An inlaid TALL-CASE CLOCK BY WILLIAM FITZ Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Circa 1795. ZZ-20.

This case is elevated off the floor by a nicely shaped applied bracket base. The feet are boldly formed. The skirt is wonderfully shaped and nicely detailed. The base panel is framed with a line of string inlay. Quarter fans comprised of eight individual blades are fitted into the corners of the framing. The blades vary in their color. In the center of the base panel is a full patera. This is formatted like the quarter fans in terms of its coloring. The waist section is long. A rectangular-shaped waist door provides access to the two drive weights and brass-faced pendulum bob inside the case. This door is also inlaid. The design elements incorporated in the base, quarter fans, and thin line inlay are repeated here. This door is also trimmed with an applied molding around its perimeter. Fluted quarter columns are positioned in the front corners of the case. The arched-shaped bonnet or hood is fitted with an unusual variation of the New England style pierced and relieved fretwork. Similar fret patterns were popular in the area of Newburyport and can be seen on several David Wood tall clocks. The overall design conforms to the shape of the arch molding. The pattern in the middle is exceptionally detailed. This fretwork is supported by three fluted chimneys or final plinths. Each of these is capped at the top and supports a brass finial. Below the upper arch molding is a frieze. This area is decorated with inlay. We believe the inlay is sulfur. The pattern loosely mirrors the wooden fret pattern above. This is a very unusual detail. We have seen only one other clock that features this decoration. It was made by the same Clockmaker. Fully turned and fluted bonnet columns or colonnettes visually support the upper bonnet moldings. These are mounted in brass capitals and are free-standing. The sides of the hood are fitted with shaped sidelights, and they are fitted with glass. The arched bonnet door is also line inlaid. This door is fitted with glass and opens to access the painted iron dial. 

This is an imported English dial, and it is fitted with a false plate. The four spandrel areas are colorfully decorated with floral and fruit patterns. Please note the strawberries featured in the upper two corners. The time track is formatted with Arabic-style five-minute markers. A dotted minute ring separates them from the Roman-style hours. A subsidiary seconds dial and month calendar can be seen inside the time ring. This dial is signed by the Clockmaker just below the calendar. The signature reads, "WM FITZ / PORTSMOUTH." 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 a number of occupations during the colonial era. Farmers were known to track the moon phase so they could 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 in order to know when the high tide would allow their ships to sail easily from port or when the fishing might be best. Numerous religious groups had an almost superstitious litany of rituals that were best performed in accordance with 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 which represents a full cycle. As a result, a 9-hour setback is required at the end of a single year in order to keep the lunar display current. The moon is shaded by depictions of the hemispheres.

This fine movement is constructed in brass and is of good quality. Four turned pillars support the two brass plates. The plates are a full rectangle. 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 was made circa 1795. It stands approximately 7 feet 5.5 inches tall or 89.5 inches tall to the top of the center finial. At the upper bonnet molding, this case is 20.5 inches wide and 11 inches deep.

This clock is inventory number ZZ-20.