Lot 156
156
A FEDERAL INLAID MAHOGANY TALL-CASE CLOCK

Details
A FEDERAL INLAID MAHOGANY TALL-CASE CLOCK
BY JOSIAH WOOD, NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, 1797-1810

The hood with three brass ball-and-spire finials centering pierced fretwork above an arched glazed door opening to a white-painted dial with Roman and Arabic chapter rings enclosing a sweep seconds ring and calendar day aperature inscribed "Josiah Wood, N. Bedford," the spandrels embellished with gilt scrolls and painted flowers surmounted by painted roses with an exotic bird flanked by fluted colonettes over a waisted case with rectangular cupboard door inlaid with quarter fans and line inlay flanked by fluted quarter columns with brass capitals and bases above a similarly inlaid box base over base molding, on ogee bracket feet (fretwork restored, minor breaks to feet)--94 1/2in. high, 19 1/2in. wide, 10in. deep

Lot Essay

Josiah Wood (1774-1849) was born in New Bedford and in 1799 he advertised his clock and watch-making business at the intersection of Union and Water Streets. Tall-case clocks by Josiah Wood are extremely rare as the focus of his business appears to have been watches, silver, jewelry and dry goods. For a closely related tall-case clock, and a discussion of Josiah Wood, see Elton W. Hall, "New Bedford Furniture," Antiques (May, 1978), pp. 1105-1127, fig. 5, 5A.