American Tallcase Clock Dials and Their Moondial Hemispheres

Transcription

1 American Tallcase Clock Dials and Their Moondial Hemispheres COURTESY OF MERRITT S ANTIQUES. by Bruce R. Forman (IN) Figure 1. An English-made dial used by an American clockmaker in Reading, PA. Tallcase clocks were made in America prior to the American Revolutionary War and continued to be produced until about The early tallcase clocks have engraved brass dials, but as time progressed, painted iron dials were used. Historians credit the English firm of Osborne & Wilson with making some of the earliest painted dials. They began manufacturing clock dials for the mass-market in Shortly thereafter, it is believed that some of these painted dials entered the American market. They became very popular and by the 1790s most American clockmakers were using painted dials on their tallcase clocks (Figure 1). Many of the English firms that supplied American clockmakers with dials marked their product by stamping their name into the back side of the moondial and/ or the calendar wheel. They are also known to have cast their name into the iron false plate (adaptor plate) that was often supplied with dials that were made for eightday clocks. Figure 2 shows the back side of the Figure 1 moondial. The original Osborne was one of the partners in the firm of Osborne & Wilson. They dissolved their partnership in Both appear to have been successful with their own independent firms, and both supplied a good portion of the American clock dial market. Figures 2A & 2B. The moondial back side of Figure 1, showing the OSBORNE false plate and the stamped maker s mark on the moon wheel. COURTESY OF MERRITT S ANTIQUES. NAWCC Watch & Clock Bulletin July/August

2 COURTESY OF RALPH FERONE. Figure 3. Wilson hemispheres from a 12-inch dial. Some of the English dials on American clocks are marked Ashwin & Company, E. Owen, F. Byrne, Wilson, Osborne, and Walker & Hughs. This is a small group, however, when you consider that more than 150 clock dial makers are listed in the English trade directories and some 20 American clock dial makers have been identified through historical research. Even if a majority of these alleged dial makers were just distributors, this accounting suggests that many dial makers did not mark the dials that they made. A bit of detective work will therefore be needed to identify the makers of these unmarked clock dials and how they impacted the American clock dial market. One key to unlocking this mystery is to catalog the dial hemispheres. These printed hemispheres can be found on most dials that show the phases of the moon. Hemispheres are believed to have been applied with the same transfer printing process used by the English pottery industry. The printing plate to make these transfers was hand engraved; so, no two printing plates are exactly alike. Hence, each printed hemisphere has its own fingerprint that can be traced to a particular dial-making firm. This same principle has long been used to deter and identify counterfeit currency and stock certificates. Let us first examine some of the hemispheres produced by dial makers that are known to have marked their work. Figure 3 shows the dial hemispheres from a 12-inch dial manufactured by Wilson of Birmingham, England. Like many dial makers, Wilson commonly placed the West- ern Hemisphere on the left side of the dial and the Eastern Hemisphere on the right. These hemispheres are attributed to Wilson based on the fact that they appear on dials with a false plate marked Wilson and his name is found stamped into the moon and/or calendar wheel. Enough examples have been identified with these same characteristics to be relatively certain that these are Wilson dials. In comparison, we find a different set of hemispheres on a dial pictured in Figure 4. This dial also has Wilson markings and looks to be 100 percent original. Wilson was one of the more prolific dial-making firms, so it is not unreasonable to suppose that he may have replaced worn printing plates at different times. However, it is dangerous to make any attribution until several dials with the same markings have been located. This is because dials were easily damaged during shipping and various dial components may have been assembled from damaged dials to make one complete dial. This practice still goes on today, as it is often less expensive for an antique dealer to replace damaged dial parts from a supply of old dials, rather than paying a skilled technician to reproduce the missing parts. Although this author has only seen one example of the hemispheres in Figure 4, a second researcher has documented several examples and confirms that they are definitely from the dial-making firm of Wilson. Wilson is known to have exported 12-, 13-, and 14- inch dials to America. Because each dial is proportionately larger, each dial required a different size hemisphere transfer. Hemispheres from a Wilson 13-inch dial are shown in Figure 5. These hemispheres are found on two clocks made by Seneca Lukens of Pennsylvania. Each has similar artwork and Wilson markings. The clocks are dated 1793 and COURTESY OF BARRY BLUM ANTIQUES OF CHESTNUT HILL. Figure 4. Wilson hemispheres from a 12-inch dial. 358 July/August 2012 NAWCC Watch & Clock Bulletin

