Simon Willard Roxbury tall case clock, c. 1800
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1800
This early 19th-century Roxbury tall clock was crafted by Simon Willard. The case is constructed from mahogany and mahogany veneer, featuring a tall base supported by ogee bracket feet, accented with line and shaded quarter fan inlays.
The trunk includes quarter columns with brass stop fluting and a molded rectangular door, which showcases fiddleback figure veneer. The bonnet is topped with fretwork, three fluted plinths, and brass finials, housing an arched, glazed door. The 12-inch white painted dial displays Roman numerals, blued steel hands, a date aperture, and the signature "Simon Willard". The spandrels feature floral ornamentation with gilt borders, while the arch contains an oval painting of a male figure in 18th-century naval dress.
The clock is powered by an eight-day, two-train brass movement that strikes the hour on a bell. The timekeeping is regulated by a pendulum with an iron rod and brass-clad bob, driven by green-painted tin can weights. The reverse of the clock bears a printed advertising and instruction label by Isaiah Thomas.
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.
Physical characteristics
- Materials
- Mahogany, mahogany veneer, brass, iron, tin, white paint
- Dimensions
- 93in x 20in x 10.25in
Technical characteristics
- Dial
- 12-inch Roman numeral white painted dial
- Movement
- Eight-day, two-train brass movement
- Pendulum
- Iron rod with brass-clad bob
- Striking
- Strikes the hour on a bell
Design
- Decoration
- Line and shaded quarter fan inlay, quarter columns with brass stop fluting, floral spandrels, naval scene painting in arch
- Inscriptions
- Simon Willard
Identification
- Source note
- Described from a single auction-house listing published on Invaluable (reproduced with Invaluable's permission). Details apply to that one example; other examples of the type may differ, and the listing is supplementary evidence, not authentication.
- Maker named in listing
- Simon Willard
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.