Description:
Tall clock with a mahoganized (streaked to appear like figured mahogany) cherry case and an inlaid shad surrounded by a diamond of arrow stringing on the base, made by William Lloyd (1779-1845) of Springfield, Mass, the son of John Jr. and Marianna Wright Lloyd of Springfield. The interior case has the label used by Lloyd from about 1802-1810: "At the/Head of the Ferry,/Springfield, Ms./William Lloyde,/Manufactures all kinds of Cabinet Wares./Where may be had-Elegant Clock/Cases. Book-Cases, Desks,/Bureaus, Card-Tables,/Dining-Tables, &c." Early nineteenth-century Springfield's most successful cabinetmaker, Lloyd's early training is still a mystery, but he was in business by 1802. The range of quality in design and technology demonstrates that he operated an urban shop which employed several itinerant journeymen and apprentices before he closed around 1820. He produced a wide variety of forms in the Federal style, several of which are in this collection, including elegant clock cases (53.092.1), bookcases, desks (1998.31), sideboards (1998.32), bureaus (96.031), dining tables, and card tables (2017.2 and 0423). Other examples are owned by the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum and Old Sturbridge Village. The earlier furniture is better made than the later examples that rely heavily on numerous glue blocks for their rigidity. Some chests of drawers with his 1811 label are joined rather than dovetailed; the carcasses lack bottoms in the manner of seventeenth-century furniture. This clock, which measures hourly time and days of the month, has an iron dial painted white with multi-colored floral spays and black Roman numerals, and inscribed "JP" in white paint on the back. These may be the initials of the painter, John Penniman (1782-1841). The unsigned, eight-day brass movement has an anchor recoil escapement and rack-and-snail striking system. A western Massachusetts version of Simon Williard's (1753-1848) "Roxbury" case (see 62.238), this case has an arched top with three brass finials over pierced fretwork and french feet. The cornice crest features an unusual punchwork motif, which is speculated to have been inspired by the weir, a net-like contraption used to catch fish. The shad run, which lasts two weeks a year, was an important source of food and their roe was a prized commodity.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+53.092.1 |
