Clock, Shelf

Object Name:

Clock, Shelf

Object ID:

1972.089.037

Creator:

Chadwick, Joseph (1787-1868)Clockmaker

Place of Origin:

Boscawen, NH

Date:

1837

Description:

Shelf Clock. Made by Joseph Chadwick (1787-1868), Boscawen, NH; 1837. Materials: mahogany; brass (movement); glass; iron (dial); secondary wood white pine. Dovetail construction of case. Front consisting of a vertically oriented rectangular door with applied projecting corner blocks on otherwise plain framework. Two panels in glazed door -- decorated glass above and mirror below. Mirror is twice as high as upper panel. Circular reserve of clear glass at center of upper panel with black outlined border and surrounding reverse stenciled design of stylized flowers and foliage in gold on a red ground. Door fastened with brass hook.
Round painted iron dial, beneath clear glass reserve in upper door panel. Roman hour numerals, spear-shaped steel hour and minute hands and brass alarm hand. Two winding holes, one below center of dial and one above and to left of center. Eight-day brass alarm movement.
Sides of case veneered. Corner blocks and door framework of solid mahogany. Top and bottom of case stained pine. Mirror backed with pine. One large hole at center top of backboard, used in hanging clock. Several nail holes in backboard. Modern pine strips added to back of door along edges. Much of inner surface of door painted red. 19th-century pencil inscription on inner surface of backboard reading: "Warranted by Joseph Chadwick / Boscawen". Several later pencil inscriptions and labels inside case. "1837" stamped behind hour wheel on front plate of movement. Figure "1" also stamped on same surface. Two 19th-c. pencil inscriptions on reverse of dial, giving maker's name, town and date "1837".
Separately stored parts: winding key, two lead weights (one 4 times larger than other), pendulum with modern inscription.

Material:

Wood
Mahogany
Pine
Brass
Iron
Glass

Dimensions:

H-28 W-13.375 D-4.25 inches

Provenance:

Acquired by donor -- Charles S. Parsons (1904-1988) -- in 1954 from Walter E. Billings of Andover, MA, who had purchased it from Jos. Horton, and antiques dealer in Newbury, New Hampshire. Part of a large clock collection (and related materials) including not only clocks made in N.H., but also several made elsewhere, acquired in N.H. by the donor and probably used here.

Credit Line:

Gift of Charles S. Parsons

People:

Horton, J., Chadwick, Joseph (1787-1868), Parsons, Charles S. (1904-1988)

Subjects:

Manufacturing