A late 20th-century name given to a series of different Empire designs of American shelf case. They were introduced at Bristol, Connecticut, c. 1830 to market the eight-day weight strap brass movement with roller pinions developed by Joseph Ives, the original design having been conceived by Elias Ingraham. The features common to all designs consisted of an upper dial door with plain glass; a smaller lower door with a tablet or looking glass in front of the pendulum; and a glass panel between these two doors which extended the width of the case and contained either a looking glass or a painted tablet. Both doors were flanked by half-columns, veneered, stencilled, gilded, grained or carved. Each side ofthe middle glass was inset with a short whole column, generally turned and decorated to match the door half-columns. On top a splat was set between two short pilasters. Two types of feet were early additions; carved lion paws with the carved column and top cases; turned-ball types, frequently gilded, with the other cases. There were numerous modifications. This style of case continued until c. 1850.