Tall Case Clock
ClockmakerClock works made by
Gideon Roberts
(American, 1749 - 1813)
Furniture MakerCase made by
Unknown
Date1803-1804
MediumCase: Pine primary wood.
Dial: Printed laid paper, wood.
Clock Works: Wood.
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (overall height x width x depth): 80 7/8 x 18 x 10 3/4in. (205.4 x 45.7 x 27.3cm)
ClassificationsClocks
Credit LineBequest of George Dudley Seymour
Object number1945.1.1168
DescriptionTall case in the Federal, or neoclassical, style, with a pine case, a flat-top hood, a wooden clock movement, and a paper dial printed "G. Roberts/ BRISTOL/ No" with the number "643" hand-written in black ink underneath. The tall case clock consists of three major components: the removable hood, the removable dial and clock works, and the clock case. The dial and works sit on a horizontal board at the top of the clock case; the pendulum and weights (now missing) that drive the works would be suspended in the trunk, or narrow body, of the case. The hood slides over the works and sits at the top of the case.
At the top of the flat hood is projecting cove, or recessed quarter-circle, molding. The front of the hood has a glass window that is arched and recessed. Each side of the hood has a projecting, rectangular wooden door. The trunk of the clock case has cove molding at the top, and a tall rectangular door on the front. The door has a small wooden knob at the top left side and a pair of metal hinges (replaced) at the right edge. The top of the base of the clock case has ovolo, or projecting quarter-circle, molding. Base molding circles the lower front and sides of the base. The case has an overall red stain.
Construction Details: A single, vertically-oriented backboard with square top corners extends the full height of the hood and case. The hood does not have a back; it slides over the clock works to rest on the cove molding at the top of the trunk. The hood is constructed of a three-part frame, with a top and two sides that are joined with a nailed butt joint at the top corners. The front of the hood is constructed of a wooden frame that is nailed to the front of the three-part frame. The cove molding extends above the top of the hood and is nailed to the front and sides. The sides of the hood attach to a horizontal, three-sided frame. The door on each side of the hood is joined to it with a pair of cotter-pin hinges at the back edge of the door.
The backboard is joined with a nailed butt joint to the sides of the trunk. The front of the trunk is constructed of a single board, with an opening for the door, that is nailed to the front edge of the sides of the trunk. The boards that form the front and sides of the trunk extend several inches above the bottom of the hood. The clock works rest on a seat board, or horizontal board immediately behind the dial. The seat board sits at the top edge of each side of the trunk. The cove molding is nailed to the front and sides of the top of the trunk. The front and sides of the trunk extend down to the floor, as does the backboard. The base is constructed of three boards that are nailed over the lower portion of the front, sides, and backboard. The molding at the top of the base is nailed down to the top edge of each of these boards. The base molding is nailed to the bottom edges of the front and sides of the base. There is no bottom board on the base.
Dial: The dial is square with an arched top. It consists of a paper dial printed with black ink, applied to a wooden backing; the paper dial was printed using an engraved metal plate. The top of the dial arch is outlined with swags, over a bird inside a floral, oval wreath. The center of the square dial plate has a painted chapter ring, consisting of a ring of Roman numerals, inside a ring of minute graduations, inside a ring of Arabic numbers from one to sixty in increments of five. In the center of the chapter ring is an arbor, or axle, around which the cast lead hour and minute hands pivot. Above this is an applied, round paper medallion printed "G. Roberts/ BRISTOL/ No", with the number "643" hand-written in black ink underneath. Each corner of the dial plate has floral designs inside a triangular border. The dial is original to the seat board.
Clock Works
Movement: weight powered
Duration: thirty hour
Materials: wood
Strike: count wheel
Escapement: recoil
There are three inches between the plates.
Condition: The printed paper is badly stained and discolored as a result of being in contact with the wooden dial. The hinges on the trunk door are replaced. The case is refinished. The pendulum and weights are missing.
At the top of the flat hood is projecting cove, or recessed quarter-circle, molding. The front of the hood has a glass window that is arched and recessed. Each side of the hood has a projecting, rectangular wooden door. The trunk of the clock case has cove molding at the top, and a tall rectangular door on the front. The door has a small wooden knob at the top left side and a pair of metal hinges (replaced) at the right edge. The top of the base of the clock case has ovolo, or projecting quarter-circle, molding. Base molding circles the lower front and sides of the base. The case has an overall red stain.
Construction Details: A single, vertically-oriented backboard with square top corners extends the full height of the hood and case. The hood does not have a back; it slides over the clock works to rest on the cove molding at the top of the trunk. The hood is constructed of a three-part frame, with a top and two sides that are joined with a nailed butt joint at the top corners. The front of the hood is constructed of a wooden frame that is nailed to the front of the three-part frame. The cove molding extends above the top of the hood and is nailed to the front and sides. The sides of the hood attach to a horizontal, three-sided frame. The door on each side of the hood is joined to it with a pair of cotter-pin hinges at the back edge of the door.
The backboard is joined with a nailed butt joint to the sides of the trunk. The front of the trunk is constructed of a single board, with an opening for the door, that is nailed to the front edge of the sides of the trunk. The boards that form the front and sides of the trunk extend several inches above the bottom of the hood. The clock works rest on a seat board, or horizontal board immediately behind the dial. The seat board sits at the top edge of each side of the trunk. The cove molding is nailed to the front and sides of the top of the trunk. The front and sides of the trunk extend down to the floor, as does the backboard. The base is constructed of three boards that are nailed over the lower portion of the front, sides, and backboard. The molding at the top of the base is nailed down to the top edge of each of these boards. The base molding is nailed to the bottom edges of the front and sides of the base. There is no bottom board on the base.
Dial: The dial is square with an arched top. It consists of a paper dial printed with black ink, applied to a wooden backing; the paper dial was printed using an engraved metal plate. The top of the dial arch is outlined with swags, over a bird inside a floral, oval wreath. The center of the square dial plate has a painted chapter ring, consisting of a ring of Roman numerals, inside a ring of minute graduations, inside a ring of Arabic numbers from one to sixty in increments of five. In the center of the chapter ring is an arbor, or axle, around which the cast lead hour and minute hands pivot. Above this is an applied, round paper medallion printed "G. Roberts/ BRISTOL/ No", with the number "643" hand-written in black ink underneath. Each corner of the dial plate has floral designs inside a triangular border. The dial is original to the seat board.
Clock Works
Movement: weight powered
Duration: thirty hour
Materials: wood
Strike: count wheel
Escapement: recoil
There are three inches between the plates.
Condition: The printed paper is badly stained and discolored as a result of being in contact with the wooden dial. The hinges on the trunk door are replaced. The case is refinished. The pendulum and weights are missing.
Status
Not on view
