John Bailey Jr. of Hanover, Massachusetts. A colorful mahogany case tall clock. NN-3.
A mahogany veneered tall case clock signed on the dial by John Bailey Jr., of Hanover, Massachusetts.
This formal mahogany cased example features choice veneers that exhibit long sweeping grain patterns. These panels are prominently displayed in the construction of the cabinet. This case stands four flared French feet. They are long and slender and transition into a drop apron or curtain that hangs from the bottom of the base panel. The base panel is cross-banded. This detail frames a figured mahogany panel. A compressed waist molding transitions the base section into the long and narrow waist of the case. This section centers the rectangular-shaped door. The veneers used here follow the same formatting displayed in the base panel. The perimeter is fitted with an applied molding. The front corners of the waist are fitted with boldly reeded inset quarter columns. These terminate in brass quarter capitals. Above this is the hood section. Fully turned and reeded bonnet columns are mounted in brass capitals. These are positioned on either side of the arched bonnet door. The columns visually support the molded arch. Above the arch are three capped finial plinths or chimneys. Each supports a fancy brass finial. The plinths also help support a very attractive pierced and open fret work pattern. This design is traditionally found in Southeastern New England.
This colorfully painted dial is a product of the Boston dial house of Nolen & Curtis. Each of the four spandrel areas is decorated with colorfully geometric fan patterns of green, gold, and red. Gilt circles define the time ring. Arabic five-minute markers are separated from the bold Roman-style hour numerals with a dotted minute ring. A subsidiary seconds dial and the calendar day are displayed in the traditional locations. The Clockmaker's signature is wonderfully displayed in a fluid script format. The working location of "HANOVER" is displayed in block lettering below it. Located in the arch of this dial, one will find a moon phase mechanism or lunar calendar. The lunar calendar or moon phase mechanism is a mechanical almanac. This feature was most likely made on special order due to the extra work involved in producing it. This display would have been valuable to several occupations during the colonial era. Farmers were known to track the moon phase to anticipate the days that offered the most available moonlight. A bright night would be more beneficial to them in scheduling the tilling and harvesting of their fields. Sailors and merchants track the lunar phases to know when the high tide would allow their ships to sail easily to and from port or when the fishing might be best. Numerous religious groups had an almost superstitious litany of rituals best performed by lunar events. The actual lunar month represents an inconvenient interval of 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, and 2.8 seconds. A tall clock's lunar calendar is set constant at 29.5 days, representing a complete cycle. As a result, a 9-hour setback is required to keep the lunar display current at the end of a single year. The lunar disk features two moons that oppose each other so one can rise while the other is setting. In between these are painted scenes. The first is a pastoral scene featuring two people below a large building. The second scene depicts a British ship burning down to water level. The areas that frame this lunar display are traditionally formatted with depictions of the hemispheres.
This fine movement is constructed in brass and is of good quality. Four-turned pillars support the two brass rectangular-shaped plates. Hardened steel shafts support the polished steel pinions and brass gearing. The winding drums are grooved. The escapement is designed as a recoil format. The movement is weight driven and designed to run for eight days on a full wind. It is a two-train or a time and strike design having a rack and snail striking system. As a result, it will strike each hour on the hour. This is done on a cast iron bell which is mounted above the movement.
This clock stands approximately 92 inches tall to the top of the finial and was made circa 1820.
Inventory number NN-3.
John Bailey II was born in Hanover, Massachusetts, the son of Colonel John (A shipbuilder) and Ruth Randall Bailey on May 6, 1751. He died there 72 years later, on January 23, 1823. It is thought that he learned clockmaking at a very young age and may have been self-taught. John is responsible for training numerous apprentices. Many of which include his younger brothers Calvin and Lebbeus, his son John III, Joseph Gooding, Ezra Kelley, and Hingham's Joshua Wilder. Many of these trained apprentices moved to other southeastern Massachusetts towns and became well known to their local communities. John was the most prolific maker of the six Baileys involved in the clock business. In addition, he was a Quaker preacher, an ingenious mechanic, and an instrument maker. Other examples of his work include a surveyor's compass that is now in the Hanover Historical Society's collection. He was also an inventor and received a patent for a steam-operated roasting jack. This device was designed to turn the meat over a fire to cook it more evenly.
John's clocks are loosely broken down into two categories. The first is a home-developed style. These examples often have sheet brass dials engraved and treated with a silver wash. Several examples are known to us with movements that are constructed in wood. Others are constructed in brass, and the plates are fully skeletonized. Some of these later clocks incorporate wooden winding drums. It is interesting to note that he made both types of strike trains. We have seen examples that he signed that feature a count wheel set up and the more popular rack and snail. Very few clockmakers used both setups. The cases are typically constructed in indigenous woods that include maple and cherry. These examples have pleasing country proportions and lack the sophistication of the Roxbury school. Sometime around 1790, the Roxbury / Boston influence must have played a significant role in John's production. The movements on these examples are more apt to incorporate fully plated movements. In addition, the cases resemble those being turned out by the Willard School to the North. These feature mahogany cases that are often decorated with inlays. This second generation of output is much more formal in appearance.
Over the years, we have owned a fair number of clocks made by him. Some of which included numerous tall case clocks, dwarf clocks, and the Massachusetts shelf clock form.
