Abandoned Clockmaker’s House, New Jersey, USA

This 19th-century cottage in New Jersey, once the residence of a mysterious clockmaker and collector of curios, now sits abandoned, frozen in time much like the halted clocks it holds. This charming home, dating back to the 1820s, represents one of the few surviving examples of Jersey Dutch cottage architecture. In the 1980s, it earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places, meaning that local authorities maintain the garden and the exterior, preserving its historical significance.

However, the interior of the house tells a very different tale. Over the course of two centuries, the property changed hands multiple times, but its last inhabitant left abruptly, leaving behind most of their belongings. As a result, the house is brimming with antique furniture, artwork, and ephemera, the majority of which hails from the 1800s. This accumulation of historical artifacts imparts an eerie, romantic atmosphere to the place.

One noteworthy gem in the clockmaker’s collection is the antique piano, one of two situated in the living room. The other is an exquisite square piano, crafted with great precision in fine flame mahogany around 1830 by the esteemed New York City maker William Geib. It features intricate gold marquetry, ornate drawer handles, fluted legs, and an ebony and ivory keyboard. Above this smaller model, you can spot a 20th-century carriage clock, one of many found throughout the house.The collection also includes the items adorning a dusty desk, such as a vintage radio equipped with a horn loudspeaker, a 1930s Art Deco General Electric Vortalex desk fan, an old marking machine, and several storage boxes. On another desk in the same room, you’ll come across the tools of a horologist’s trade, along with a truly impressive assortment of antique timepieces.