Ansonia
From Brooklyn Brass to Global Glamour — and a Final Fall from Grace
The Ansonia Clock Company is one of the great names of American horology, celebrated as much for its artistry as its ingenuity. Founded in 1851 in Ansonia, Connecticut, the company was the brainchild of brass manufacturer Anson G. Phelps, who saw an opportunity to turn the region’s vast brass resources into affordable clocks. It was a simple idea at first—cheap movements, basic cases—but it would grow into one of the most flamboyant and ambitious clock enterprises of the 19th century.
In 1877, seeking greater industrial capacity, the company moved its main operations to Brooklyn, New York, where it constructed a sprawling factory complex along the East River. This relocation placed Ansonia at the beating heart of American commerce, and by the 1880s the company was producing millions of clocks per year.
The Age of Artistic Excess
Ansonia became world-famous not merely for volume but for style. Their catalog exploded into a kaleidoscope of designs:
Cast-iron clocks with ornamental fronts
Novelty clocks shaped like animals, cherubs, and mythological figures
Swinging clocks, including the iconic “Cupid” and “Diana” models
Porcelain clocks, especially those produced in collaboration with French and Japanese ateliers
Crystal regulator clocks with beveled glass and polished brass
Ansonia clocks were not just timekeepers—they were statement pieces, decorative objects meant to accompany parlor furniture and the grand aesthetics of the Gilded Age.
Trouble in Paradise: Fires, Lawsuits, and Competition
Despite artistic success, the company was frequently battered by misfortune. The Brooklyn factory burned down in 1880, forcing a rebuild. Competitors at home and abroad undercut their prices, particularly as German and French imports flooded the market.
Yet Ansonia persisted, producing some of the most elaborate and technically ambitious clocks in the nation. But style was no longer enough. By the early 20th century, Americans were shifting toward simpler designs and more affordable watches. The ornate Victorian clock was becoming a relic of the past.
The Final Years and the Sale Across the Sea
In 1929, battered by the Great Depression, shifting tastes, and rising competition, Ansonia sold its remaining assets, tooling, and even the rights to its name to the Soviet government, which continued to produce simplified versions of Ansonia models in Moscow.
By 1930, the American company ceased to exist.
Its clocks, once symbols of Gilded Age prosperity, have become some of the most collectible icons of American decorative arts.
Ansonia’s Legacy
Though it ended abruptly and surprisingly far from home, Ansonia’s impact remains enormous. Their ornate French-style clocks, celebrated crystal regulators, and novelty designs continue to command attention in antique shops and auctions worldwide.
Ansonia represents a chapter in American history when clocks weren’t just instruments—they were art.
