Ink drawing of "an arch erected by the patriotic citizens of W. King S. Lanc. in honor of the arrival of General G. M. Lafayette who visited this town July 27th 1825." G. B. xxxx
Stitched leather fire bucket painted red on outside. Wooden band inside rim is visible where seam has come apart at a handle attachment point. Two metal D rings hold leather handle to bucket. "Geo. Hoff Jun.r Friendship" painted in gold letters on red background. this wire used to anchor both ends of handle.
Walnut flat-top tall case clock made by John George Hoff, Sr. Arched iron dial (circa 1770), has pewter attachments, a chapter ring, spandrels and lunette. Attachments probably made by Hoff himself. Roman numerals used with stylized fleur-de-lis half-hour markers.The two hands are wide and stubby, cut from iron sheeting. Asymmetrical winding arbor holes.
Bonnet has tall arched side windows. Plain columns on hood; plain quarter columns on waist and base. Thin molding at bottom of base.
Note: John J. Snyder, Jr. states "This is one of the finest flat-top clock cases from Lancaster County; it is distinguished by its molded platform on the hood, crisp cove molding of the cornice, and narrow waist section." (Clockmakers of Lancaster County, p. 36 and p.113).
Tall case clock with inlaid borders and mitered, figured veneers and string inlays on front surfaces. White dial has paint-decorated spandrels with raised lines of paint. Signed "SOLOMON PARKE / Philadelphia" below center dial and calendar wheel. Roman numerals on painted chapter ring; moon wheel at top.
Bonnet has scroll pediment with "reeded" face on scrolls with small, round rosettes. Three ball and spire finials, center on on keystone outlined with lightwood string inlay. String inlay outlines tympanum. Bonnet door has veneer with lightwood escutcheon inlay. Four free-standing columns.
Chamfered corners on trunk and base with triple lines of vertical lightwood stringing. Figured wood on pendulum door and base panel surrounded by wide string inlay of tiger maple? edged with lighter wood. Straight bracket feet.
Parke worked as a clockmaker in Newtown, Bucks Co. for nearly 10 years before moving to a larger facility in Philadelphia in 1790. He produced clocks under his own name until about 1805 when he changed the signature on his clocks to "Solomon Parke & Son."
Provenance
Typescript page in file states clock was owned by Elmer Ellsworth Hansell (1863-1940) and Amanda Matilda Storch (1874-1966) of Philadelphia, married 1895.
Clock then passed to son Elmer Ellsworth Hansell, Jr. (1903-1974) and wife Virginia Palmer (1907- ? ), married 1935. Elmer Jr. was a civil engineer in Lancaster, working with John H. Wickersham Eng. & Construction Co.
Bottom of interior has broken out board. Some veneer damage with small repairs. Along top of base front are three plugged screw holes.
Object ID
2003.023
Notes
Notes in file state the Watch and Clock Museum in Columbia own a Solomon Parke clock as does Mrs. Chris. Martin (Mary), of Lancaster.
Research by volunteer : Solomon Parke worked in Newtown and Southampton, Bucks County as a clockmaker. He then moved to Philadelphia where he was listed in directories from 1791-1822. At different times he signed his clocks, "Solomon Parke, Philad," "Solomon Parke and Company," and "Solomon Parke and Son." Solomon is believed to be the father of watchmaker Charles B. Solomon. He had a large clock manufactory and employed French, German, and Swiss workers in the assembly of eight day movements.
Eight-day tall case clock of walnut, engraved "Jacob Gorgas / at Ephrata / 1771" on a silvered round cartouche within dial arch. Engraved silvered dial has chapter ring with Roman numerals, interspersed with fleurs-de-lis marking the half hours. Recessed center dial has foliate and floral engraving. Small seconds dial at top has engraved 4-petal flower within raised circular frame. Calendar wheel in aperture at bottom. Six white metal spandrel pieces restored with gold leaf in 1990.
Scroll-pediment case has molded rectangular base panel and molded frames on the side windows of the hood. The thin molding of the scroll pediment and plain roundels which form the rosettes are probably an updating of the case done in the Federal period, about 1790-1810 (per John J. Snyder, Jr., p. 47 of Lancaster Clockmakers book). Central urn finial has double ringed spire. Arched pendulum door has butt hinges and lock escutcheon. Waist section and base both have chamfered corners with lamb's tongues. Ogee bracket feet.
NOTE: Upper section of bonnet was indeed reworked. Cover board is removable, revealing a compartment containing a floor-mounted bell with strike hammer activated by a "pull chain" passing through floor board to clockworks beneath. Leaf spring attached under "floor board" activates strike hammer. Signed underneath lid board is "Repaired by God (?) Zahm / Lancaster May 1887." This is apparently Godfried M. Zahm (1817-1895), a clock and watch maker in Lancaster.
Jacob Gorgas, Sr. (1728-1798)
Provenance
Clock purchased by Irvin Hoffman Nolt, Sr. of Willow Street. He purchased 3 clocks for each of his 3 children. Gorgas clock given to son Irvin H. Nolt, Jr. (b. 1920 m. 1950) circa 1935 (while teenager). When Irvin Jr. moved to Florida in late 1940s, he entrusted the clock to his aunt Mabel H. Nolt (1886-1971) for storage. Mabel forgot Irvin was owner, so willed the clock to LCHS. (Informant: daughter of Irvin Jr., Nancy Nolt of Lancaster).
Case finish restored Nov. 1989 by Clifford Clayton. Restoration of dial parts in March 1990 by (1) chemical removal of the earlier improper silver plate surface by Theo. R. Schwalm and (2) resilvering of dial parts by John D. Metcalfe. Simultaneous restoration of white metal spandrel pieces (6) by gold leaf application by Jean Ankrum of York.
1887 repair of upper bonnet chamber by G. Zahm, involving remounting of the single bell above the movement. Very visible nail has been toe-nailed into top of left side window from the molding above.
Object ID
1971.031
Credit
Bequest of Mabel H. Nolt estate in memory of LeRoy H. Nolt
Framed flag of John Wise used on Balloon flights. 13 stars, 7 red stripes, 6 white stripes. Attached note reads, "This flag has accompanied 239 aerial voyages - has travelled in the air over 11,000 miles - has been constantly the harbinger of good fortune and no serious accident ever occurred while it was present. It is a talisman of good luck. It is over 34 years old and was made in 1834." Bdly faded.
