Clock, Shelf

Object Name:

Clock, Shelf

Object ID:

1939.004.03

Creator:

Hotchkiss, Elisha

Place of Origin:

Burlington, CT

Date:

circa 1835

Description:

Shelf Clock. Vertically oriented rectangular door with two glazed panels -- clear glass above and decorated panel below. Upper panel 9.6" high, lower pane 13.5". Case with flat base and cornice, having scrolled gallery at front and sides; plinths at ends of front gallery. Door flanked by recessed, applied split balusters, extending between applied corner blocks. Turnings of vase, ring, and cylindrical types. Front gallery and split balusters painted black with stenciled designs in bronze -- a basket of fruit flanked by stylized flowers on gallery, foliate designs on balusters. Lower glass panel decorated with a reverse transfer-printed and painted lithograph, of a 3/4 length female figure, within a reverse stenciled border. Young woman facing rear left scene, with head turned to face front left; wearing brown dress with low neckline and gigot sleeves, yellow shawl draped around hips, and large brimmed hat with feathers, purple lower and yellow ribbons, white background. Black border with orange and bronze foliate designs. Door secured with steel lock; lozenge-shaped bone escutcheon.
Rectangular painted wooden dial, beneath upper glass panel with roman hour numerals and pierced steel hour and minute hands matching in design. Painted decoration, partly in relief, including floral wreath around center of dial and floral sprays in spandrels. Executed in pink, white and green with gilt borders. Two winding holes with brass grommets below center of dial. Terry-type, 30-hour wooden movement with strike.
Wood of painted balusters unidentified; gallery of pine; remainder of visible surface of case veneered with mahogany. Dial probably tulip poplar. Several nail holes in backboard. Loop of rope tied to screw on top of case. Weight sheaves projecting through top of clock. Large printed label glued to inner surface of lower backboard, reading in part: "IMPROVED / CLOCKS, / MANUFACTURED AND SOLD / BY / ELISHA HOTCHKISS, / BURLINGTON, CONN." Wooden weight guides in case. Pencil inscriptions inside door apparently giving names and dates of cleanings and/or repairs including one, repeated twice, in 1839. Circular saw marks evident.
Stored separately: pendulum bob, winding key, key to case, movement parts, two cast iron weights (cylindrical).

Material:

Wood
Mahogany
Glass

Dimensions:

H-31.375 W-16.625 D-4.625 inches

Provenance:

Clock has manufacturer/sales label of Elisha Hotchkiss, Burlington, CT.

Credit Line:

Gift of Margaret H. Jewell

People:

Hotchkiss, Elisha, Jewell, Margaret H. (1866-1970)