Tara Gleason Chicirda and Mack Cox
A Rhode Island Cabinetmaker in Kentucky: Revelations of a Clock Reexamined

American Furniture 2018

Full Article
Contents
  • Figure 1
    Figure 1

    John Filson, Carte de Kentucke (Map of Kentucky), [1784], 1785. Engraving on laid paper. H. 15 1/4" x 13 1/2". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Museum Purchase, Antique Collectors Guild, 2013-83.)

  • Figure 2
    Figure 2

    Log cabin, Lexington, Kentucky, 1779–1783. (Photo, Mack Cox.) This cabin was built by Col. Robert Patterson.

  • Figure 3
    Figure 3

    George Henri Victor Collot, Road from Limestone to Frankfort in the State of Kentucky, [1795], 1826. Engraving on paper. 21 1/2" x 21". (Courtesy, Kentucky Historical Society, 912.19769c714.)

  • Figure 4
    Figure 4

    Desk-and-bookcase, Mercer County, Kentucky, 1796. Walnut throughout. H. 102 3/4", W. 43 1/4", D. 23 1/4". (Private collection; courtesy, Cowan’s Auction.)

  • Figure 5
    Figure 5

    Desk-and-bookcase, Frederick County, Virginia, ca. 1795. Cherry with yellow pine. H. 103 3/4", W. 42 1/4", D. 24 1/2". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Museum Purchase, 1930-68.)

  • Figure 6
    Figure 6

    Tall case clock, attributed to Daniel Spencer (1741–1796), Lexington, Kentucky, 1793–1796, with movement by Thomas Walker (d. 1786), Fredericksburg, Virginia, 1760–1775. Black walnut with chestnut and yellow pine. H. 95 1/8", W. 21 5/8", D. 11 1/8". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Museum Purchase, 1951-578.) The Pennsylvania-style finials on this clock case are probably replacements.

  • Figure 7
    Figure 7

    Tall case clock, attributed to James Allen (1716–1789), with movement by Thomas Walker (d. 1786), Fredericksburg, Virginia, 1765–1785. Black walnut with yellow pine and oak. H. 96 1/2", W. 20 7/8", D. 10 3/8". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Gift of Elizabeth M. Nicholson, 2005-105.)

  • Figure 8
    Figure 8

    Tall case clock attributed to Daniel Spencer (1741–1796), Lexington, Kentucky, 1793–1796. Cherry with tulip poplar and chestnut. H. 98 1/4", W. 22 1/4", D. 11". (Private collection; photo, Mack Cox.)

  • Figure 9
    Figure 9

    Tall case clock attributed to Daniel Spencer (1741–1796), Lexington, Kentucky, 1793–1796. Woods and dimensions unknown. This clock was owned by James T. Coy, Sr. (1868–1946). (Photo, Mack Cox.)

  • Figure 10
    Figure 10

    Detail of a rosette on the tall case clock illustrated in fig. 6.

  • Figure 11
    Figure 11

    Detail of a rosette on the desk-and-bookcase illustrated in fig. 29. 

  • Figure 12
    Figure 12

    Detail of the rosettes and finials on the tall case clock illustrated in fig. 8.

  • Figure 13
    Figure 13

    Detail of a finial on the tall case clock illustrated in fig. 14.

  • Figure 14
    Figure 14

    Tall case clock with movement by William Claggett, Newport, Rhode Island, ca. 1740 (movement) and ca. 1765 (case). Mahogany with chestnut and white pine. H. 100 1/4", W. 10 7/8", D. 11 5/8". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Museum Purchase, 1972-36.)

  • Figure 15
    Figure 15

    Drawing of the William Morton House, Lexington, Kentucky, ca. 1810. (Clay Lancaster, Vestiges of the Venerable City: A Chronicle of Lexington, Kentucky [Cincinnati, Ohio: Lexington-Fayette County Historical Commission, 1978], p. 29.)

