Dungan & Klump model II Dickory Dickory Doc "Mouse Clock" circa 1910
This is an early version of the model II "mouse Clock", designed by Elmer Ellsworth Dungan and made by the New Haven Clock Co. Dungan partnered with Charles M. Klump to form the company Dungan & Klump to market the clocks. Dungan designed the "mouse Clock" for his daughter Emily, apparently with no intention of marketing it until convinced by Charles Klump that the clock had commercial potential. The clock was plagued by problems from the beginning and turned out to be Dungan's only unsuccessful business venture.
All together there were five models of the Dickory Dickory Doc "Mouse Clock", and a few variations of each model. "The Model I clocks produced by the New Haven Company failed to work satisfactorily, although Dungan's model worked perfectly1".
Both the model I and II were essentially the same in appearance. Both had a 2-day full strike movement mounted in the bottom of the case with the mouse release mechanism at the top. The front of the model I was hinged and would swing open for easy access to the movement, which was fastened to the back of the case. For Model II, the mouse release mechanism was completely redesigned and the movement and release were both mounted to the front of the clock, but the movement was still at the bottom with the release at the top. The hinges were removed and the clock front held in place by six screws. Access to the mouse release mechanism, and the fast-slow adjustment, was provided through two round openings with metal covers in the back of the clock. A later version of the Model II made the fast-slow adjustment available through a slot in the front of the clock. There were only small differences in the actual movements. "Once again Dungan's model worked perfectly, but the Model II production clocks did not1".
Some of these models were apparently finished in a mahogany stain and others in black. Only a few hundred are thought to have been made.
Dungan made extensive revisions and patented the Model III in July 12, 1910. "When the Model III was ready for production, the relationship between the firm of Dungan & Klump and the New Haven Clock Company had deteriated to such an extent that no clocks were made from this model1
The Model IV, patented on September 13, 1910, was manufactured by the Sessions Clock Company. It had a different shape (similar to the Horolovar copy), was smaller, simpler, less costly, and more reliable. The Model IV had a pendulum regulated 8-day movement at the top of the clock, and only struck at the one o'clock hour.
After the sudden death of Mr. Klump, and the release of the Model IV clock, Dungan apparently lost interest in the "Mouse Clock". A Model V was produced in small quantities. This model was only 15½ inches high with a round dial. There was no strike. The mouse just made a trip up the clock every hour and did not point to the time.
My model II shown here strikes the hours on a bell. The mouse moves up the clock until the clock strikes "one", at which time the mouse slides down the clock (with a rather loud and sometimes startling noise) and starts over again. The clock is original except for the lettering on the face, one numeral, and one gear wheel in the movement. A previous owner apparently had the face relettered and "Dickory, Dickory...." was changed to "Hickory, Dickory....", which is the more familiar version of the children's rhyme in this area.
