Clock, Tall Case

Object Name:

Clock, Tall Case

Object ID:

1972.089.065

Creator:

Purinton, Jonathan (1732-1818) -- Clockmaker

Place of Origin:

Kensington, NH (movement)

Date:

circa 1770

Description:

Tall Case Clock. Movement made by Jonathan Purinton (1732-1818), Kensington, NH; c. 1770. Mahogany, mahogany veneer, and white pine secondary wood. Arched hood, with three capped plinths, brass finials with inverted bell shape and spires, and scalloped pediment. Concave molding on cornice. Reeded columns on either side of the hood door, with brass caps and bases. Hood door glazed, arched, and has a brass pendant door pull. The hood has arched, glazed sidelights. Thinly hammered wrought brass dial with applied ornaments in spandrels; arched top. Pewter name disk within arch, with applied ornaments on both sides; disk inscribed, in script: Jonathan / Purinton / Kensington / No 11". Eight-day brass movement, with strike; weight driven. Roman hour numerals, with arabic minute numerals above; Small seconds dial above center. Pierced hour and minute hands, with different but complimentary designs; plain seconds hand; small rectangular opening for date. Two winding holes in face, slightly below center. Lead weight stamped "1770" and "XVII". Waist has rectangular door of figured mahogany veneer. Reeded colonnettes, with brass caps and bases. The escutcheon is made of wood and is a rectangular shape with rounded ends. The waist door has cock beading on its edges and a steel lock. The door is constructed with breadboard ends - pine in the center with mahogany ends, with veneer on the front. Glue blocks are visible in the construction of the case. Concave molding at top and base of waist. There are several cursive pencil inscriptions on the inner surface of the case: "Clock set going - Jany 7 / 18__", "Sounding Feb. 8 / 18__", "Dudley Batchelder / K__ / 5 months old weight 20 lbs.", "Last owner- / Wm. H. Floyd / Highland Ave. / Haverhill, Mass.", and "C. Hillaire".
Base of case has figured mahogany front, bracket feet, and decoratively carved skirt with pendant front center. The backboard is white pine.

Material:

Wood
Mahogany
Metal
Brass
Glass

Dimensions:

H-93 W-20.375 D-9.75 inches

Provenance:

Movement by Jonathan Purinton (1732-1818), Kensington, N.H., c.1770. Case of a later style, c.1810, believed to be from Portsmouth NH.
Acquired by donor -- Charles S. Parsons (1904-1988) -- in 1958 from J. Robert Lynch & William Graham, antiques dealers in Haverhill, Massachusetts; they acquired it from the Floyd Estate of Haverhill, Mass., (note inside clock identifies William H. Floyd as "last owner"; Floyd, b.c. 1852, was a clothier, born in Derry, N.H., and res. in Haverhill, Mass., and brother and business partner of N.H. Governor Charles M. Floyd).
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:

Purinton, Jonathan (1732-1818), Floyd, William H. (1850-1922), Batchelder, Dudley, Parsons, Charles S. (1904-1988)