A Federal Mahogany Tall Case Clock with a complex inlay design, select figured mahogany veneers, and a star-inlaid scroll-board. The cabinet is attributed to Wood & Taylor of Florida, New York, circa 1810. TT-180.
This exceptional, unsigned early Neoclassical example closely resembles a clock in the New York State Museum in Albany, illustrated in Scherer, New York Furniture: The Federal Period, 1788-1825 (Albany, 1988). That clock is notable for retaining a Wood & Taylor label pasted inside its case. Several other similar clocks are known.
This case is among the most developed of the sixteen related examples we know of. We categorize these distinctive cases by the number of stars in the inlay design; this is currently one of several examples we have cataloged with eight inlaid stars.
The case is made of mahogany and features inlay patterns of satinwood, ebony, boxwood, and dyed woods, arranged across various panels and designs. The caramel case coloring is enhanced by a modern shellac finish that unifies the tones of the various woods. Traditional features of this case include flared French-style feet and a double-drop apron below the base. The base panel is framed and lined with inlay, forming a box with ovolo corners. The first of eight inlaid stars is centered in the panel. The stars are comprised of six points of alternating light and dark wood. Below the distinctively shaped inlaid waist door is an applied Irish panel. It features the same inlay design as the base. The waist quarter columns are smoothly turned along their length. The wooden quarter capitals and bases are turned. Below these columns are blocks decorated with a fine checkerboard pattern. Above the door, bands of inlay decorate the area. The bottom row features a chevron pattern. Above this are ten horizontal rows of alternating light and dark wood. The high-pitched, narrow swan-neck pediment features inlaid stars in the tips of its horns and six additional star inlays in the tympanum. This section is divided by columns of vertical inlay that get their design cue from the upper waist section. This tympanum is visually supported by smoothly turned hood columns mounted in brass capitals and bases. The arched bonnet door is fitted with glass and opens to access the dial.
This clock dial features a painted moon phase disk in the lunette. It features alternating hand-painted scenes. At the base of the lunette are two hemispheres, each decorated with hand-painted views. One view is of a sailboat. The other is of a country cottage. The two moons separate these scenes. The four corner spandrels feature colorful geometric fans. The time ring is formatted with Arabic numerals to demark the hours and five-minute markers. The dial features diamond-shaped steel hands, a second hand above the center arbor, and a calendar window below.
The movement features four turned pillars supporting two brass plates. These plates are skeletonized and support hardened-steel shafts, polished-steel pinions, brass gearing, a recoil escapement, and smooth-winding drums. The two-train design uses a rack-and-snail striking system that strikes each hour on a cast-iron bell mounted above the movement. It is weight-powered and runs for eight days before needing to be rewound. The movement includes its original steel-shaft pendulum with a brass-capped lead bob, which rests on a wooden saddle board and is original to the case. It has recently been serviced and is in excellent running condition.
This clock stands 8 feet 3 inches, or 99 inches tall. At the upper bonnet molding, the case measures 19.5 inches wide and 10.5 inches deep.
Inventory number TT-180.
Robert Wood, James S., and Jacob S. Taylor were cabinetmakers who first worked independently in New York City from 1808 to 1810. In 1810, they both fled the city during a smallpox epidemic. It is recorded that in 1810, they settled in the small village of Florida, New York, in Orange County, for a short time. The New York City directories list Robert Wood as a registered cabinetmaker working in New York from 1808 to 1818. A James Taylor is also listed in the city in 1802-1804 and again in 1812-1819. The 1820 census lists Wood as returning to New York City, and Taylor as working in Goshen, NY. The village of Goshen is located 5 miles from Florida. We now know of a small number of these clock cases that can be attributed to these cabinetmakers. Interestingly, a fair number of these cases are fitted with movements that feature a short pendulum and are attributed to the Newburgh, New York area.
The Wood & Taylor form features narrow proportions and is coupled with the design format and layout of the numerous inlay patterns. The style is typical of Hepplewhite tall clocks made in New York or, more properly, New York City and northern New Jersey regions. The form is characterized by high-pitched, elevated, and very graceful or narrow swan-neck pediments, narrow waists, and is usually fitted with French-style feet. All of these cases seem to have used heavily figured woods, and many are elaborately inlaid to suit various tastes or budgets. The inlay patterns can be executed with simple highlighting of the various veneered forms, or added to the overall complexity of the decoration through complex stringing, a variety of panels, shells, stars, pinwheels, and urns. The wood used often included satinwood, ebony, rosewood, boxwood, mahogany, and dyed wood samples. Today, there are at least a dozen examples known that share very similar characteristics. These are all grounded by a clock that the New York Museum now owns. Their example retains a handwritten label by the Wood & Taylor firm while working in Florida and New York. Since that clock's discovery, two other examples with labels have been reported. These three labeled examples all share very similar inlaid decorations, including their signature star-decorated tympana.
