Clock, Shelf

Object Name:

Clock, Shelf

Object ID:

1985.043.02

Place of Origin:

Concord, NH

Date:

1937-1939

Description:

Mantel clock, with history of being made at the New Hampshire State Prison and given as a wedding gift to Alma Dion of Penacook, NH, 1937-39. Birdseye-maple and marquetry case. Horizontally-oriented clock, in mushroom-shaped case with splayed ends, demi-lune projections at each end, and mounted on a thin pedestal. Case is solid birdseye-maple, with applied front of maple marquetry. Pedestal is also maple marquetry. Dial is 4.4" diam. and has a silver-colored metal bezel holding glass. Dial appears to be paper, painted silver, with arabic numerals outlined in black and filled with white or gold paint. Minute and hour hands are of steel with matching diamond designs. At bottom of dial is "MADE IN U.S.A".
Beneath dial is a pen-and-ink design of two baskets filled with flowers and vines, a few of which are colored pink, red, and gold. The vines connect in center (under dial), at which place the letters "A. D." are painted. The letters are outlined in black ink and filled with gold paint. Back of clock shows brass-colored backplate of the clockworks. Projecting from backplate is a winding knob and set knob.

Material:

Wood
Maple
Glass
Metal
Paper
Steel

Dimensions:

H-8.75 W-20.25 D-2.75 inches

Provenance:

Shelf clock made at the New Hampshire State Prison, 1937-39. It was a wedding gift to Alma Dion of Penacook, NH, whose husband was a prison guard.

Credit Line:

New Hampshire Historical Society Purchase

People:

Dion, Alma (c. 1902- )

Subjects:

Clocks and watches, Prison guards, Prisons, State Prison (NH)