3 A second Wilson dial with 13-inch hemispheres is shown in Figure 6. These hemispheres also appear on a clock dial used by clockmaker Robert Shearman. Shearman worked in Philadelphia from 1799 to This dating would suggest that the Wilson hemispheres in Figure 5 predate those in Figure 6. Another hemisphere with an attribution to Wilson is shown in Figure 7. This dial is 14 inches wide and has Wilson markings and artistry. Large 14-inch dials were not popular in the time period when Wilson was exporting dials to America. Only three dials are known to this author with these hemispheres. Two have a Wilson false plate while a third has an Osborne false plate. Based on the painted artistry, it is more likely that Wilson made these dials, but more examples must be found before being definitive. Although Wilson was one of the largest suppliers of painted clock dials to the mid- Atlantic states before 1800, other firms did make modest inroads. Ashwin & Company dials can be found on clocks by Jonas Alrichs of Wilmington, DE, Solomon Parke of Philadelphia, and Christian Bixler of Easton, PA. Ashwin was a Figure 5. Wilson hemispheres from a 13-inch dial, dated Figure 6. Wilson hemispheres from a 13-inch dial. These hemispheres appear on a clock that was made sometime between 1799 and Figure 7. Wilson hemispheres from a 14-inch dial, dated This identification is tentative until more examples are found. COURTESY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY CLOCKMAKERS COURTESY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA MUSEUM COMMISSION. NAWCC Watch & Clock Bulletin July/August

4 COURTESY OF PAUL FOLEY. COURTESY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY CLOCKMAKERS COURTESY OF PAUL FOLEY. smaller producer of dials and did not have the economy of scale that Wilson had. To eliminate the need for a new size hemisphere transfer for each dial size, Ashwin produced a dial transfer for a 14-inch dial with latitude markings every 10 degrees around the perimeter of the globe. This transfer could be used on smaller dials by trimming off the latitude markings or by allowing the transfer to roll over the edge of the dial. This can be seen in Figure 8, with an oversize transfer on a 13-inch dial. The Ashwin dial hemispheres are probably some of the most detailed ever engraved as they identify a large amount of the globe by geographic name. Ashwin hemispheres are identical to hemispheres found on dials made by F. Byrne. Byrne was a japanner and dial painter who worked on the same Figure 8. Ashwin & Company hemispheres from a 13-inch dial, ca These hemispeheres are probably some of the most detailed ever made. Figure 9. Osborne hemispheres from a 12-inch dial. Figure 10. Osborne hemispheres for a 13-inch dial, dated These hemispheres can easily be mistaken for the Wilson hemispheres shown in Figure 3. street as Ashwin. In 1791 Thomas Ashwin died and his son appears to have formed a partnership with Francis Byrne. This partnership is listed from 1792 to 1798 in the Birmingham directories. This close working relationship started years earlier, when both parties decided to share the use of their printed hemispheres. No dials have yet appeared with the Ashwin & Byrne markings, but most dials appear to date from the 1790 period. Although small firms like Ashwin and Byrne are known to have sold dials in America, they never reached the quantities sold by Wilson or Osborne. Wilson appears to have stopped exporting dials to America shortly after 1800 and he died in This allowed Osborne to become the dominant English supplier of dials to America until the war of Osborne, like his predecessor Wilson, was able to afford differentsize hemispheres for each dial size he produced. Examples of his 12-, 13-, and 14-inch dial hemispheres are shown in Figures 9, 10, and 11. Both the 13- and 14-inch dial hemispheres are very similar, but the shape of Japan on the 13-inch dial is triangular while a more realistic land mass is found on the 14-inch dial. It is also interesting to note that the Osborne 13-inch dial hemispheres (Figure 10) are almost identical to the Wilson 12- inch hemispheres in Figure 3. Small details are missing on the 13-inch dial hemispheres, such as the name Spain which is not identified on the Osborne hemisphere. Can you detect the other small differences? It would therefore appear that the two firms most likely hired the same engraver to produce the printing plates for these hemispheres. A direct competitor to Osborne was the firm of E. Owen. Not much is known about this maker but he appears to have sold moderate quantities of dials to American clockmakers from 1803 to about Some of his dials bear a striking resemblance to those exported to America by Wilson. This may suggest that Owen 360 July/August 2012 NAWCC Watch & Clock Bulletin

