Clock, Tall Case

Object Name:

Clock, Tall Case

Object ID:

1957.008.092

Creator:

Hutchins, Abel (1763-1853) -- Clockmaker

Place of Origin:

Concord, NH

Date:

circa 1810

Description:

Tall Case Clock. Movement made by Abel Hutchins (1763-1853), Concord, NH, c. 1810. Cherry wood, with white pine secondary wood. Arched hood decorated with applied, scrolled crest and 3 brass spired ball finials on fluted plinths. Free-standing fluted colonnettes at front corners supporting cornice which is arched at center. Colonnettes have brass capitals and bases. No frieze. Glazed door having arched top and brass knob. Arched sidelights. Waist with cove molding at top; fluted quarter-columns with brass capitals and bases at front corners; and rectangular door with steel lock and brass escutcheon. Base with scotia moldings at top and above flared bracket feet.
Painted iron dial with arched top. Center of arch is decorated with a vertically oriented almond-shaped patera in red and gold, flanked by a gilt design of scrolled foliage and swags. The spandrels are crosshatched in red, green and gold against a tan ground except at outer corners where red or green quadrants serve alternately as background for stylized gilt foliage. The gilt decoration is partly in relief, including borders of raised dots along the curve outlines of quadrants and patera.
"Abel Hutchins / Concord, N.H." in black script below center of dial. Arabic hour and minute numerals; seconds dial above center; calendar aperture below, with surrounding gilt decoration. A winding hole with brass grommet at each side of center. Pierced, steel hour and minute hands with heart design. Eight-day brass movement with strike.
Case has bottom board. Gouged areas on inner surface of rail below waist door. Case refinished; evidence of former off-white or yellow paint, probably the residue of yellow-brown graining, such as remains on top of hood. Inner surface of doors stained. Numerous corner blocks in waist construction. Front of base constructed in two pieces. Several pencil inscriptions on inner surfaces of waist door and of backboard, giving names and dates of cleanings and/or repairs from 1847 to 1887; on backboard "J[R] Feb 4 1881 / May 21, 1883 / Aldrich / Mch 25- 1885 / Dec 6 1886"; on waist door "Jan 18 1847 Clean __ / N_ A Holly". Figure "475" scratched on reverse of pendulum bob. Handwritten figure "1216" on masking tape label on reverse of dial.
Stored separately: two winding keys, twine, pendulum, two sheet iron canister weights, case key.

Material:

Wood
Cherry
Metal
Glass

Dimensions:

H-89.75 W-19.375 D-9.75 inches

Provenance:

Clock made by Abel Hutchins (1763-1853) of Concord, N.H. may have descended in the family of Fred Parker Emery (1865-1927). Fred Emery's ancestors were living in the Pembroke-Allenstown-Hooksett area at the time this clock was made.

Credit Line:

The Fred Parker Emery and Mary C. Emery Gift

People:

Hutchins, Abel (1763-1853), Emery, Fred Parker (1865-1927), Emery, Mary C. (1864-1956)