The mysterious clock reflection in some of the photos refuses to give up definitive answers. One photo, presented here and undated (though seemingly from very early in the 20th Century), reveals a clock on the northern side of the 200 block of Lackawanna Avenue. Another photo from 1907 shows a clock at Charles B. Engel jewelers at 217 Lackawanna Avenue. According to The Times-Tribune (March 30, 2003, page B2), it was in business until "the late 1960's." Yet another photo from very early in the 20th Century reveals a clock in the 300 block of Lackawanna Avenue. All of these clocks are circular. The reflected clock appears to be octagonal. Apparently, in the early to mid 20th Century, large outdoor clocks were a common component of a jewelers' signage.
The second I saw the clock, Engel's popped right into my head. However, by the age at which I was cognizant of the business, it had become Engel's Opticians. They made and sold glasses. Now, this is just a guess, right or wrong, I have no idea. Eyeglasses in the 30s and 40s were often octagonal. Octagonal wires were very common, both my grandmothers wore them as did many of the nuns teaching us in grade school. Sooooooo, that might explain the shape of the clock. Hey, it's all I got right now!
ReplyDeleteFWIW, allow me to point out that I don't recall the 30s and 40s, I wasn't here yet. Although I referenced the decades, they both were "before my time." I'm 59, that's bad enough.
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