Clock · Calendar clock

Ithaca Calendar Clock

Partially verified

This calendar clock, manufactured by the Ithaca Calendar Clock Co of Ithaca, New York, dates to approximately 1880. It features a vertical wooden case designed for wall mounting and utilizes a weight-driven movement with an anchor and pendulum escapement. The clock displays time on an upper dial and calendar information on a lower dial, with the latter incorporating circular day-of-the-month indications alongside rollers for the day of the week and month. According to the museum documentation, the object was utilized within the Victorian Parliament in Melbourne, Australia, between roughly 1880 and 1950. The piece features an upper dial marked for the Melbourne retailer Ingrams, which is documented as a later addition.

Full view of the Ithaca calendar clock featuring two dials and a pendulum aperture. — Museums Victoria. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source: collections.museumsvictoria.com.au
Category: Clock · Calendar clock
Maker / attribution: Ithaca Calendar Clock Co
Reference: Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier: ST 28894
Source-reported date: circa 1880
Source-reported place: United States

Source-reported attribution and specifications are not independent authentication. A listing does not establish present ownership, current display, availability or permission to reproduce.

Object description

Case and Dials

The clock is housed in a wooden wall-mounted case, measuring 147 cm in height, 53 cm in length, and 24 cm in width. The configuration includes two distinct dials; the upper dial is dedicated to timekeeping, while the lower dial serves the calendar function.

The lower calendar dial displays the day of the month in a circle, with integrated rollers for the day of the week and the month of the year. Decorative carved elements are present on the wooden panel situated between the upper and lower dial assemblies. The pendulum is visible through a glass-fronted section located at the lower portion of the case.

Evidence for this section

“Two dials; upper shows time and lower is the calendar.”
“Wooden case supported by a bracket when fixed to a wall.”

Signatures and Inscriptions

The clock features dual inscriptions reflecting its manufacturing and retail history. The lower dial, which represents the primary calendar component, bears the manufacturer's mark, 'I.C.C. Co,' along with the company name and patent dates from 1865 and 1866.

The upper dial displays the mark 'Ingrams Melbourne.' The museum records indicate that this specific inscription is believed to be a later addition to the clock, separating it from the original manufacturing marks on the calendar section.

Evidence for this section

“Upper dial is marked 'Ingrams Melbourne' and appears to be of a later date.”
“Lower dial is marked 'I.C.C. Co' and 'Manufactured by Ithaca Calendar Clock Co, Ithaca, NY, patented April 18th 1865, August 28th 1866'.”

Provenance and Movement

The clock is recorded as having been used within the Victorian Parliament in Melbourne, Australia, from approximately 1880 until 1950. The object entered the collection of the Museum Victoria via a donation from the Victorian Parliament around 1956.

Functionally, the clock is driven by weights and utilizes an anchor and pendulum escapement mechanism.

Evidence for this section

“Used in the Victorian Parliament.”
“Acquisition: Donation from Victorian Parliament, circa 1956”
“Weight driven; anchor and pendulum escapement.”

Open research questions

What is the specific model designation for this Ithaca calendar clock?
Was the Ingrams dial face replaced entirely, or was the original dial over-painted?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Ithaca Calendar Clock
Field	Source-reported value	Source quotation
Maker	Ithaca Calendar Clock Co	“Manufactured by Ithaca Calendar Clock Co”
Registration number	ST 28894	“Registration number: ST 28894”
Origin	United States of America	“country: United States of America”
Date	circa 1880	“circa 1880”
Mechanism	Weight driven, anchor and pendulum	“Weight driven; anchor and pendulum escapement.”
Patents	April 18th 1865, August 28th 1866	“patented April 18th 1865, August 28th 1866”
User	Victorian Parliament	“Used in the Victorian Parliament.”

Visible details

Upper dial includes the retailer inscription 'Ingrams Melbourne'
Lower calendar dial indicates the patent dates April 18th 1865 and August 28th 1866
Case includes ornamental carvings on the panel between the two dials
Lower section features a glazed pendulum aperture

Research qualifications

The exact date of the 'Ingrams' dial addition is not known
The extent of internal original components is not documented

Photograph identity and source facts were screened before import; rights clearance remains pending.

Consulted source

Calendar Clock - Victorian Parliament, Ithaca Clock Co, circa 1880

Reviewed 2026-10-26 · Record 103218becf

Terms in this record

Glossary explanations for terms named in this object’s record.