Luther Smith signed tall clock from Keene, New Hampshire. XXSL-46.
This hand-painted dial, featured on this fine cherry-cased tall clock, was locally produced. A quick inspection shows the artist's hand is looser and less refined than the artwork found on dials produced in Boston, MA, and Birmingham, England, during this colonial period. This dial has a folk-art quality. This distinctive paintwork is attributed to the ornamental artist Thomas Shapley.
Shapley advertised in the Columbian Informer, or Cheshire Journal, on December 2, 1794. The ad reads, "THO'S SHAPLEY, Respectfully informs the Public, that he carries on the business of Sleigh, Sign and Clock Face Painting, at the shop of Mr. Luther Smith, opposite Mr. Ralston's Tavern; where any commands in that line will be punctually attended to, faithfully executed, and the smallest favors gratefully acknowledged. Keene, Dec. 1st, 1794."
The dial sheet is iron and is decorated with berry and floral themes. These are framed in gilt borders. These frame the time ring, which is displayed in a traditional format. Each five-minute position is marked with Arabic-style numerals. A dotted minute ring separates these from the Roman-style hour numerals. The subsidiary seconds dial and calendar dial display are located inside the time ring. Thinly shaped steel hands indicate the time. The lunette features a pastoral view. Large mossy trees, perhaps willow trees, are prominently featured in the foreground. Behind it is a small cottage set at the bottom of the mountain range. The Clockmaker signed this dial. The signature reads Luther Smith.
This fine movement is constructed in brass and is of good quality. Four turned and shaped pillars support the two brass plates. Hardened steel shafts support the polished steel pinions and brass gearing. The winding drums are turned smooth. The escapement is a recoil format. The movement is weight-driven and designed to run for eight days. It is a two-train, time-and-strike design with a rack-and-snail striking system. As a result, it strikes on the hour. This is done with a cast-iron bell mounted above the movement.
This cherry case form is very familiar to us, as we have sold numerous clocks made by Silas Parsons in Swanzey, NH. This is a very good example of two local clockmakers using cases from the same sources. This case is constructed in cherry and retains a dark and consistent mahoganized finish. Its proportions are excellent. The case sits on four ogee-shaped bracket feet applied to the bottom. The waist section is long and narrow. Many of these cases are quite shallow in depth. For example, this case measures approximately 6.75 inches deep, and, as a result, this leaves very little room for the pendulum and three drive weights. The front corners of the waist often feature inset quarter columns. These are deeply fluted and terminate in brass quarter capitals. The waist door is shaped like an older-style tombstone, having an arched top. It also features a circular cutout to view the brass-faced pendulum bob. The waist moldings are deeply formed. The bonnet is fitted with a distinctive open-style fretwork pattern. Three boldly fluted chimney plinths support three brass finials. The bonnet columns are also boldly fluted. They flank the arched glazed door.
This clock was made circa 1805. It stands approximately 96.5 inches tall to the top of the center finial. This case is 20.25 inches wide and 10 inches deep at the upper bonnet molding.
Inventory number XXSL-46.
Luther Smith was born in Colrain, Massachusetts, around 1767 and moved to Keene, New Hampshire, sometime around 1793. He was involved in several businesses in Keene over the years. He is best known today as a Clockmaker. His Keene, NH, shop was on Federal Row, now Main Street. IN 1794, he purchased two businesses from Nathan Blake. The first was a sawmill, and the second was a gristmill. They were located on what is now known as West Street. Both of these businesses were sold with water privileges from the Ashuelot River. Smith built Keene's first public clock in 1794. It was installed in the old meeting house at the head of Main Street at a construction cost of 36 pounds. This transaction also included a ten-year warranty. The clock's one dial faced south. Unfortunately, the clock was lost in 1828 when the meeting house was moved. Thomas Shapley advertised on December 2 of that year in the Columbian Informer and/or the Cheshire Journal that he "Respectfully informs the Public, that he carries on the business of Sleigh, Sign, and Clock Face Painting, at the shop of Mr. Luther Smith, opposite Mr. Ralston's Tavern; where any commands in that line will be punctually attended to, faithfully executed, and the smallest favors gratefully acknowledged." In 1798, Smith married Sarah Eveleth in Bolton, Massachusetts. Smith continued to prosper. In 1805, he built the first brick tavern house in Keene. The building stood on the northwest corner of Court and School Streets. He sold that house in 1814 to Elijah Parker. Smith died on October 21, 1839, at the age of 73. He is buried in the Washington Street Cemetery.
Today, a small number of clocks are known. They include several tall clocks, banjo clocks, New Hampshire mirror clocks, and tower clocks.
