- 925
The Important Joseph Osborn VI Federal Cherrywood Tall Case Clock, clock works and case by Nathaniel Dominy IV, East Hampton, New York, 1809
Estimate
30,000 - 50,000 USD
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Description
- Cherrywood
- Height 86 in. by Width 14 ¼ in. by Depth 8 ½ in.
Dial inscribed N DOMINEY E HAMPTON 1809. Appears to retain its original surface.
Provenance
Joseph Osborn VI (1754-1844);
Joseph Osborn VII;
Sylvanus Osborn VIII;
David Edwin Osborn;
S. Gardner Osborn;
George Gardner Eichhorn;
present owner.
Joseph Osborn VII;
Sylvanus Osborn VIII;
David Edwin Osborn;
S. Gardner Osborn;
George Gardner Eichhorn;
present owner.
Literature
Charles F. Hummel, With Hammer in Hand: The Dominy Craftsmen of East Hampton, New York, (Charlottesville, VA: University Press of Virginia published for Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, 1968), pp. 309-10, no. 228.
Condition
Hinges securing bonnet door replaced; lacking original cotter pin hinges; added brass latch; surface with abrasions and nicks commensurate with age; retains original pendulum.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
Catalogue Note
This clock is important because it illustrates the one-stroke type of movement made by Nathaniel IV only three years before his death in 1812. There were several Joseph Osborns in the nineteenth century, but family history indicates that the original owner of this clock was Joseph Osborn VI (1754-1844). Published genealogies support Charles Hummel's conclusion.
The sides of its pendulum case rest on the floor, but the front of the case has been cut and shaped to conform to the design of the applied bracket molding. While not a typical practice, it can be seen on other Dominy clock cases (see Hummel, With Hammer in Hand, nos. 236, 239, 240). A slight change occurred in the minute-hand design with the substitution of a raked outer crosspiece for the usually perpendicular type. The pointed tip of the hour hand was also given a pronounced lozenge shape and cherrywood was used instead of pine in making the dial.
No change occurred in the pattern used for plates and time train but the movement shows how the strike mechanism was mounted for the one-stroke clock. Once each hour the lever to which the hammer is attached is forced against a long spring connected to one leg of the plate. The spring forces the hammer back to strike the bell. In an unusual mounting the bell is supported by a steel rod fastened to the other leg of the front plate.
The sides of its pendulum case rest on the floor, but the front of the case has been cut and shaped to conform to the design of the applied bracket molding. While not a typical practice, it can be seen on other Dominy clock cases (see Hummel, With Hammer in Hand, nos. 236, 239, 240). A slight change occurred in the minute-hand design with the substitution of a raked outer crosspiece for the usually perpendicular type. The pointed tip of the hour hand was also given a pronounced lozenge shape and cherrywood was used instead of pine in making the dial.
No change occurred in the pattern used for plates and time train but the movement shows how the strike mechanism was mounted for the one-stroke clock. Once each hour the lever to which the hammer is attached is forced against a long spring connected to one leg of the plate. The spring forces the hammer back to strike the bell. In an unusual mounting the bell is supported by a steel rod fastened to the other leg of the front plate.