Tall case clock

Date1740-1770

Artist/Maker Augustine Neisser

Mediumwalnut, tulip poplar, yellow pine, white pine

DimensionsOH: 82 3/8"; OW (at top): 20 3/4"; OD: 11 1/4"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1967-598,A

DescriptionCase: Flat top with heavy, molded cornice and narrower band of molding over hood door; hood door composed of large square of original glass set in frame with molded inner edge; pair of plain, bulbous three-quarter columns attached at either side at front; door opens at left and pivots on small hinges attached at right top and bottom; hood has straight sides with small glazed rectangular windows surrounded by frame with molded inner edge; quarter columns, similar to those at front, attached to either side at rear; hood has rather narrow, molded base above large cove molding at top of case; case made up of straight sides and front, with plain, rectangular door with molded edge; door hinged at right; elaborate brass keyhole escutcheon at left center of door; square base with cove molded top and narrow band of applied molding at base.

Dial:
11 1/16” square brass dial with gilded cast spandrel ornaments consisting of a central urn surrounded by scrolls and leafage; silvered chapter ring with outer circle marked with Arabic minutes at intervals of five from 5 to 60, and inner ring marked with Roman numerals from I to XII; at bottom of outer ring appears the inscription, "Augn. Neisser"; central portion of dial plate, inside chapter ring, engraved with twelve-pointed star, each point interspersed with serpentine line terminating in bulls-eye disc; square aperture above VI reveals date; silvered setter disc for alarm attached at center of dial; disc engraved on outer edge with numerals from 1-12, and on inner surface with star design similar to that on dial plate; long iron serpentine minute hand, shorter, scrolled hour hand.

Movement description:
Eight-day brass time, strike, calendar, and alarm with endless chain weight-driven movement measuring 6 3/16” H x 4 3/4” W. Plate thickness is 0.090” and clearance between front and back plates is 2.25”. Clock has an anchor-recoil escapement regulated by a seconds beat pendulum. A rack-and-snail strike sounds the hours on a 4.6” diameter cast bell. The crown wheel (verge) escapement sounds the alarm on the same bell.

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 seat board screws threaded into the bottom pillars. All time and strike train wheels have four-arm crossings. The conventional motion work is uncrossed with the exception of the minute wheel which has for arm crossings. The round steel crutch-rod has a closed-end fork. The pendulum bridge base is rectangular with rounded bottom corners. It is fastened to the back plate with two screws and four locator pins. The bell stand is screwed to the outside of the back plate and passes under the left side of the pendulum bridge.

There is a single wooden pulley for the time and strike endless chain with a steel stirrup. The alarm weight is suspended by rope. The overall length of the pendulum is 44 1/4”. The pendulum rod is steel. The bob is lead with a brass face. It is 3.9” diameter and 0.85” thick at its center. The time and strike weight is cylindrical cast iron with a cast in metal hook. It is 2 3/8” long, 1 5/16” diameter, and weighs 1 pound. The lead alarm weight is 1.9” long and rectangular cross section.
Inscribed"Augn. Neisser" on dial; "J. Dyer" stamped three times inside case on backboard. "JE" in chalk script inside case on backboard; "A Yuncker Phila[?] June 11 18..." on back of dial.