Cathedral Clock Case
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1935
The Cathedral Clock Case is a carved wooden housing created in 1935 by an unknown American artist, likely in Wisconsin. Executed in the tramp art style, the piece is fashioned from wood and paint and stands 55.9 cm tall, 47.6 cm wide, and 20.3 cm deep.
Designed with an architectural silhouette evoking a cathedral, the case features stepped tiers, pointed pinnacles, gables, and a pitched roof form. Its surfaces are heavily ornamented using chip-carved and notched wooden layers that build up rhythmic, three-dimensional patterns in natural wood tones accented with darker painted trim. A large circular opening intended for a clock face dominates the upper central gable beneath a smaller round medallion, while the lower facade incorporates arches, decorative panels, and protruding knobs.
Crafted from wood using layered chip-carving techniques, the object exemplifies domestic folk art furniture produced during the early twentieth century.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
Tramp art was a wood-carving movement prevalent in the United States from the 1880s to the 1940s. Makers utilized raw and recycled materials, such as wood, adhesive, nails, and paint, notching and layering the material to embellish household objects. Rooted in vernacular traditions of chip carving and whittling, the practice spanned people of varying classes and ages, disseminated through oral instruction, pamphlets, and existing works.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- Wood and paint
- Dimensions
- 55.9 × 47.6 × 20.3 cm (22 × 18 3/4 × 8 in.)
Technical characteristics
- Maker recorded
- Artist unknown (American, active 20th century), Probably Wisconsin
- Place recorded
- Wisconsin
Identification
- Source note
- Transcribed from the Art Institute of Chicago collection record for this single object; how far it represents a wider collectible type has not been independently verified.
- Museum object name
- Cathedral Clock Case
- Museum object number
- 1997.556
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.