Clock, Shelf

Object Name:

Clock, Shelf

Object ID:

1967.032.147

Creator:

Mitchell, George (1774-1852)Clockmaker

Place of Origin:

Bristol, CT

Date:

circa 1830

Description:

Shelf Clock. Made by George Mitchell (1774-1852), Bristol, CT; c. 1830. Materials: mahogany, pine, and unidentified wood; tin; tulip poplar (dial); secondary woods pine and birch; assorted hardwoods (movement). Vertically oriented rectangular door extending full width of clock between flat base and cornice. Scrolled gallery at front and sides with plinths at ends of front gallery. Two glazed panels in door -- clear glass above and mirror below. Upper panel 10.5" in height, lower panel 14.5". Stiles of door decorated on face with applied split balusters extending between applied corner blocks. Turnings of vase, ring and cylindrical types. Front gallery, split balusters and corner blocks painted black with stenciled designs in bronze -- a spread eagle perched on hemisphere flanked by accouterments on gallery; leaves and stylized flowers on balusters; and scroll design on corner blocks. Door secured with brass hook and hinged on left side. Square painted wooden dial, beneath upper glass panel, with arabic hour numerals, and pierced steel hour and minute hands matching in design. Painted gilt decoration, partly in relief, including wreath surrounding center of dial and elaborate scroll decorations in spandrels. A winding hole with brass grommet on each side of center. Boardman-type thirty-hour wooden movement with strike. Front gallery, probably pine. Wood of corner blocks and split balusters unidentified. Remainder of visible surface of case veneered with mahogany. Dial probably tulip poplar. Several nail holes in backboard. Weight sheaves projecting through top of case, one having circular tin plate cover. Bell mounted on top of case. Large printed label glued to inner surface of lower backboard, reading in part: "Improved / CLOCKS, / Manufactured and Sold / BY / GEORGE MITCHELL, / BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT.". Mirror backed with white pine on which is a pencil inscription re. oiling in 1900 by S. W. Greene. Circular saw marks evident. Stored separately: pendulum bob.

Material:

Wood
Mahogany
Pine
Brass
Iron
Glass

Dimensions:

H-35 W-17 D-5.875 inches

Provenance:

Clock with manufacturer's/seller's label of George Mitchell (1774-1852), Bristol, CT. Mark of clock repairer, S. W. Greene, dated 1900. Greene is at this point unidentified, but his name appears on another clock with a Plymouth, NH, history, 1898.

From a large collection of family and Shaker items of Ethel Rock Millen, Lebanon and Hanover, NH.

Credit Line:

Gift of Ethel Rock Millen

People:

Millen, Ethel Rock (1890-1980), Mitchell, George (1774-1852), Greene, Sylvester W. (1820- )

Subjects:

Birds, Eagle, Manufacturing