The imposing size of this tall clock, with its nearly identical labeled Simon Willard mate in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, suggests that these large-scale clocks were made for use in civic buildings. This clock dates to within a four year period between 1792 to 1796 when Joseph N. Russell of Boston printed labels for Simon Willard's clock manufactory in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Willard produced tall-case clocks in his state-of-the-art shop until 1815, with cases made by some of the foremost cabinetmakers in the area. Known for their elegant appearance and precise timekeeping, Willard clocks rivaled those of English manufacture and are heralded as the finest American clocks of the early republic. See, Philip Zea and Robert C. Cheney, Clockmaking in New England, 1725-1825, (Sturbridge, MA, 1992).