Lot 187
187
Property of A DIRECT DESCENDANT OF THE ORIGINAL OWNER
A CHIPPENDALE MAHOGANY TALL-CASE CLOCK

Details
A CHIPPENDALE MAHOGANY TALL-CASE CLOCK
DIAL AND CASE SIGNED NATHANIEL MULLIKEN, LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS,
CIRCA 1754

The enclosed hood centering two brass ball-and-spire finials above an arched glazed door opening to an engraved brass dial with Roman and Arabic chapter ring enclosing a sweep seconds and calendar day ring, the spandrels embellished with brass mounts surmounted by brass mounts cast with shells and birds centering an engraved disc "Nath Mulliken, Lexington" flanked by four turned colonettes, over a waisterd case with rectangular thumbmolded door with shaped top above a box base over a shaped skirt, on straight bracket feet, signed in chalk on backboard "Nathaniel Mulliken clock case" and on inside door "Dec 20-54"--91 1/2in. high, 18 3/4in. wide, 9 5/8in. deep

Lot Essay

Nathaniel Mulliken (1722-1767) established his clockmaking business on the high road [Massachusetts Avenue] Lexington, Massachusetts in 1752. Upon his death on November 23, 1767, the business continued under his sons, Nathaniel and Joseph, until the shop was burned by British troops on April 17, 1775 as they withdrew from the battles of Lexington and Concord. For a discussion of the tall-case clocks made by Nathaniel Mulliken and his sons, see Edwin B. Burt, Sr. and Fraser R. Forgie, "Clockmakers of the Concord, Massachusetts Community," Bulletin: National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Inc. (Summer, 1967), p. 1-8.