Simon Willard of Roxbury, Massachusetts. An Inlaid mahogany-cased tall clock featuring a lunar dial. VV-25.

This federal inlaid mahogany tall case clock was made by Simon Willard in Boston, circa 1795.

This beautiful clock is a superb example of a “Roxbury” case produced in Boston circa 1795. The case exhibits many of the qualities associated with this desirable Boston form. These include high-quality mahogany, superb proportions and form, line-inlay decoration, brass stop-fluting, pierced and open fretwork, and ogee bracket feet. This representative example was produced by the premier Boston clockmaker Simon Willard (born in Grafton, Massachusetts, April 3, 1753, died in Boston, Massachusetts, August 30, 1848). Willard was a patriot during the Revolution. Simon was a highly prolific and innovative clockmaker and worked for a period that extended over sixty-five years. He trained many clockmakers who became famous in their own right. He built and sold clocks to some of our country's most famous citizens.

This clock cabinet exhibits figured mahogany that retains a rich color and pleasing surface. The case is decorated with a thin-line inlay pattern applied to the base, waist door, and hood door. 

The molded hood is fitted with three fluted chimneys. These frame the pierced and open fretwork pattern. The chimneys also serve as plinths for the brass ball and spire finials. The fretwork and chimneys rest atop a molded arched cornice. Brass stop-fluted colonnettes with brass capitals and bases visually support this molding. They also flank the bonnet door. The door is glazed and opens to a finely painted iron dial. Each side of the hood has a glazed tombstone-shaped window.

The colorfully painted iron dial features a moon-phase disk in the lunette, decorated with alternating hand-painted scenes. One side of this disk depicts a swan on a lake; the other is a country scene with a cottage and a figure on a path. The dial is framed by four corner spandrels, each decorated with vivid flowers within gilt borders. The clock face has an inner ring of Roman numerals used to demark the hours and an outer ring of Arabic numerals to demark the five-minute markers. The dial is fitted with steel pointer-formed hands and has a second bit above the center arbor and a calendar window below. This dial is distinctly signed below the center arbor in script-style calligraphy with the maker’s name, "Simon Willard."

The hood transitions down to the waist section with a broad flared molding. The waist corners are set with brass stop-fluted quarter columns. These terminate with brass capitals and bases. A long, rectangular-form pendulum door is centered in this section. The door has a brass keyhole escutcheon and an inlaid line border. It is also trimmed with an applied molding. This door opens to access the pendulum, brass-capped pendulum bob, and a pair of tin can weights. 

The waist transitions to the base section with another broad-flared molding. The forward-facing base panel exhibits a vibrant crotch grain pattern and is also decorated with an inlaid line pattern. A double-stepped molding supports the base, which is joined by four ogee bracket feet. These feet feature an aggressive spur return.

The clockworks or movement is constructed in brass and is of good quality. It is weight-driven and designed to run for eight days on a full wind. It is a time-and-strike design with a rack-and-snail striking system. As a result, it will strike each hour on the hour on a cast iron bell mounted above the movement. The movement has recently been serviced and is in fine running condition.

This fine example stands approximately inches (8 feet inches) to the top of the center finial. It is 20.5 inches wide and 9.5 inches deep.

Inventory number VV-25.