Every now and then I splurge a little on something small that makes me happy....

[Goonch]

Today I received my ebay purchase of a duplicate clock that stood on a bookshelf in my row house in the mid '50's. It's old and doesn't run (kind of like me) but it makes me happy.

Vintage United Electric Mantle w/ Bronze Horse Statue


"This vintage "gold plate" horse mantel clock created by United Clock works of Brooklyn, NY. While we don't know the date of production for this piece, United appears to have started in business in 1905 and continued until at least 1961. Many of their larger clocks, like this one, were used by carnies as top-level carnival game prizes, and were nearly impossible to win, as games were commonly rigged in that era. This piece is very similar both in size and style to the Breyer / Mastercrafters clocks of 1950 (but could predate them).

The horse and clock are electroplated with golden chrome. The horse includes molded-on tack and bead-chain reins. The clock is an early electric piece with a stylish faceplate that reads "United - Self-starting" which indicates that it didn't need to be wound, probably dating it to fairly early in the electric clock era. The base is solid wood, painted beige, and stamped on the back with United's item #315."

[sinkingfeeling]

1. My parents had one like that.

[MLAA]

2. Nothing like an object that brings back good memories of our youth.

[PortTack]

3. Very fun!

[Kali]

4. I have that horse as a little lamp

base is a cowboy hat, horse is standing on brim, shade is copper that clamps onto bulb. I would post a picture but I can't get to it at the moment.

[Goonch]

6. 👇👇👇👇🐎

[Kali]

7. yep! exactly!

though mine has a good strong protective coating. of dust.

[halfulglas]

5. Looks exactly like the one on my grandparents' mantel in

Pittsburgh when I was growing up.

[Raine]

8. My grandparents had that horse with a clock but the clock

was different.

[Scrivener7]

9. I did the same with a set of mixing bowls my grandmother used to use. Took a while,

but I got a whole set on ebay. 15 years later, they still give me joy.

[SouthernDem4ever]

10. Maybe a clocksmith could get it running again

unless that would affect it's value.

[erronis]

11. "It's old and doesn't run (kind of like me)" - I suspect like many of us.

I deliver meals-on-wheels and one lady likes to chat. When I tell her I need to run, she says "OK, I'll watch you run." Every time, like clockwork.

[KS Toronado]

12. Still have an exact one like it

Clock doesn't work anymore and cowboy that sat on top went missing, although I wonder if the cowboy was
original to the clock because he was plastic.

[ShazzieB]

14. I'll bet the cowboy was an add-on.

Of course I can't prove it...but that horse just doesn't look like it would have come with a plastic cowboy.

[Jean Genie]

13. memories

My dad had a clock like this, which he won on the pinboard (punchboard?) at his favorite bar. Remember those? (Not the bar; the pinboard/punchboard) Must have been in the latter half of the 1950's. Oh, and he didn't call it a "bar." It was a "beer joint." He sure did like to hang out there - and I loved it when I got to come along and hang out, too.