Tall Case Clock
Artist
Edward Duffield
(American, 1720–1801)
Dateabout 1740–1790
Mediummahogany, brass, glass
Dimensions105.5 in
ClassificationsFurniture
Credit LineBequest of Judge John M. Woolsey
Object number1946.20
DescriptionThis Chippendale style tall case clock is made mostly from mahogany, and its surface shows evidence of having been stripped of its original varnish and refinished. The hood is square with a rounded top, and its scroll pediment is integral to the hood. There are three gilt flame and urn finials; one is supported by the center of the pediment, and two are perched atop square, fluted plinths on either side. The scrolls of the pediment are decorated with rosettes, and beneath there is a carved shell with accompanying leaf-like flourishes. Four free fluted columns are installed on either side of the dial door and on the rear edges, and there is integral beveled molding on the top and sides of the hood. On either side of the hood are rectangular lights with rounded, beveled top profiles.The dial door has a small knob on its left panel and a rounded arch to accomodate the face's lunette, which is painted with a moon phase and gold, engraved hemispheres. Surrounding the engraved numeral disc are embossed gold-plated spandrels, and the second bit is intact over a plate with a compass design. Beneath the inscribed panel that reads [Edward Duffield/Philadelphia] is a small, square calendar aperture. On the bottom edge of the hood is a carved dentil molding which meets a Greek key molding on the case trunk's top edge. There are two quarter-round, fluted columns on either front corner, both with gold-plated brass capitals and bases in the Doric order. The trunk door has a triple-lobed arch carving on its top profile, and a gold-plated brass keyhole surround with multiple extending flourishes. There is beveled molding on the bottom edge of the trunk and base, the front panel of the base has a framed, beveled indentation. Four bracket feet support the tall case clock, and the rear surface is not accessible for viewing.Label TextThis tall case clock represents a sophisticated expression of the Philadelphia Chippendale style. Its graceful scroll top, decorative flame finials, quarter columns, and ornate carving are frequently found on other forms of high-style furniture of the period. As a clockmaker, Duffield was responsible only for the works of the timepiece; the case was made by one of the many local cabinetmakers that were mentioned among his business papers. Like most eighteenth-century craftsmen, Duffield also retailed a variety of goods on the side. In the Pennsylvania Gazette of March 25, 1751, for example, he advertised the sale of “Choice Olives, Anchovies and Lemons” at his Arch Street shop. In addition to his work as a craftsman, Duffield led an active civic life in pre-Revolutionary Philadelphia. A close friend of Benjamin Franklin’s, he belonged to the American Philosophical Society, the Library Company, the Agricultural Society, and was influential in educational, government, and church affairs.ProvenanceJudge John M. Woolsey
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