David Wood (Attribution) Newburyport, Massachusetts. A cross banded mahogany case tall clock. Moses Fowler's clock. 217038.
Inside the case of this clock, one will find the printed history of ownership. The paperwork suggests that Moses Fowler originally purchased this clock from David Wood in Newburyport. It was then owned by his son Moses II and then by his sister Elizabeth (Fowler) Somerby. Elizabeth married Abram Somerby, who was a sea captain. It was then passed on to the grandson Eugene Bickner Somerby, who then passed it on to his sister Clarabelle Hodges (Somerby) (Warner) Dillaby.
This beautiful cross-banded mahogany tall case clock features boldly grained tiger maple cross banding that frames the base panel and the waist door. The painted dial is not signed, but we have owned several similar clocks with dials signed by the North Shore's most prolific clockmaker, David Wood of Newburyport, Massachusetts. This clock was made circa 1810.
This is a formal example. The case is constructed in mahogany and features tiger maple framing in cross-banding. The secondary wood is New England white pine. This case has been professionally refinished appropriately. As a result, the grain of the wood is easy to view and attracts one's attention. The applied flared French feet are tall and delicately formed. They raise the base section up off the floor. They are visually joined together with a nicely shaped drop apron. The first of two tiger maple cross-banded framed elements is laid out around the perimeter of the base panel. This base front panel features a figured mahogany panel that is vertically grained. The waist of this clock is fitted with a rectangular-shaped waist door. This door is also formatted with a cross-banded tiger maple framing. This frames the beautiful selection of figured mahogany veneer that is positioned here. This door is also trimmed with applied molding and opens to access the case's interior. The front corners of the waist section are fitted with finely reeded quarter columns. These terminate in brass quarter capitals. The bonnet features a traditional version of a New England-style fretwork pattern. Three reeded chimneys or finial plinths are mounted at the top of the case, supporting this fretwork. Each plinth supports a brass finial. Finely reeded bonnet or hood columns support the molded arch. These flank the arched bonnet door and are mounted in brass capitals. Reeded quarter columns are located in the back corners of the hood. The sides are fitted with sizeable tombstone-shaped side lights or windows. These are glazed. The arch door is glazed and opens to access the painted dial. Please note the exceptional grain pattern used in the wood to construct this frame.
This iron dial is colorfully painted and features a lunar calendar or moon phase mechanism in the arch. The four spandrel areas are paint-decorated in colorful fans or, more commonly, geometric patterns. The coloring used to construct these patterns is unusual. The time track is formatted with a combination of Roman-style and Arabic numerals. This dial also features five-minute markers, subsidiary seconds, and a day-of-the-month calendar.
The time and strike movement is of good quality. It is constructed in brass and features steel pinions. It is weight-driven and designed to run for eight days on a full wind and to strike each hour on a cast iron bell. It is good quality.
This clock stands approximately 94.5 inches tall. The upper bonnet molding is 20.75 inches across and runs 10.75 deep.
Inventory number 217038.
David Wood was born the son of John Wood (1727-1805) and Eunice (Fellows) Wood (1737-1801) in Newburyport, Massachusetts, on July 5, 1766. It is thought that he may have been apprenticed to either Daniel Balch Senior or to one of the members Mulliken family. All of whom were prominent Clockmakers in this region. David advertised in the Essex Journal and New Hampshire Packet on June 13, 1792, that he had set up a shop in Market Square, near Reverend Andrews Meeting House. Three short years later, he married Elizabeth Bird (1769-1846) of Newbury in 1795. It has become evident that David Wood was also a Retailer. In 1806 he advertised that he had for sale "Willard's best Patent Timepieces, for as low as can be purchased in Roxbury." In 1818, he and Abel Moulton, a local silversmith, moved into the shop formerly occupied by Thomas H. Balch. In 1824 he advertised that he had moved on the westerly side of Market Square opposite the Market House. After his wife's death in 1846, he moved to Lexington to live near his son David, who was a merchant in that town.
It has become quite obvious to us that David Wood was a very successful Clockmaker and Retailer of Clocks. Over the last 35 years of being in the business of selling clocks, we have sold many examples of wall, shelf, and tall case clocks bearing this Maker's signature on the dial.
