unique late 19th century american jeweler's double-sided pocket watch storefront trade sign. the suspended clock features an ornamental cast iron segmented bezel with rope motif. the crown and bow (i.e., pivoting ring) remain intact. the zinc metal traditional clock face has been refinished. original gilded advertising carelessly painted over as of recent. the trade sign took many forms in early america. when education was a privilege and literacy rare, the ideal trade sign immediately caught the attention of a passerby and, because of its design, was totally self-explanatory. folk artists, sometimes including itinerant portrait painters, created signs that bore pictures that visually explained the name of the establishment or the services to be found within. these signs usually carried pictures or lettering on both sides and were hung from a tall post at right angles to the road, so as to be visible to travelers approaching from either direction. three-dimensional carved trade signs were often produced in the same workshops as figureheads and other ship decorations and usually displayed the same broad-planed carving style that typified american figureheads. the introduction of electric signs, which could advertise a business in the dark, led to the decline of the carved trade signs. the pocket watch measures 22 1/2 x 18 inches. possibly fabricated by the excelsior sign co., chicago, il.