Joseph N. Dunning of Burlington, Vermont. Wall Timepiece. 214092.
Joseph N. Dunning of Burlington, Vermont, made this desirable wall timepiece. This fine example is signed on the large painted iron dial in a script format by the Clockmaker.
This case is constructed in New England white pine and has been veneered in figured mahogany. The decorative panels are wonderfully figured and are constructed in three-dimensional forms. The case visually sits on a nicely shaped plinth or bracket that is secured to the lower box. The front of this box is fitted with a door. This door is shaped with a concave hollow and is hinged to access the brass cover pendulum bob. The throat section is slightly tapered towards the head of the case. The front of this section is fitted with a removable panel and features a raised center line that flares out to the edges in an “S” curved format. This panel provides one access to the weight. The wooden dial bezel is fitted with glass. It is hinged and opens to access the painted iron dial. This dial features Roman-style hour numerals and a closed minute ring. This dial measures approximately 10.5 inches in diameter. Behind it is a brass movement that is weight driven. It is designed to run for eight days on a full wind.
This clock measures approximately 35 inches long and was made circa 1825.
Inventory number 214092.
Joseph Nye Dunning was born in Brunswick, Maine, on January 2, 1795, as the ninth child of John Dunning (1738-1831) and Lois (Hinckley) Dunning (1753-1811). The identity of his clockmaking mentor remains unknown. If Dunning apprenticed in Brunswick, possible mentors include Charles Bisbee Jr (1758-1833), Robert Eastman, and James Cary. Alternatively, it is speculated that he may have relocated to Concord, Massachusetts, to work under Lemuel Curtis, a Willard-trained clockmaker. Records indicate that Dunning worked as a journeyman for Curtis before 1818. In 1818, Dunning moved to Burlington, Vermont. Curtis left his shop in Concord in the care of Joseph Dyar and moved to Burlington in 1821. In the spring of 1821, Curtis and Dunning formally advertised their partnership in The Northern Sentinel, announcing that they had established spacious workshops in a building on the northeast corner of Court House Square. They intended to manufacture “all kinds of eight-day Brass Clocks for Meeting Houses, Banks, Parlours and other rooms.” Shortly thereafter, they relocated to a three-story brick building on the east side of Church Street. During this period, Burlington experienced significant economic growth. Curtis and Dunning became two of Vermont's most prolific manufacturers of wall timepieces. In addition to clockmaking, they engaged in the purchase and sale of real estate, watches, jewelry, military goods, and musical instruments. The partnership dissolved in 1832, after which Dunning continued to operate independently in a shop located on Church Street above the jewelry store of R. Fitzgerald. Dunning died in Burlington, Vermont, on December 14, 1841, bankrupt at the age of 48.
For further discussion of Vermont-made timepieces and the work of Joseph Dunning, consult Paul Foley's book, Willard's Patent Timepieces.
