Q: This “Shakespeare Clock” was given to my grandparents as an anniversary present. It is marked “Ansonia Clock Co., New York, U.S.A.” and “Patented June 18, 1882.” The clock chimes on the hour and half hour. I took it to a clock repair store several years ago and he said it was worth about $1,000. Can you give me any information about it and what it is worth now?

A: The figure on your clock is Shakespeare. He has a quill pen in one hand and paper in the other. Pages that seem to have fallen beside him say “Hamlet” and “Macbeth.” The Ansonia Clock Co. was founded in Ansonia, Connecticut, in 1850. It was one of the major clock makers in the United States, producing millions of clocks before going out of business in 1929. Ansonia made this figural clock in several different finishes. Price is determined by the finish as well as the condition. Clocks like yours sold at auctions for $242 and $327 last year. Online sellers are asking much more, but the prices asked are not always the prices realized.