It has recently come to my attention that De Tar Baby Alarm Clock I had originally estimated to date to 1946, is a fake. The illustration used for the picture of the Tar Baby comes from the cover of The Wonderful Tar Baby, published in 1946. The clock, however, is a Gabriel model Lux clock dating from about 1971. So, at the very earliest, this clock would date to 1971, long after I believe Disney would have chosen to use such a clock face. At least one other clock model has surfaced with the fake “De Tar Baby” face, so it isn’t just limited to the Gabriel model.
According to ClockHistory.com, putting fake faces on clocks is a very common (and dishonest) occurrence, especially faces depicting Black Americana. I myself purchased one of these under the false pretense that it was an original memorabilia item, but it’s a hard lesson to learn that there ARE fakes out there, so please be careful guys! I will keep mine, nevertheless, for historical reference. Thanks to the several people who brought this to my attention.