Moses Wing of Windsor, Connecticut. A fine cherry case tall case clock. FF-115.
This is a rare cherry case tall clock with an engraved silvered brass dial made by Moses Wing of Windsor, Connecticut.
This example stands on an applied molding that rests flat on the floor. The waist is long and narrow and features a nicely shaped waist door. The bonnet form is referred to as a modified pagoda. This design element is original to the clock. This is a false pagoda in that it is not fully boxed. The front facade is not supported with sides or a back. The result is that it appears lighter than a full pagoda. The bonnet door is a tomb-stoned shape. This door is fitted with glass. Fully turned and boldly formed bonnet columns are positioned on either side of this door. Windows or rectangularly shaped side lights are located on both sides of this hood. This case exhibits excellent narrow proportions.
This dial is constructed from a sheet of brass. It gets its silver color from a wash that is applied after it has been engraved. The engravings are skillfully executed in filled with black wax for contrast. This dial is signed by the Maker. The Maker's name and working location, "Moses Wing / Windsor," is positioned in the arch of the dial and can be plainly seen. The name is signed in a script format. The time ring is laid out in a traditional format. A closed minute ring separates Arabic-style five-minute markers from the large Roman-style hour numerals. A seconds dial is positioned below the hour XII. The day of the month is also displayed through a large half-round opening above the Roman hour numeral VI. Please note the wonderfully shaped hands. The four spandrel areas and the interior of the time ring are decorated with seed engravings. In the arch above the Maker's name is a representation of the theme, E. Pluribus Unum. This is represented by an American Eagle depicted with its wings outstretched. The national bird holds a scroll in its beak, which is inscribed with our national motto. The eagle is clutching an olive branch in its right talons. This is a symbol of peace. In the birds left talons are arrows, a symbol of power and sometimes war. An American shield is positioned over the bird's breast—the shield with 13 stripes representing the colonies. Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson began to design this national coat of arms on July 4, 1776. This seal was approved on June 20, 1782.
This fine movement is constructed in brass and is of good quality. Four-turned pillars support the two brass plates. 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 1785. It stands approximately and is 7 feet 1.5 inches tall.
This fine example is inventory number FF-115.
Moses Wing was born on April 25, 1760, the son of Samuel and Joannah (Haskell) Wing. He served in the Revolutionary War and was present at the retreat from New York. In 1777, He enlisted as a private for service at Peekskill in Capt Edward Griswold's company of the Conn militia. End ended his service as a Major. He returned to Windsor and worked as a Goldsmith, but made brass clocks, silver spoons, etc., and also repaired watches. Several tall case clocks are known to us. All but one have skillfully engraved sheet brass dials. These are finished in a silver wash. Three of these dials have been found with the initials "DP" engraved on them. The "DP" has been identified as Daniel Porter, who Daniel Burnap trained in Windsor. This type of engraved brass dial was very popular with the clockmaking school of Thomas Harland and later Daniel Burnap. In March 1803, he and Geer Terry advertised their partnership in the Hartford American Mercury that they were "Makers of all kinds of gold and silver work." They were located in Hartford until 1805, when Moses relocated to Worcester, MA, and advertised as a gold and silversmith. Here he took on Martin Moses as an apprentice. Moses married twice. His first wife was Hannah Denslow. They married on December 12, 1781, in Windsor. Wing's second wife was Huldah Denslow. She was a cousin of Hannah's. They were married on April 8, 1793, in Windsor. Moses Wing died on October 28, 1809, in Worcester and is buried in Palisdo Cemetry in Windsor, where his tombstone still stands. Huldah Wing was appointed administrator of her husband Moses's estate, inventoried for $2284.67.