5 worked for Wilson or purchased some of the unfinished dials from that firm when it ceased operation. Owen could also have been a clever counterfeiter who capitalized on the famous Wilson brand. Figure 12 shows the dial hemispheres from a 13-inch Owen dial. These hemispheres are almost identical to those found in Figure 6 and attributed to Wilson. The small differences are the printing of the name Artic Circle and New Philippines. Other than that, these hemispheres are almost impossible to tell apart. Owen was apparently more prosperous than many of the small dial-making firms, and he had a separate set of hemisphere transfers for each dial size he made. A 14- inch dial hemisphere set is shown in Figure 13. Although some of the dials used in America were marked by their makers, many others were not. The hemispheres in Figure 14 belong to a group of dials that can be found on clocks made in Pennsylvania and Maryland. These dials have an unmarked cast-iron false plate, and none of the moon or calendar wheels are marked. Some clock historians believe that unmarked dials must be American made, but this is not true. Unmarked dials with the same hemispheres can be found on many English clocks. Although the maker of these dials is not yet known, there is speculation that these dials may have been made by William Whitaker of Halifax. Many other unmarked dials used on American clocks may also prove to be English. Figure 11. Osborne hemispheres for a 14-inch dial. Figure 12. Owen dial hemispheres from a 13-inch dial. Figure 13. E. Owen dial hemispheres from a 14-inch dial. COURTESY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY CLOCKMAKERS COURTESY OF THE IRON BRIDGE CLOCK SHOP. COURTESY OF THE SCHWENKFELDER LIBRARY AND HERITAGE CENTER. COURTESY OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY, PA. Figure 14. Hemispheres from an unidentified 13-inch English-made dial. Note the exaggerated shape of South America that nearly extends to Africa. NAWCC Watch & Clock Bulletin July/August

6 Hemispheres on American-Made Dials In America Samuel Curtis and Spencer Nolen joined forces to manufacture dials in direct competition with the British. This partnership lasted from 1806 to They again became partners from 1814 to Like the English firm of Ashwin and Byrne, Nolen and Curtis had hemispheres of a single size, as shown in Figure 15. They used latitude marks every 10 degrees as did Ashwin and Byrne but no ecliptic, making these hemispheres somewhat unique. This pattern was used by both partners while in and outside their partnership. A few of their dials are signed on the dial back side or have a small paper label. These marked dials now let us identify their many unmarked dials through the dial hemispheres. Another American dial maker of interest is William Jones of Philadelphia. Although the historical information suggests that he was a wellknown clock dial maker of his time, no dials bearing his name have ever been found. A series of dials painted by the same artist appear on clocks that can be dated from 1820 to The style of painting is different from those painted in England. This maker produced 13- and 14-inch dials and the hemispheres are shown in Figures 16 and 17. William Jones appears in the Philadelphia directories as a dial maker from 1825 to Since no other American dial maker appears to bridge this time period, these dials are attributed to William Jones. Another group of dials with a possible American connection appears on clocks made in Reading, PA. These dials were also used in lesser quantities by clockmakers working in towns in eastern Pennsylvania and Maryland. Many of these dials have the four seasons painted in the dial corners. Because of the high concentration of these dials on clocks made in Reading, some believe that these dials may have been made by clockmaker Benjamin Whitman. COURTESY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY CLOCK- MAKERS COURTESY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY CLOCK- MAKERS COURTESY OF TERRY ADDISON. Figure 15. Hemispheres used by Spencer Nolen and Samuel Curtis. Figure 16. William Jones (attributed) 13-inch dial hemispheres. Figure 17. William Jones (attributed) 14-inch dial hemispheres. Figure 18. Dial hemispheres from a 14-inch dial, from a Benjamin Morris clock. 362 July/August 2012 NAWCC Watch & Clock Bulletin

7 In 1799 Benjamin Whitman advertised that he was manufacturing clock dials in Reading. Five years later, he advertised an inventory of ready-made clocks and a beautiful assortment of 12- to 14-inch clock dials. The Whitman second advertisement does not state if the dials for sale were made by him or were imported English dials. No other primary source information has yet been found to confirm the length of time this dialmaking activity lasted in Reading. However, we do know through tax records that a dial maker by the name of Joseph Morris came to Reading in He is listed as a bachelor in the tax records until 1809, but unfortunately, the records after this date have been destroyed. This same individual may have lived in Reading until 1817, at which time a man by the name of Joseph Morris died. His occupation is given as a merchant and his estate was administered by his mother. A second member of the Morris family appears as a clockmaker in the tax records of One clock made by this individual has a 14-inch dial with no false plate. The hemisphere is the same on both sides of the dial, as shown in Figure 18. This meant that only one printing plate was needed to produce both hemispheres. The hemispheres are undersize for the dial, as indicated by a large gap between the hemispheres and the perimeter of the moon wheel cutout. These hemispheres fit much better on a 13-inch dial, as shown in Figure 19. This indicates that the dial painter was frugal and had only one size hemisphere transfer for the different size dials he made. Figure 20 illustrates a second type of hemisphere that appears on Reading dials. It, too, is from a 13-inch dial and the same hemisphere is used for each dial side. This clock was made by Daniel Oyster and has no false plate and there are no dial maker markings on any of the dial parts. Henry Hahn was another Reading clockmaker who used dials that some believe have a local connection. His clock number 186 has a dial with no Figure 19. Dial hemispheres of a 13-inch dial, from a Benjamin Whitman clock. Figure 20. Dial hemispheres from a 13-inch dial, from a Daniel Oyster clock. dial maker s mark. The hemispheres are identical on each dial side as many found on other Reading-made clocks, but are of a different pattern, as shown in Figure 21. Figure 21. Dial hemispheres from a 13- inch dial, from a Henry Hahn clock. NAWCC Watch & Clock Bulletin July/August COURTESY OF PHILIP AND JOAN CLAY. COURTESY OF WINTERTHUR MUSEUM. COURTESY OF TOM SPITTLER.

