Registration began at 7:30 AM with nametags available for pre-registered members.  At 8:00 AM, the Mart opened to general entry.  As usual, the Silent Auction was from 8:30 AM to 10:15 AM, and a fee of $3.00 per item, multiple items for one bid to count as one item, was charged.  Throughout the meeting until the President’s message, the 50-50 raffle tickets, (50% to winner and 50% to Chapter 8) were available at the Registration Table and the Auction Table in the mart area.

The first program was, "The Congreve Rolling Ball Clock."  Roland Goucher presented information on the history and construction of the Congreve rolling-ball clock.  He brought his personally-constructed clock with him for the talk.  Roland provided ample information about many aspects of the actual construction and overcoming problems as they presented themselves.  For example, determining the curve and grooving of the fusee, layout of the three dials, creating optimal track spacing and rolling efficiency for the moving ball, and action of the pivot table were discussed.  Roland Goucher is a self-taught machinist and model maker with a long time interest in early engines and other mechanical devices.  Along with the Congreve timepiece, he has constructed many model steam engines.

The Congreve Rolling Ball Clock  Roland Goucher		Restoring Your Metal Clock Cases Bringing Back the Beauty Scott Ciardi

The second presentation was, "Restoring Your Metal Clock Cases - Bringing Back the Beauty."  Scott Ciardi covered the topics of the benefits of restoring brass clock cases, described the process and the different steps of restoring old and antique clock cases from the initial cleaning to the final lacquer finish, and discussed the range of finishes that can be done from highly-polished brass and nickel plate to more subdued finishes such as butler finish and oxidation.  He provided hands-on detail about the methods of prepping the surfaces (glass-bead blasting and different solutions), the real personal hazards of buffing irregularly-shaped pieces, and the final step of spraying lacquer on the polished pieces.  Scott Ciardi is a third generation member of a family-owned metal restoration business started in 1925 by Earnest Ciardi in Boston 's old Scolley Square . The firm specializes in the restoration of brass, copper, silver, and most other metals.

After the second presenter, there was an interval of the usual non-programmed time followed by a buffet luncheon for the attendees.  After lunch, the Chapter President, Larry Chelmow, discussed the new location for this meeting and solicited comments about having other meetings at non-hotel locations.  The overall response was favorable.  Additionally, the previously-presented combined chapters' (MA, NH, CT and ME) meeting was discussed with the suggestion that this combined meeting use the annual Chapter 8 picnic as the event.

The J. C. Brown Clock Companies Howard Cohen

The 12:45 PM program was given by Howard Cohen, "The J. C. Brown Clock Companies."  Howard spoke about the history of the J. C. Brown clock companies and shared images showing the wide range of interesting cases and clocks that were produced over the decades by these companies.  Descriptions were given about the details of the dials (raised chapter rings and mostly signed) and the frequent use of J. C. Brown’s portrait and / or his house as decorations on glass tablets.  The presentation encompassed the range of clock case styles that was produced such as acorn, wall lyre, giant Empire, cottage, picture-frame, and iron-front.  Reference was made to the unique fusee (turned from wood) alarm mechanism that he made.  Howard is a professor of occupational health and safety at the University of New Haven . He began collecting clocks in the late 1970's when he became interested from one of his graduate school professors.  Howard has eclectic horological interests collecting Seth Thomas and E. Howard regulators, early banjo and New Hampshire mirror clocks, pre-civil war shelf clocks, and Black Forest cuckoo and trumpeter clocks.

The Silent Auction table (8: 30 to 10:15) - enables you to sell a few items without the need for a table:

Fill out a slip at the table with your minimum price you will accept for the item. Members can then write in their bids during the course of the auction.

The cost to you as a seller is only $3.00 PER ITEM. The charge is payable in advance and applies whether item sells or not (multiple items for one bid count as one item).

AND
At at the auction table you can buy a ticket for the 50-50 raffle.

SUITCASE CLOCK REPAIR COURSES
Victor Kozakevich, director of Chapter 8, manages the NAWCC Suitcase Program.  If you are interested, contact him at a meeting or at 617-491-4608 (email: ).

Chapter Contacts:
If you any of you have a question or wish to contact someone in the chapter, get in touch with any of these people and they will get your message to the right person if they cannot help you.

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