Images(6)

Clock Movement

Dateca. 1760

Artist/Maker Edward Duffield

OriginAmerica, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

MediumBrass, steel, and iron.

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1930-583,B

DescriptionDial:
Arched brass dial with silvered sphere showing phases of moon in the arch above a silvered moon phase numerical disk and a strike/silent lever immediately below marked S-N, flanked by gilt metal mounts; silvered chapter circle with Roman numerals for the hours; outer rim of circle marked for minutes in Arabic numerals; engraved "E. Duffield" and "Philada" in script on either side of numeral 30; in central upper portion of dial, with its matted gilt ground, is a small silvered seconds circle with Arabic numerals and in the lower portion, a rectangular date apperature with beveled edges and engraved incurving rectangular surround; pierced steel hour and minute hands flanked by two winding holes, surrounding dial are gilt metal spandrel ornaments.

Movement:
Eight-day brass weight-driven time, strike, and calendar movement measuring 6.65” H x 4.75” W. Plate thickness is .112”-.121” and clearance between front and back plates is 2.4”. Clock has an anchor-recoil escapement regulated by a seconds beat pendulum. A rack-and-snail strike sounds the hours on a 4.3” diameter cast bell. The bell appears to be a replacement.

Four brass pillars are riveted into the back plate and pinned at the front plate. The movement is fastened to the seat board by steel fasteners threaded into the bottom pillars of the movement. The brass time and strike barrels are grooved for the weight cords and are fastened to the main wheels by slip washers. All time and strike train wheels have four-arm crossings. The time second wheel has a tapered steel arbor. All other wheel arbors are straight. The round steel crutch-rod has a closed-end fork. The pendulum bridge base is rectangular shape. It is screwed to the back plate with two screws and two locator pins. The bell stand is screwed to the outside of the back plate and passes under the pendulum bridge. The conventional motion work is uncrossed.

The dial mounts directly to the movement (no false plate) via four dial pillars and pins. The weight pulleys are solid brass. The pendulum rod is brass. The bob is cast lead with a brass face. The weights are cylindrical cast iron inside a brass shell. They are both 2.4” diameter and 7.75” long.

Movement distinguishing characteristics:
Moon phase sphere in dial arch with moon phase numerical disk immediately below. Strike/silent lever control below moon phase.
Label TextThe Philadelphia clockmaker, Edward Duffield, member of the American Philosophical Society and good friend of Benjamin Franklin's, included a moon phase sphere in the arch of the pediment on this 8-day clock. Painted sliver on one side and black on the other, the sphere mimics the phases of the moon as it slowly rotates. Below the sphere is a lunar date calendar wheel and a strike/silent (S-N) lever. The date of the month appears in the square aperture just below the center of the dial.
InscribedCleaning dates on inside of back plate: "William Reeves cleand 1783", "Brearly 1807", "Samuel Norton (cleand or Phila,?) 1798", "July 30, 1798".

Cleaning dates on outside of front plate: "William Reeves 1783", "Samuel Norton Cleand July 30, 1798", "Brearly Nov. 1807(?)"

Cleaning date on inside of front plate: "Adolph Yuncker cleaned April 3, 1888".
MarkingsInscribed: "E. Duffield Philada." on lower portion of dial
ProvenanceEx. Coll. Howard Reifsnyder