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French clocks with onyx and marble cases were all the rage in mid-1800s America. But they were also expensive, so domestic manufacturers responded to the challenge by creating enameled cast-iron clocks like this one from the U.S. Capitol. Judging from 19th-century photographs, Congress found them a perfect timepiece: durable and just decorative enough to place on many mantelpieces in the building.
History, Art & Archives, U.S. House of Representatives, “Mantel Clock,” https://history.house.gov/Collection/Listing/2007/2007-365-000/ (January 15, 2021)
Office of the Historian
Office of Art and Archives
Attic, Thomas Jefferson Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 226-1300
