An important Elisha Cushing Chippendale cherry tall case clock, featuring a skeletonised movement attributed to John Bailey II. XXSL-57.
This distinctive cherry tall-case clock shows many characteristics of furniture from the New London, Connecticut, area. However, recent discoveries and scholarship have reassigned this piece and similar furniture to Hingham, Massachusetts, cabinetmaker Elisha Cushing Jr. (1746-1829). The case houses a movement closely associated with John Bailey Jr. II (1751-1823), the foremost member of the renowned group of Quaker clockmakers from Hanover, Massachusetts. This clock and a matching tall chest were discovered together as a suite. It was an unusual instance for a matching tall chest and tall clock by a documented cabinetmaker to be available.
The cherry clock case retains an old surface with fine, mellow patina. The case is elevated on four og bracket feet, which are well-formed and incorporate an aggressive c-scroll or spur return. There is a delicate half-round drop return that hangs below the base molding. The base section is compressed. A double-cove flared molding transitions the base into the waist section. The waist has a simple tombstone-form pendulum door with a wooden pull and keyhole escutcheon that match the dial door. A cove-shaped molding transitions the base to the hood. The molded pediment has steeply pitched, arched scrolls ending in molded and floral carved rosettes. These arches center a raised plinth with a turned urn-form finial. The outer edge of the hood has stepped chimneys, each topped with a matching finial. Fluted pilasters flank a cherry tympanum inlaid at the center with a lightwood phylphot. This pediment sits above a glazed, locking tombstone-form dial door with a wooden pull and decorative brass keyhole escutcheon. The door is flanked by carved rope twist colonnettes with brass capitals and bases. The layout and construction of this crest, including the pilasters, molding profiles, and inlaid phylphot, are among the most recognizable characteristics of furniture attributed to Elisha Cushing Jr. The hood door opens to a finely painted dial of Boston origin, with a moon phase disk in the lunette.
The dial’s moon disk is painted with detailed scenes. One side shows a landscape with a cottage and a bright red roof. The opposite image depicts a shoreline with a large warship at sail. At the base of the lunette are two hemispheres, each decorated with hand-painted terrestrial maps. This treatment of the maps is rare, found on some of the earliest painted dials made in this country. Typically, these hemispheres are decorated with map transfers. The perimeter of the moon phase aperture has a brightly gilt border that joins corner spandrels, which frame the clock face with black piping and gilt raised sand work brackets. The dial has bold Roman-style hour numerals and a closed minute ring. It is fitted with a steel seconds hand register and a semi-circular calendar aperture. The center arbor has original steel hands. The dial has holes for two winding arbors, indicating the movement is time and strike.
The eight-day weight-driven movement is constructed with skeletonized brass plates. Skeletonized movements have unused portions of their brass plates cut away, creating a distinctive, pierced appearance. John Bailey II and his brother Calvin developed this technique to reduce waste of expensive brass. These early clocks with skeletonized movements are directly associated with John Bailey Jr. II (1751-1823). John was the first known clockmaker from this area and trained an important group of makers who flourished in the region during the 19th Century. The movement is fitted with an original steel shaft pendulum with a brass-faced lead bob and a pair of drive weights. It rests on a wooden saddle board and is original to the case. The movement has recently been serviced and is in excellent running condition, ensuring the clock is not just a beautiful piece of history but also a functional timepiece.
Dimensions: Height: inches with center finial, Width at base: inches.
Inventory number XXSL-57.
John Bailey II was born in Hanover, Massachusetts, the son of Colonel John (A shipbuilder) and Ruth Randall Bailey on May 6, 1751. He died there 72 years later, on January 23, 1823. It is thought that he learned clockmaking at a very young age and may have been self-taught. John is responsible for training numerous apprentices, including his younger brothers Calvin and Lebbeus, his son John III, Joseph Gooding, Ezra Kelley, and Hingham's Joshua Wilder. Many of these trained apprentices moved to other towns in southeastern Massachusetts and became well known in their local communities. John was the most prolific maker of the six Baileys in the clock business. In addition, he was a Quaker preacher, an ingenious mechanic, and an instrument maker. Other examples of his work include a surveyor's compass in the Hanover Historical Society's collection. He was also an inventor and received a patent for a steam-operated roasting jack. This device was designed to turn the meat over a fire to cook it more evenly.
John's clocks are roughly divided into two categories. The first is a home-developed style. These examples often have sheet brass dials engraved and silver-washed. Several examples of movements constructed in wood are known to us. Others are built in brass, and the plates are fully skeletonized. Some of these later clocks incorporate wooden winding drums. It is interesting to note that he made both types of strike trains. We have seen examples he signed that feature a count wheel setup and the more popular rack-and-snail setup. Very few clockmakers used both setups. The cases are typically constructed from indigenous woods, including maple and cherry. These examples have pleasing country proportions and lack the sophistication of the Roxbury school. The 'Roxbury/Boston influence' refers to the design and craftsmanship styles that were popular in these areas at the time. Sometime around 1790, this influence must have played a significant role in John's production. The movements in these examples are more apt to incorporate fully plated movements. In addition, the cases resemble those being turned out by the Willard School to the North. These feature mahogany cases, often decorated with inlays. This second generation of output is much more formal in appearance.
Our collection over the years has included a diverse range of clocks crafted by John Bailey II. From tall case clocks to dwarf clocks, banjo or wall timepieces, and the unique Massachusetts shelf clock form, his versatility as a clockmaker is truly intriguing.
