Movement by John Myer
Frederick, Maryland, 1775-1790
Cherry with tulip poplar
Catalog no. 168
The movement in this cherry tall clock was made by “John Myer in Fredrick [sic] Town,” Maryland. Located in the upper Potomac River basin, Frederick was established in 1745. By 1800, the town had become an important regional market center with a population of over 2,500. Many British settlers resided in Frederick, but substantial numbers of the inhabitants were of German birth or descent. That German woodworking traditions abounded in Frederick is demonstrated by this clock case. Its joints are fastened with a combination of the exposed wrought nails, large visible wooden, and open dovetails that were considered evidence of sound workmanship in German communities.
In contrast, the hood design emulates the roofs of east Asian pagodas. Mid-eighteenth-century British and Americans were fascinated with what was called the “Chinese Taste.” This hood closely resembles a pattern in Chippendale's influential design book, The Gentleman and Cabinetmaker's Director (1754). This clock combines common Germanic construction and detailing with British-inspired interpretation of Asian architectural conventions.