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A maple case tall clock made in New Hampshire, Concord area. This is a country form. Inventory number 217084.

This case exhibits good solid country proportions. The form should be familiar to those that collect central New Hampshire tall clocks.

This example features a case constructed primarily in maple and a New England white pine backboard. The maple wood features a lighter finish that is best described as having a warm honey coloring. It is pleasing. This case stands on applied bracket feet, which elevate the clock off the floor. The waist door is tombstone shaped and trimmed with a simple molded edge. This door fills the waist section of the case. Open it, and one can easily access the weights and brass-faced pendulum bob. A nice construction feature is the four exposed pins that secure this door's fame. The bonnet is a swan's neck form. This pattern was very popular and is commonly found in a number of other Concord area cases. The moldings are boldly formed and terminate in carved pinwheels of various designs. This example includes three plinths that each supports a cast brass period finial. The bonnet columns are turned and mounted in brass capitals. These visually support the arch molding. Smoothly turned quarter capitals are fitted into the back corners of the hood. The sidelights are a tombstone form and are fitted with glass panels. The bonnet door is also arched and fitted with glass. It opens to access the painted iron dial.

This colorfully painted dial is decorated with floral themes. Many of these are framed with a gilt border. The time track features large Roman-style hour markers. The five-minute markers are painted in Arabic form. A subsidiary seconds dial and month calendar can be found in their traditional locations inside the time ring. Lovely formed steel hands of a traditional pattern indicate the time. In the lunette is a lunar calendar. This is designed to track the phases of the moon.

This fine movement is constructed in brass and is of good quality. Four turned brass pillars support the two brass plates. Hardened steel shafts support the polished steel pinions and brass gearing. The winding drums are grooved to accept and guide the weight cords. Each holds approximately eight days of winding cord. The escapement is 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 on a bell stand.

This clock was made circa 1800.

The case is approximately 86 inches tall.

 

Inventory number 217086.

 

  • A maple case tall clock made in New Hampshire, Concord area. This is a country form. 217084.
  • Grandfather clock dial with moon phase mechanism. 217084.