  • Figure 16
    Figure 16

    Side chair, possibly by William Challen, Lexington, Kentucky, ca. 1810. Paint decorated wood. H. 35", W. 18 1/4", D. 15". (Private collection; photo, Mack Cox.) This Lexington, Kentucky, Fancy chair is of the type that William Morton may have owned in his Lexington home. Challen, a British immigrant, worked in London, then New York City by 1796, and was in Lexington, Kentucky, by 1809.

  • Figure 17
    Figure 17

    Infrared photography of the graphite inscription inside the trunk door of the tall case clock illustrated in fig. 6. 

  • Figure 18
    Figure 18

    Infrared photography of the graphite inscription inside the backboard of the tall case clock illustrated in fig. 6. 

  • Figure 19
    Figure 19

    Detail of a cleaning inscription illustrated in figure 17. “A M Perham feb 5-1852/ Owenton Owen County KY/ Nov 10-1863.”

  • Figure 20
    Figure 20

    Detail of a cleaning inscription illustrated in figure 17. “George Easley/June 2 1865.”

  • Figure 21
    Figure 21

    Detail showing the hood construction of the tall case clock illustrated in fig. 6.

  • Figure 22
    Figure 22

    Detail showing the hood construction of the tall case clock illustrated in fig. 8.

  • Figure 23
    Figure 23

    Detail showing the hood construction of the tall case clock illustrated in fig. 14.

  • Figure 24
    Figure 24

    Detail of a rear bracket foot on the tall case clock illustrated in fig. 6. 

  • Figure 25
    Figure 25

    Detail of a rear bracket foot on a chest of drawers by John Townsend, Newport, Rhode Island, 1793–1795. Mahogany with maple, chestnut and tulip poplar. H. 34 5/8", W. 36 3/8", D. 20". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Gift of Dr. & Mrs. Warren Koontz, 1977-225.)

  • Figure 26
    Figure 26

    Detail showing a dadoed rear foot support on the tall case clock illustrated in fig. 6. 

  • Figure 27
    Figure 27

    Detail of a rear bracket foot on a clothespress, Petersburg, Virginia or Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, ca. 1780. Mahogany with yellow pine, red cedar, tulip poplar, and black walnut. H. 81 3/4", W. 47 3/8", D. 25 3/8". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Gift of Miss Martha B. D. Spotswood, 1977-228.)

  • Figure 28
    Figure 28

    Chest-on-chest attributed to Daniel Spencer (1741–1796), Providence, Rhode Island, 1772–1790. Mahogany with chestnut, cherry, yellow poplar, and pine. H. 82 1/2", W. 42", D. 21 1/2". (Chipstone Foundation; photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 29
    Figure 29

    Desk-and-bookcase attributed to Daniel Spencer (1741–1796), Providence, Rhode Island, 1772–1790. Mahogany with cherry, chestnut, and eastern white pine. H. 107 1/4", W. 44 11/16", D. 25 3/16". (Courtesy, Yale University Art Gallery, Mabel Brady Garvan Collection, 1940.320.)

  • Figure 30
    Figure 30

    Desk-and-bookcase signed by Daniel Spencer (1741–1796), Newport or Providence, Rhode Island, or Dartmouth, Massachusetts, 1765–1785. Mahogany with chestnut, tulip poplar, pine, maple, and cherry. H. 71", W. 38 3/4", D. 21 1/4". (Courtesy, Bernard and S. Dean Levy, Inc.)

  • Figure 31
    Figure 31

    Tall case clock, attributed to Daniel Spencer (1741–1796), Lexington, Kentucky, 1793–1796, with movement by Thomas Walker (d. 1786), Fredericksburg, Virginia, 1760–1775. Black walnut with chestnut and yellow pine. H. 95 1/8", W. 21 5/8", D. 11 1/8". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Museum Purchase, 1951-578.) Rhode Island-style finials were reproduced for this clock based on the Morton and Coy examples, and a Greek key blind fret was installed below the cornice molding based on nail evidence and a related fret on the Morton clock case.