty clock, became subject to fierce competition. Rather than maintain competitive realistic prices for their clocks, they attempted to cut their losses, offering clocks at, "old pricing". This tactic failed, and Ansonia began a downward spiral in the clock industry, that resulted in heavy losses. By 1929 the majority of the timekeeping machinery and some tools and dies, were sold to the Russian government and shipped out of the country. This formulated the basis (along with the remains of a watch company purchased a year later) of the clock and watch industry in Moscow. None of the major clock industries survived the Depression and subsequent Second World War, intact. In 1904 the company had attempted to jump on "the dollar watch" bandwagon, perhaps as an ineffectual guard against the first hints of potential financial difficulties. (Ansonia clocks were not cheap.) The idea behind the dollar watch was to make it in the same manner as a cheap clock. The concept bore little resemblance to the traditional, intricate style that went into the handcrafted watch. It did not pan out. Instead designers turned to the Tourbillon watch, concocted by the French genius Breguet. Watches are difficult timekeepers due to the unstable positions they are likely to fall into. Breguet's watch had a turning escapement which minimized these errors in accuracy. American designers went one step further, allowing the entire movement to rotate inside the case. The Ansonia Company produced a similar non jeweled model. They sold millions of these inexpensive watches in the two and a half decades before they went out of business; an interesting comparison to the scrolled elaborate clockwork the Ansonia collector is familiar with. Today Ansonia is a family business, owned and operated by theDale Nofzigerfamily. As clock craftsmen with a mission, we have dedicatedourselves to maintain not only the highest standards ofexcellence, but also to preserve the integrity of one of thegreatestnames in the American clock industry. Parts were stolen from the Web site located at http://www.wolfe.net/~clokstre/index.html and most came from "The Official Price Guide to Antique Clocks", Third Edition by Roy Ehrhardt A service from, E-mail address: z4murray@webcom.com Mike Murray Listowner for Clockers A specialist in Atmos and 400-day clock repair. In continuous service since 04/01/1982. Mike's Clock Clinic Memberships: AWI # 17851; NAWCC # 074021 1326 Stanford Street Santa Monica, California 90404-2502 Fax: 310-828-7381 My Web site is located at http://www.webcom.com/z4murray/ Main FTP site is located at ftp.netcom.com/pub/mi/mikem Clockers sign-up/off is now as automated as its going to be at http://www.webcom.com/z4murray/mailing.html Copyright 1996 Michael P. Murray