Gawen Brown of Boston, Massachusetts. Tall case clock. 214034.
This mahogany case tall clock was made by Gawen Brown of Boston, Massachusetts.
This case sits flat on the floor on an applied molding secured to the bottom of the base. A compressed base section, such as this one, is a common feature of this early form. The wooden panels are formatted with the wood-grain positioned horizontally. The long waist section of the case features a large door. This tombstone-shaped waist door is nicely finished with applied molding and dominates the case's waist. Open this, and one will easily access the two brass-covered lead weights and the brass-faced pendulum bob. The dome-shaped bonnet or hood is an early form. It was commonly employed in London examples as well. Below the boldly formed arch molding is a section decorated with blind frets. All of this is visually supported by smoothly turned bonnet columns. These terminate in wooden-turned capitals. It is interesting to note that all four are applied to the case. They are not free-standing. The bonnet door is arched in form and opens to a composite brass dial.
This style of brass dial predates the painted dial. It consists of a brass base sheet, applied cast brass spandrels, and chapter rings. The chapter ring, name boss, and calendar dial are finished in a silver wash for contrast. The arch of the dial features the Maker's name boss, a three-dimensional detail skillfully engraved with the Maker's name and location. The large chapter ring displays hours in Roman numerals. Five-minute markers appear at each hour position in Arabic numerals. The center is matted, likely to help locate the hands while reading. Brass dials tarnish, making them hard to read by candlelight. This dial also has a subsidiary seconds dial, engraved and silvered. The calendar day appears in the aperture below the center arbor. The steel hands are finely made.
The movement is made of brass, with finished cast brass plates supported by smoothly turned brass posts. The gearing is brass, and the pinions are steel. It is weight-driven and designed to run eight days on a full wind. The clock strikes the hour on a bell. The strike train is between the plates and actuated by a rack-and-snail design. The grooved winding barrels accept the weight cords in an orderly fashion. A seatboard supports the movement.
This is a fine example made by a well-known Boston Clockmaker circa 1770. This case stands 7 feet 1.5 inches tall overall. It is approximately 20.25 inches wide and 9.25 inches deep.
Inventory number 214034.
Gawen Brown, a key figure in Boston’s colonial era, was born in England in 1719 and died in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1801 at the age of 82. He emigrated to the American colonies sometime before 1749, during a period when Boston was a thriving center of commerce and craftsmanship. On February 6, 1749, Brown advertised in The Boston Evening Post as a "...Clock and Watchmaker lately from London," announcing his new shop at Mr. Johnson's Japanner in Brattle Street, Boston, near Mr. Cooper's Meeting House. This advertisement not only evidences his arrival but also reflects the transatlantic connections that brought skilled artisans like Brown to America.
One of Brown’s earliest public contributions was repairing the clock in the Old North Church, a historic landmark that played a role in the American Revolution. The church’s clock had been silent for nearly thirty years until Brown was hired to convert its escapement from a balance to a long pendulum arrangement—an innovative improvement at the time. His successful restoration was completed before December 1749, demonstrating both his expertise and the growing demand for precision timekeeping in colonial society.
Between 1752 and 1760, Brown’s shop and residence changed locations several times, which was typical for tradesmen adjusting to the city’s dynamic growth. He became particularly renowned for his work on the tower clock in Boston’s Old South Church—a significant civic project. The church, built in 1730, originally lacked a clock, and Brown’s installation between 1768 and 1770 provided the city with an important public timepiece, symbolizing both technical progress and community pride.
Brown’s business was closely tied to the transatlantic trade, as he regularly imported English clocks and watches, according to period newspaper advertisements. From 1789 through 1796, he was consistently listed as a watchmaker in Boston business directories. Today, numerous tall clocks crafted by Brown survive, serving as enduring testaments to his craftsmanship and his place in Boston’s historical narrative.
Gawen Brown married three times and had 12 children. On April 5, 1750, he married Mary Flagg. Together, they had six children before she died in 1760. She was only 31 years old. His second wife, Elizabeth Byles, was Mather Byles' daughter. Mather was a well-known clergyman who presided over the Hollis Street Church. Elizabeth lived only three more years and had no children. She died in 1763. In 1764, Brown again married, this time to Elizabeth Hill Adams. Elizabeth Hill Adams was the widow of Dr. Joseph Adams, who was the brother of Samuel Adams. Elizabeth bore him six more children.
