William Cummens of Roxbury, MA. A Patent wall timepiece or banjo clock of the Federal period. DG 26-1.
This is a fine Federal Massachusetts Timepiece, or "Banjo clock," made by William Cummens of Roxbury, Massachusetts, circa 1810. Simon Willard received a patent for his ”Improved Timepiece” in 1802. This clock style was a revolutionary and truly American design.
This clock case is constructed of mahogany and features flat cross-banded frames. The front surfaces are veneered with two bands of exotic wood, she-oak and rosewood. Their grain patterns are laid at right angles. The innermost band of she-oak veneer runs linearly along the length of the frame. The outer band of rosewood is positioned at a ninety-degree angle to the inner band. This formatting is the early case design. These frames are fitted with eglimoise tablets.
The colorfully painted tablets are in excellent original condition. The throat tablet is decorated with a traditional timepiece theme. A lowing pattern of acanthus leaves is finished and gilt. Behind them, splashes of red and blue add depth to the design. The banner in the lower glass reads “PATENT” over a green field. “Patent” refers to Simon’s patent for this form. The lower tablet depicts an allegorical scene, perhaps of Aurora in her chariot. Aurora is the goddess of the dawn. In mythology, she renews herself daily as she flies across the sky, announcing the sun's arrival. Her fanciful chariot is pulled by two white horses. In the center of the tablet is a small, undecorated area. Through this opening, one can view the pendulum's motion. The brass-faced bob crosses behind this opening as it swings. Painted gold radiants originate from this spot. This scene is framed with a multi-colored border.
The enameled dial features a closed minute ring. Short, stout Roman-style numerals mark the hours. The inner border of the time ring is framed with a gilt band. The center of this dial is signed, “Warranted by Wm Cummens.” The hour and minute hands are well-formed and feature arrow pointers at their ends. Behind the dial is the clock's mechanism.
The movement is a single-train, time-only design. It is driven by a lead weight that descends below the works. The rectangular plates are brass. Steel shafts support the finely cut gearing. The pendulum hangs from a T-bridge suspension. The movement is mounted on the back of the case with two steel through-bolts.
This wall timepiece measures approximately 34 inches long and was made circa 1810.
Inventory number DG 26-1.
William Cummens was born in 1768 and died in Roxbury, Massachusetts, on April 20, 1834. He was 66 years old. William worked in Roxbury as a clockmaker as early as 1789. He learned clockmaking from Simon Willard. In fact, he was an apprentice in Willard's shop about the same time that Elnathan Taber was training. After serving his apprenticeship, Cummens stayed in Roxbury and worked alongside the Willard clockmaking family for many years. Based on the large number of clocks that have survived, Cummens and the Willards must have had an excellent relationship with one another. In this Roxbury location, Cummens had direct access to the same suppliers, such as case makers and dial painters, that the Willard family used. As a result, his clocks are nearly identical in form. Cummens was one of the first persons authorized by Simon Willard to manufacture Simon Willard's Patented Timepiece. The patent was granted in 1802. Over the past 55-plus years of buying and selling clocks, we have owned and sold a substantial number of tall case clocks, Massachusetts shelf clocks, and wall timepieces signed by this important clockmaker.