8 COURTESY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY COURTESY OF HISTORIC TIME KEEPERS. CLOCKMAKERS COURTESY OF MERRITT S ANTIQUES. Figure 22. Dial hemispheres on a 14-inch dial, from a Daniel Oyster clock. Figure 23. Unmarked 14-inch dial with hand-painted hemispheres. Figure 24. A hemisphere from a Jonathan Jessup clock, dated There are also many different hemisphere designs found on 14- inch dials from the town of Reading. Figure 22 shows another example from a Daniel Oyster clock, and like others, the same hemisphere is used on both dial sides. Still another hemisphere from a Reading dial is hand-painted rather than printed (Figure 23). This dial can be dated between 1803 and 1809, when the clockmaker who built this clock was working at the location printed on the dial. Daniel Oyster was a prolific clockmaker in Reading, so it is not unexpected that still another clock he made has a dial that some may attribute to Reading. This clock dial is pictured in Figures 1 and 2. However, this dial is clearly marked on all its components as being made by Osborne. Indisputable proof that these dial components are not married to the iron dial, comes from the Osborne-printed hemispheres. Could Osborne have supplied some of the four-season dials we find in Reading? If so, they were probably custommade for a distributor because the artistry of the four-season paintings is untypical of other Osborne fourseason dials. Another explanation could be that this dial was reworked by a Reading dial painter or by an antique dealer trying to improve the value of the clock. However, a similar dial appears in the book Berks County Tall Case Clocks, but the printed hemispheres are illegible in the photograph. It is reported to be unmarked with a U-shaped false plate and the number 126 painted on the moon wheel. In total, at least five different hemisphere designs have been found on Reading dials. There are also many differences in dial construction. Although it is clear that some dials were made in Reading, it is less clear that we can yet attribute them to a single source. Hopefully, more study of dial hemispheres and archival research will help to solve this mystery of the Reading dials. 364 July/August 2012 NAWCC Watch & Clock Bulletin

9 The last hemisphere we will examine also has an unknown origin. It appears on a clock made by Jonathan Jessup, in Jessup was from York, PA, and advertised clockmaking and dial painting. The same hemisphere is used on the left and right side of the dial and they appear slightly undersize for the dial size (Figure 24). This may suggest that Jessup, like others, cut costs by having only one size hemisphere for the different size dials he painted. Yet, we also know that Jessup used dials attributed to William Jones. Did Jessup really make this clock dial? More examples will need to be discovered before we can say for certain. The author believes that there are still more hemispheres to be added to this study. He would appreciate hearing from anyone who can identify the hemispheres found in this article that have not yet been attributed to a particular dial maker. Bibliography Foley, Paul J. Willard s Patent Time Pieces. Norwell, MA: Roxbury Village Publishing, Forman, Bruce R. The American White Painted Dial. NAWCC Bulletin, No. 300 (February 1996): Forman, Bruce R. Clockmakers of Montgomery County, Norristown, PA: The Historical Society of Montgomery County, Loomes, Brian. White Dial Clocks. Newton Abbot, UK: David & Charles Publishers, Machmer, Richard. Berks County Tall Case Clocks. Reading, PA: The Historical Society of Berks County, Spittler, Tom. The Reading School of Dial Painting. NAWCC Bulletin, No. 338 (June 2002): Tennant, M. F. The Art of the Painted Clock Dial. Mayfield, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, England: Mayfield Books, About the Author Bruce Forman is past-president of Philadelphia Chapter 1 and a 30-year member of the NAWCC. At present he is helping to run Horological Tool Chapter 173. Mr. Forman collects horological tools and manufactures hairsprings for antique clocks. He has authored several articles about clocks and a book on tallcase clocks, Montgomery County Clockmakers Reasons to look online: More color pages in the latest Watch & Clock Bulletin. Looking for event information and can t find your Mart & Highlights. visit View current and past issues, zoom in on images, click Web links for more resources, see advertiser links on the Mart Marketplace. NAWCC Watch & Clock Bulletin July/August