Federal Mahogany Tall Case Clock, Job White
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1810
This American Federal tall case clock stands 95 inches high in a Roxbury-style mahogany case. According to the auction house, it was made in Massachusetts and marketed in Virginia circa 1810.
The arched hood features openwork pierced fretwork, fluted columns, and three brass ball finials. The painted dial exhibits Roman numerals, an auxiliary subdial, painted spandrels decorated with American shields, and is inscribed 'Job White Richmond'. The waist features a long veneered case door flanked by brass-mounted quarter columns above a molded base set on bracket feet.
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.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Tall case clock
- Case Style
- Roxbury-style
- Dimensions
- 95 x 19 x 10 in.
- Place recorded
- United States
- Dial Decoration
- Painted American shields
- Place of Origin
- Made in Massachusetts, marketed in Virginia
- Dial Inscription
- Job White, Richmond,
- Maker / attribution
- Job White
Design
- Visible features
- • Arched hood surmounted by pierced fretwork and three brass ball-and-spire finials • Painted white dial with Roman hour numerals, subsidiary dial, and American shield spandrels • Long rectangular waist door flanked by brass-mounted quarter columns • Molded plinth base resting on bracket feet
- Dial and Attribution
- The painted dial is decorated with American shields and inscribed 'Job White Richmond'. It includes Roman numeral hour markers and a subsidiary seconds dial. The surface displays craquelure consistent with age, alongside minor paint loss and darkening. The identity and history of Job White remain subjects of professional research. Source documentation notes a Job White in Blandford, Virginia (1803), a Baltimore clockmaker (1817-1822), and an individual who worked in Boston with the Willards. It is suggested that this Job White may have acted as an agent for Northern clockmakers.
- Construction and Design
- This Federal-period tall case clock is housed in a mahogany Roxbury-style case measuring 95 inches high, 19 inches wide, and 10 inches deep. The arched hood features pierced fretwork, fluted columns, and three brass ball-and-spire finials. The waist contains a rectangular door flanked by brass-mounted quarter columns, terminating in a molded plinth base supported by bracket feet. Documented repairs to the case include patches to the molding, lock slot, and case door. The base panel shows age cracks and splits. Structural interventions include reinforcement of the left-facing rear leg with screws, and both back legs appear to have replaced returns.
- Condition and Maintenance History
- The hood exhibits repaired breaks in the fretwork and a replaced top segment on the right-facing side. Additionally, two of the wooden finial caps appear to be replaced, while all finials have been attached with screws. The case door includes a pencil inscription reading, 'Feb. 28 1900...repaired by R Jan /59,' indicating historical servicing. The auction house does not guarantee the functionality of the mechanical movement, which is provided with two weights, a pendulum, and a winding key.
Identification
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: Source condition report notes replaced finials, fretwork repairs and a replaced top segment on the fretwork
- Research required: Source notes old repairs and patches to the case door, base panel, and replaced rear leg returns
- Research required: Functionality of mechanical clocks is not guaranteed by the auction house