John Rogers of Newton, Massachusetts. A fine mahogany cased tall clock. UU-105.
This is a fine mahogany-cased clock that exhibits classic early New England proportions. This case stands up on four applied ogee bracket feet. These feet are nicely designed and raise the cabinet off the floor. The base features an applied mahogany panel trimmed with an applied molding. The waist section features a large tombstone waist door trimmed with applied molding. The front corners of the waist a decorated with a simple molded edge. A lacy-pierced fretwork pattern is fitted to the top of the bonnet. Three finial plinths support ball and spiked finials. The arch molding is nicely formed. It is visually supported by free-standing hood columns that are shaped and terminate in brass capitals. The back quarter columns are shaped and neatly fitted into the corners of the case. The sides of the hood include tombstone-shaped side lights. The bonnet door is also an arched form and fitted with glass. This door opens to access the dial.
This 13-inch dial is constructed from a sheet of brass. It gets its silver color from a wash that is applied to it after it has been engraved. The engravings are skillfully executed. This dial features a very unusual combination of displaying the seconds, minutes, hours, day of the week, lunar calendar or phase of the moon, and the calendar day. The spandrel decorations are finely executed. In the arch of the dial is the Moon's age. A blue star-filled night sky separates the two colorfully painted moon faces on one side and a pastoral scene on the other. The top of the arch is titled "Moon's Age." The time ring displays the hours in Roman numerals. The five-minute markers are indicated in each of the hour positions in an Arabic format. In addition, the calendar day is engraved on the inside of this ring. The days are numbered 1-31. As a result, the unusual arrangement of three hands mounted off the center arbor is required. The minute and hour hand are a traditional form. The sweep calendar hand is brass and in the form of an arrow. Within the time ring, at its base, is the Maker's name, "John Rogers / Newton." In the center of the dial, one will find a subsidiary seconds dial engraved or decorated with a compass star. Beneath the center of the dial and visible through a keystone aperture is a subsidiary disc that rotates to reveal the days of the week. This is also embellished with finely engraved images of Greek Gods and Goddesses; Saturn, Jupiter, Venus, and Mars.
Behind the dial is a brass weight-driven movement. It is designed to run for eight days on a full wind. It will also strike each hour on a cast iron bell. The plates are supported with four turned posts, and a seat or a saddle board supports the frame. These plates are interesting because they retain a higher-than-normal copper content, as is evident by the copper coloring. The pendulum features a wooden rod and a brass-faced lead bob.
This fine clock was made circa 1770. The overall height is approximately 97 inches tall. It is 21.5 inches wide and 10.25 inches deep at the arch molding.
Inventory number UU-105.
John Rogers was born on May 9, 1724, in Boston. He was the son of Gamaliel Rogers and Mercy (Emms) Rogers. John is recorded as having married twice. His first wife was Hannah Williamson of Newton, and they married on December 11, 1745. Hanna was born October 9, 1723, and died June 8, 1779. Together, they had at least eleven children. John married a second time to Mary (Craft) Towbridge on October 1, 1780. She was born on April 11, 1731. John is listed as a blacksmith and as a clockmaker. He trained as a blacksmith under the guidance of Joseph Ward. John maintained two shops. One was located in Newton, and the other was in the town of Waltham. John is described as an ingenious man who made machines. He also held various town offices, including the position of selectman. In 1780, he served as a committee member to recruit soldiers. It is recorded that he was involved in a number of business dealings with the clockmaker Benjamin Willard. Rogers filed a lawsuit against Willard, which he won. In about 1761, John made and gifted the gallery clock to the Congregational Church in Newton, which is now in the Museum of Fine Arts collection in Boston. We have owned and sold a small number of tall clocks made by this maker over the last 55 years. Several of these have featured unusual calendar displays, and the works were fitted with maintaining power.
Examples of brass composite dials, engraved brass dials, and painted dial clocks are known.
