Stephen Hasham of Charlestown, New Hampshire. An inlaid cherry case tall clock. 28039.
This important inlaid cherry case tall clock was made by Stephen Hasham of Charlestown, New Hampshire. Suppose you have any interest in antique clocks made by New England Clockmakers that were true characters. In that case, Stephen Hasham has to be at the top of your list.
This nicely proportioned dark-stained cherry case example stands on applied bracket feet. Each foot is nicely detailed, exhibiting subtle shaping, a strong return, and good height. The waist section is very long and accentuates the fine proportions of this case. It is fitted with a long narrow, tombstone-shaped waist door that is trimmed with applied molding. The open fretwork-style bonnet is surmounted with three brass ball and spiked finials. These are positioned on capped plinths or chimneys. The bonnet door is an arched form and is fitted with glass. The free-standing bonnet columns are smoothly turned and terminate in brass capitals.
The dial is colorfully painted and is signed by the Maker, “HASHAM,” in the interior of the subsidiary seconds dial. The floral decorations in each of the four spandrel areas are colorfully formatted and lack the traditional gilt borders found on so many other painted dials of this period. The display of the time and the calendar day are done so in the traditional format. In the arch or lunette of this dial, one will find the automated feature of a moon phase or lunar calendar.
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 wonderful example was made circa 1800. It stands approximately 8 feet tall to the top of the center finial.
Inventory number 28039.
It is reasonably priced at $8,500.
Stephen Hasham was born in October of 1764 in Boston, Massachusetts. His parents, Samuel (Jr.) and Hannah (Simpson) Hasham, had nine children. Stephen was the sixth. While growing up in Boston, Stephen and his father witnessed the battle of Breed's Hill from Coop's Hill in Boston's North End. They also watched the battle of Bunker Hill from the belfry of a meeting house at the North End of Boston. In 1775, his family moved west to the rural community of Grafton, Massachusetts. Two years later, Stephen and a brother moved ten miles away to Worcester. It is now thought that Stephen was trained as a clockmaker by Abel Stowell. Stowell frequently advertised that he was looking to teach young boys as apprentices in the skill of clockmaking. Town records support this in that Stowell was reimbursed for the care of Stephen and his brother Mayhew. By the mid-1780s, Stephen and Mayhew moved north to the small town of Charlestown, New Hampshire. This well-positioned town had a population of approximately 900 people. On September 27, 1787, it was recorded that Stephen married Theodosia Hastings, the only daughter of Deacon John and Susanna (Willard, Johnson) Hastings. The Hastings family were extensive property owners. Stephen and Theodosia had five children, and it is here that Stephen establishes himself as a clockmaker. Stephen trained apprentices. Nathan Hale from Rindge, New Hamshire, learned the skills of clockmaking from Stephen.
We have owned and seen a number of tall clocks that he made. One fine example with an engraved brass dial is currently in the New Hampshire Historical Society collection. This clock is well documented and is numbered "145" on its face. We have sold several other brass dial and numerous painted dial examples. Hasham's output was not limited to tall case clocks. He also made clocks in the Massachusetts shelf clock form. Several banjo-style clocks are also known, and as many as ten tower clocks have been documented over the years. He also made several clocks that were mounted into the interior walls of a number of Charlestown homes. The walls of these houses acted as the clock's case by protecting the inner workings. A surveying instrument called a "semi-circumferenter" was made by Hasham. This unusual instrument is in the collection of the Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. In addition to clockmaking, Hasham was very active in trading real estate. He also became a builder, an architect, an accomplished carver, and later a tavern keeper at his Eagle Hotel.
On March 6, 1841, his wife Theodosia died at the age of 72. They had been married for 50 years. Interestingly, within weeks, Stephen was courting a 23-year-old school teacher named Lucy Amy Miller. Stephen was now 76 years old. They were married on August 19, 1841, and had five children together. The last child Emily was born when Stephen was 86 years old. By 1851, financial difficulties begin to play a large role in Stephen's life. In addition, his wife Lucy was deemed an insane person by the neighborhood and was committed in 1852. Financial hardships followed, and he was soon ruined. The town of Charlestown was forced to watch over him until his death on February 3, 1861. He was 100 years young. Some of the stories regarding this man are priceless. Please read the December 1994 NAWCC Bulletin article, The Amazing Stephen Hasham, written by Don Haven Lathrop and Frederick Shelley.
