Back in the 1800s, in the days of baronial mansions, it was fashionable to summon a servant by pulling on a fancy cord hanging in the sitting room. The cord extended, over pulleys, to the kitchen, where it tugged on a bell. The sitting room section of the cord usually was an ornate, embroidered and brocaded tapestry sash. This also was the era of the newly discovered portable precision clock, such as the French Carriage clock. When outdoors, milady would carry one of these clocks around with her. It was a mark of elegance to have such a clock in one’s carriage, usually in a fitted leather case complete with a carrying handle. These timepieces not only told the time, but also made a fashion statement, similar to today’s ladies’ wristwatches or designer handbags. Similarly, an elegant finishing touch to the brocaded tapestry sash, or pull-cord, was a small clock attached at the bottom. The horological industry recognized this market and produced a special clock designed just for this purpose. It typically consisted of a small timepiece framed by a section of elegant embroidered tapestry that was suspended from another embroidered, or velvet, ribbon. There was an ornate brass suspension clip at the top of this ribbon, to fasten the whole thing to the brocaded sash cord. Some of these clocks were designed to look like a pocket watch and fob. As a matter of fact, an 8-day Swiss pocket watch movement was employed. These movements are only slightly larger than an 18-size pocket watch movement, but they run for eight days. They are significantly smaller than the American-made Waltham 37-size 8-day movement, which has dual mainsprings and is much huskier. However, that Waltham movement also was used to drive much larger clocks, from automobile clocks to wall clocks. The ornate gilt cases were made in Austria or France, and all that I have seen are wound and set from the back, except for the one shown in Figure 2, which has a wind/set pendant at 6 o’clock. It is embarrassing to confess that, even as I write this article, I don’t know the name of these timepieces! I haven’t found them in any of the books, and the NAWCC Library and Research Center staff cannot find any identifying name either. Of course, it’s a little difficult to find something in a reference book, when you don’t know what to call it! For lack of a better name, I am calling them “Sash clocks” or “Pull-Cord clocks.” Some knowledgeable people call them “Ribbon clocks.” Do you know the proper name? As these unusual clocks were made for a very small “carriage trade” market, a limited number of designs were offered, and not many of these seem to have survived. This whispers “collectible.” Shown here are photographs of some of these unique timepieces. Figure 1 is shown completely, including the top suspension clip; the others are close-ups of the clock only, to show the detail of the clock face. As the few surviving embroidered ribbons have deteriorated (some more than others) I suspect that many of these black velvet ribbons are replacements. So, who can tell about these velvet ribbons? Are they authentic, or are they replacements for deteriorated embroidery? I haven’t been able to find any documentation of these unusual clocks—even their proper name. But at least this is a start, to fill the historic gap. Perhaps someone has additional information. Photographic DetailsThese photos were made with an Olympus D-490Z digital camera, mounted on a copy stand equipped with two 100-watt lamps set at 45 degrees, with the camera set to the tungsten lamp mode. The resulting images were then emailed to the NAWCC Editorial Department. Mel Kaye served in the US Air Force as an aerial photographer in China, Burma, and India during World War II. As a chemical engineer, he worked with chemical coatings and nail polish, and has three US patents. He is a past president of New Jersey Chapter 25. Mel is a frequent contributor to the Bulletin, both of articles and Vox Temporis material. He is also chairman of the Ad Hoc eMART Committee. | 
| Figure 1. Here is a typical specimen that has been preserved in a nice gilt shadow box frame, under glass, to protect the fragile embroidery. Note the resemblance to a pocket watch and fob. The entire clock is nine inches long. | 
| Figure 2. This beautiful piece boasts a hand-painted Mother of Pearl dial, gilt hands and a silver chapter ring. The multicolored painting shows an elegant lady with a parasol, sitting on a railing bedecked with roses, admiring a peacock. The heavy beveled crystal also speaks of quality. The clock is suspended from a black velvet ribbon. Note that this unique clock is wound with a pendant at 6 o’clock. | 
| Figure 3. This single-tone river scene painting on this clock is done in shades of blue, with blued- steel hands, and a gilt chapter ring. It is suspended from a black velvet ribbon. | 
| Figure 4. This unusually shaped gilt case has an ornate decoration at the top. The clock has luminous hands and numerals, and is set in an embroidered background that is under a celluloid-like cover. (Celluloid, the first clear plastic patented in 1855.) The back cover of the movement is marked: “Schild & Co. Swiss.” The case is marked: “Made in Austria,” and it is hung from a two-inch-wide black velvet ribbon. | 
| Figure 5. This simple rectangular gilt frame has gilt hands and a silver chapter ring, set into a deep blue background. It is suspended from a black velvet ribbon. | 
| Figure 6. This large-sized (4" square) case has gilt serpentine hands and a black chapter ring with gilt numerals. The (signed) painting is that of a beautiful red-haired lady. The clock was found with no ribbon. | 
| Figure 7. The clock is set in a panel of finely embroidered roses. There is a large gilt ornament at the top, and the clock has classic blued-steel spade hands and a matte silver dial. There is a black velvet ribbon. | 
| Figure 8. This clock face is similar to Figure 7, except that it is set in a rectangular case with floral embroidery. The thin embroidered ribbon has deteriorated. | 
| Figure 9. This gilt rectangular frame has a matte green background, gilt moon hands, and a black chapter ring with gilt numerals. The painting shows two cherub-like children. There is a black velvet ribbon. | 
| Figure 10. Instead of embroidery, this clock is set in a variegated blue porcelain panel with a fine floral pattern, inserted on a bronze frame, including the top clip. The top ribbon is black velvet, which may not be original. Obviously, the porcelain has stood the test of time much better than the embroidered fabric styles. |
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