Images(11)

Tall Case Clock

Date1774-1785

Artist/Maker Lawrence Birnie

OriginAmerica, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

MediumMahogany, tulip poplar, brass, and glass; brass, iron and steel

DimensionsCase: OH: 103"; OW: 21 1/2"; OD: 10 3/4" Pendulum: OL 42 3/8"; diam: 3.85" Weight 1: OH: 8 1/4"; diam: 2 1/4" weight 2: OH: 8 1/4"; diam: 2 1/2"

Credit LineBequest of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph H. Hennage

Object number1990-289,A-E

DescriptionAppearance:
Tall-case clock with broken scroll pediment with lattice-work under scrolls and carved rosettes and center ball and flame finial; hood with blind fret around top with applied scrolled-leaf carving in the tympanum; arched hood door flanked by fluted columns; trunk with fluted quarter columns, blind fret around top of trunk under broad cove molding; trunk door rectangular with indented top corners; base with applied molding in square with indented corners; ogee bracket feet.

Dial:
One piece, iron, 12 3/16” W x 17 1/16” H x .080” thick arched white painted dial. Chapter ring has Roman hours on the inside and Arabic minutes in 5 minute intervals on the outside with dots indicating all 60 minutes between the hour and minute numbers. Arabic calendar dial below center with 5-10-15-20-25-31 labeled and all 31 days indicated by dots. Moon phase in arch with Arabic days labeled 1-5-10-15-20-25-29 and all days marked by tic marks at the inner edge radiating from the center of the arch. Images between moons are a starlit sky. Labeled maps of the two hemispheres project into the arch. Each foral and scroll dial spandrel is raised and painted gold. Sprigs of pink and blue flowers painted in center of dial. Dial signed “Laurence Birnie Philadelphia” in cursive between the VIII and IV. Winding holes do not have brass grommets. Hour and minute hands are serpentine style. Sweep seconds hand has crescent moon at base.

Movement description:
Eight-day brass time, strike, and calendar weight-driven movement measuring 6 7/8” H x 5” W. Plate thickness is 0.11” and clearance between front and back plates is 2.33”. Clock has an anchor-recoil escapement regulated by a seconds beat pendulum. A rack-and-snail strike sounds the hours on a 4.1” diameter cast brass bell. The strike hammer head is pyramidal in shape.

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 hooks that hook over the bottom movement pillars and are fastened under the seat board by nuts. The bottom pillars are threaded for seat board screws that were originally threaded into the bottom pillars. The brass time and strike barrels are grooved for the weight cords. The time mainwheel is .170” thick. The strike mainwheel is .136” thick. All time and strike train wheels and motion work have four-arm crossings. The round steel crutch-rod has a closed-end fork with rounded front and back edges with a rectangular cutout for the pendulum rod. The pendulum bridge base is a keystone shape. It is fastened to the back plate with two screws and two locator pins. The bell stand is screwed to the inside of the back plate.

The weight pulleys are cast brass with riveted brass stirrups. The overall length of the pendulum is 42 3/8”. The pendulum rod is 0.1” diameter steel. The bob is cast iron with a brass face. It is 3.85” diameter. The weights are cylindrical brass sheet with rounded brass bottom and rounded brass top with cast in metal eyes. The time weight is 2 ¼” diameter. The strike weight is 2 ½” diameter. Both are 8 ¼” long.
Label TextThis monumental clock was produced by Irish immigrant clockmaker, Laurence Birnie, and an unknown cabinetmaker in Philadelphia. Its white dial is an early example of the type that came into popularity near the end of the 18th century. Made of enameled sheet iron and either imported from England or purchased from a handful of American specialists, primarily in Boston or Philadelphia, white dials were often painted in the corners with delicate flowers. The painted dial in this arch revolves to depict the phase of the moon and lunar calendar.

Broken scroll pedimented furniture with carved rosettes and pierced fret between the scrolls was popular in Philadelphia during the mid to late 18th century. Inspired in form by British case work, the Philadelphia craftsmen often augmented the basic case with exceptional foliate rococo carving and blind geometric frets as seen on this example.

Pennsylvania Packet (March 20, 1775), p. 3
"LAURENCE BIRNIE,/ WATCH and CLOCK MAKER, from Ireland, who for some time past has carried on said business at Mrs. Fearis's, in Arch-street, …he has removed to Second street...where he intends making and repairing all sorts of repeating, horizontal and plain watches; likewise eight-day, spring, chime and repeating clocks."
Inscribed"Lawrence Birnie/ Philadephia" on clock dial (note misspelling of Philadelphia)

"Capt. Joel Vernick 933-4689/ Broght clock works back today/ He and JHH put clock back together" in scribed on label in clock.
ProvenanceDescended in the Van Wagenen Family of Oxford, NY to Barbara Parker of Albany, NY.
Bernard & S. Dean Levy, Inc. until 1982

Exhibition(s)