John McNiesh of New York City, New York. A very unusual wall Timepiece. 222076.
To my knowledge, this is the only known signed New York City timepiece or banjo clock made pre-1840 in the marketplace. This is not a perfect clock, but it is an interesting study piece. It is decorative and colorful. It is worth consideration.
The case form is a wonderful variation of the traditional form. Constructed of mahogany, its surface retains an older finish, if not the original. The case is built to a slightly larger scale and is therefore oversized. A traditional Boston-made timepiece measures about 29 inches long. This example is almost 5.5 inches longer and 1.5 inches wider than that standard. The lower box shape is more square than the traditional rectangle. The wooden sidearms are unusual and feature a reminiscent design. The cast brass bezel is smaller in diameter than the wooden head of the case, which is molded to accept it. The bezel is secured by a brass hook mounted on the side of the clock that overlaps the bezel to hold it closed. The plinth at the top of the case is nicely shaped. It has never been drilled for a finial.
The iron dial measures 7.75 inches in diameter and has several heavy coats of paint. The perimeter is decorated with a gilt ring. The minute ring is divided into 60 units. The hours are marked in Roman numerals. Iron hands indicate the time. The clockmaker signs this dial. The signature reads John McNiesh / New York. The hole for the winding arbor has been relocated, suggesting the movement is likely not original to this clock.
The time-only, weight-driven, 8-day movement is mounted on a spacer block secured to the backboard. It is a traditional American timepiece movement design. It is constructed in brass, and steel shafts support the brass gearing. The escapement is a recoil format. A T-bridge suspension supports the pendulum. The drive weight is lead and descends the center of the case.
The half-rounded throat and lower box frames are fitted with very colorfully painted tablets. The colors are vibrant, and the tablets remain in wonderful original condition. The throat glass is decorated with florals that resemble a fireworks display. The lower glass is decorated with a still-life theme. A fancy compote is filled with fruit. The corners of the design are decorated with conch shells.
This decorative clock was made circa 1830.
Inventory number 222076.
John McNiesh (Sr.) was born in Scotland around 1777, during a period of significant social and economic change in Britain. At the age of 35, amid the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars and growing opportunities in America, he immigrated to New York City in 1812, already trained as a clock and watchmaker—a highly skilled and respected trade during this era—John brought European craftsmanship to the rapidly developing city. He was married to Janet (Drisdale) McNiesh, and they had six children together. Their first child, Jane, died in Scotland in infancy, reflecting the difficult conditions many families faced in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Their second child, also named Jane, grew up in New York and married John Phyfe, a fellow New Yorker, signifying the family's integration into American society. The third child, Elizabeth, did not marry and lived to 86, a remarkable age for the time. The fourth child, Janet, married John Ferguson of New York City. John, the fifth child and only son to survive to adulthood, was educated in New York and trained by his father, continuing the family tradition of clock and watchmaking. His first shop was located on Wall Street at the corner of William Street, placing him at the heart of the city's commercial activity during a period of rapid urban growth. He remained there until 1842, when he relocated to Brooklyn and shifted to the mercantile trade, reflecting broader economic trends in antebellum America. In 1844, he retired to the family homestead at Woodrow in the Borough of Richmond, where he died on January 12, 1882, at Huguenot Park. Their last child, James, died at Woodrow in 1851 and did not marry. John (Sr.) is listed in the NYC Directories as a Watchmaker in 1820 and 1835, illustrating his established presence in the city’s artisan community. He became a naturalized citizen on February 5th, 1828, during a period of mass immigration and expansion in the United States. His occupation was later listed as a merchant, demonstrating a shift in his professional life as opportunities evolved. He and Janet lived on Water Street for many years before moving to Woodrow, a borough of Richmond, where the family purchased a farm and homestead—a common aspiration among immigrants seeking stability and landownership. John passed away in 1846, leaving a legacy that mirrored the broader immigrant experience of adapting and contributing to American society in the 19th century.
