DIAL SIGNED BY JOSHUA WILDER, HINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, 1815-1825

According to the recent scholarship in Harbor & Home, Furniture of Southeastern Massachusetts, 1710-1850, the production of dwarf clocks in the Hingham-area far surpassed that of tall clocks between the years of 1815-1825. There were three craftsmen that had the greatest output of dwarf clocks; Joshua Wilder, his likely apprentice Reuben Tower, and Abiel White. Wilder was known to have made more than double the amount of clocks that Tower turned out, and White was contracted to make the majority of the cases for both clockmakers. For related Joshua Wilder examples, please see Gary Sullivan, Brock Jobe and Jack O'Brien, Harbor & Home, Furniture of Southeastern Massachusetts, 1710-1850, p. 314, plates 103.3 and 103.10. A related dial can be found in the same publication on p. 322, plate 104.2. Another example was sold at Christie's, New York, 30 September 2009, lot 105. For a related example in this sale, please see lot 120.