‘Mantels for the Season’ features the Bristol Public Library

The American Clock and Watch Museum's exhibit "Mantels for the Season" runs through Dec. 30. | David Fortier

Posted By: David Fortier December 16, 2023

By David Fortier

The American Clock & Watch Museum will be featuring its sixth annual “Mantels for the Season” exhibit through Dec. 30. This year’s exhibit highlights businesses and organizations in the recently established cultural district.

The Bristol Edition will be highlighting each of the six mantels on display through the month. The second features the Bristol Public Library, “So Many Books, So Little Time.”

It features a clock from the Litchfield Manufacturing Co. that is made of paper mâché, which fits the design elements, including several of the books designs made of paper and the print motif in the cloth covering the mantel and the table in front of the mantel.

The books in the display have meticulously folded pages that upon inspection spell out the words, “Read” and “Library.” The same folded paper method is used for the wreath above the mantel. The book displays and wreath were created by an employee at Manross Library.

From upper left, clockwise, the Bristol Public Library display features a paper mâché clock from the Litchfield Manufacturing Co., and design elements provided by Bristol’s libraries, the paper-crafted books feature “Library” and Read in their pages, the placard with the acorn design, and the typewriter with the print table cloth. | Davie Fortier

Each mantel has at least one clock that matches the theme and the design. The placards with the descriptions of the clocks and displays are acorn shaped since the logo for the cultural district is the acorn.

Each of the clocks in the mantel display is from the museum’s collection, according to the museum’s executive director Patti Philippon, who also provided the information during a tour of the mantels.

The cultural district in Bristol includes, roughly, the area from Maple Street, where the American Clock and Watch Museum is located, south to Memorial Boulevard, west to Church Street, where the Imagination Museum is located, and east to the entrance of the boulevard.

The Federal Hill Green and Brackett Park as well as the Bristol Arts and Innovation Magnet School and The Rockwell Theater are within its borders. For a more detailed description with a map, click here.

The establishments celebrated in the display are included because they fall within the boundaries of the cultural district.

The American Clock and Watch Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed on holidays. There is an admission charge. For information, call (860)583-6070 or visit www.clockandwatchmuseum.org.

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