Annunciator Clock

Q: What can you tell me about this vintage clock? Printed on the clock face is “Manufactured by Waterbury Clock Co. U.S.A.” The year “1893” is on the back of the clock.

A: This is an annunciator clock. Annunciators were used to call workers in large homes and hotels to do a job in the 1800s and early 1900s. Most did not include a clock but were just the series of call bells and switches. They usually hung on the wall near the kitchen. They were made with different numbers of bells depending on the numbers of rooms in the house. The rooms are listed in the windows above the bells. Your annunciator has 18 bells and must have been used in a very large household or small hotel. Waterbury Clock Co. was founded in Waterbury, Connecticut, in 1854. It’s still in business, now as Timex Corp. An annunciator clock with 12 bells sold for $540 in 2020.