Eight-day tall case clock w/ cherry case & walnut inlay. White-painted arched dial has Arabic numerals, sweep seconds and calendar hands, exceptionally well painted dial w/ fan-decorated spandrels & rare rope-like border on chapter ring. Signed "Martin Shreiner" over "No. 182". Clock expert Gary Sullivan says dial was made by Samuel Curtis & Knowles of Boston who later operated out of Philadelphia (see Notes).
Bonnet has four free-standing corner columns, broken arch pediment with inlaid fylfot rosettes at terminals and three urn finials (likely replacements) on tall plinths and a central keystone medallion at the tympanum.
Above rectangular thumbnail molded waist door with hollow top corners is an inlaid eagle within an inlaid walnut oval within multi-line inlay. Eagle has wax-infilled shield and banner in his beak that reads, "Bluribus Unum," (without the initial "E" and Pluribus misspelled). Large inlaid oval on door and brass steeple butt hinges on door. Quarter columns have reeded chamfers which extend only 3/4 of the way up, terminating in lambs tongues.
Facade of base is veneered with mitered corners surrounding a large inlaid square with fan corners. At bottom is horizontal double line of string inlay. There is a drop apron and four French feet. The weights, winding key and door lock & key are not original.
Notes: J.J. Snyder has studied eagle inlaid clock cases and notes in 12/5/96 letter to HC Director, "It is virtually certain that the workshop of Emanuel Deyer of Manheim was the source of many of these..." In 12/15/96 letter he notes that two eagle types were used - symmetrical & asymmetrical, as on this clock.
Stacy Wood's 1995 article on Martin Shreiner notes on p. 580 that a Shreiner clockworks numbered #180 is dated 1815. Thus, we can safely say that this clock - #182 - would be dated about the same year.
Lancaster Borough (clockworks) and probably Manheim (case)
Provenance
Donor is great, great, great-grandson of Shreiner. Clock descended through the Cochran family to him.
Case cracked in many places, e.g.across eagle & cove molding above base. Heavily refinished. Urn finials likely replaced. Infill at cracks and separated joints. Strip added to left side of door opening where door locks, and repair at upper left corner. Wood loss at left hollow corner of door; door lock replaced; one-inch-long gouge in veneer of base at left side of front. Chipped at corners and feet; dents on base front. Dial overpainted at many places.
Object ID
G.96.31.1
Notes
See commentary on clock by John J. Snyder, Jr. in his letter of 5 Dec 1996. He notes the clock has "mediocre surface and finish, many repairs and patches, and questionable urn finials."
In 2015, clock expert Gary Sullivan stated that Shreiner used dials made by Samuel Curtis of Boston (commonly have a paper label on reverse, reading "Curtis Manufactory for Patton & Jones, Phila.) Popularity of tall case clocks lasted longer in PA, so Curtis moved to Phila. Abraham Patton & Samuel C. Jones formed a partnership in 1797 called "Patton, Jones & Co." Changed to "Patton & Jones" in 1798. Parnership failed in 1814 when they could no longer get materials from England due to the War of 1812. Tell tale sign is the banner sign spanning the globes under the moon wheel.
Works made by Martin Shreiner, Sr. (1769-1829). Case attributed to Emanuel Deyer.
Credit
Gift of Paul A. Mueller, Jr., Heritage Center Collection
Clock wheel cutting machine used by Lancaster clockmaker Martin Shreiner, Sr. Made of steel and brass with turned wood handle knob on crank. Main frame of tool is steel resting on four rounded, downward-curving legs with coin-shaped feet. Many moving parts, arms and cranks/screws, including the swiveling cutting yoke/frame at top (cutter blade with arbor/spindle missing) and the shaped index arm that "reads" the holes on the 13"-diameter brass wheel furnished with concentric circles of surface holes.
The LaFonds call this a very sophisticated machine, incorporating Swiss, German and English ideas/influences. This indicates to them that the machine was made in America, very likely by Shreiner himself. It was imperative for clockmakers to own this tool to practice their trade. Few survive. This machine was first described in the early book or article (LCHS Bulletin) printed in 1917(or 1919) & 1939 by D. McGee who wrote about Lancaster clockmaking. Ed believes this machine to be "the finest American engine in existence" and that it very well may have been made by Shreiner, probably in the 1790s. The cutter blade was used to cut the teeth on the large brass wheels that turn the pinions. There would have been either a slitting cutter or a form cutter used. Carter Harris says form cutters were used by the 1790s.
Attributed to Martin Shreiner (1769-1866).
An 8x10 B&W photo is in picture file under "clocks." Also slide is in slide collection, #14-3-11.
Lancaster Borough, most likely
Provenance
Owned by two brothers, Samuel K. and William L. Fraser, clockmakers who lived in Lincoln (just west of Ephrata) and grandsons of clockmaker William Fraser (1801-1877), then to early collector Earl T. Strickler (FNAWCC) who had it on display at the Columbia Clock and Watch Museum. Upon Strickler's sudden death circa 1974, it was sold by his widow, Mary Jane Strickler, to Edward F., Jr. and Virginia A. LaFond who removed rust and kept it on a window sill. They then traded it to dealer Jamie Price for some clocks. Price had it on sale at the 2004 Philadelphia Antiques Show in mid-April where, as representative for the von Hess Foundation, Tom Cook, purchased it for this museum's collections.
Ed LaFond believes the Fraser family was related to the Gorgas family, thus they were in a position to inherit tools. Due to this, it was believed at first that both the machine and the scribe were from the Gorgas family. However, LaFond believes the Frasers were also related to the Shreiners. Stacy Wood claims this machine was one of Martin Shreiner's tools (Vol. 96, LCHS Journal).
Pitting on steel surfaces, slight discoloration on brass parts, signs of wear overall.
Object ID
G.04.19.1
Notes
Information from: Clockmakers of Lanc. Co., Wood/Kramer, 1977, p. 142. 225 Years of Timepieces (Catalog of 1st Annual Exh. of NAWCCM, 1979), p. 63. Stacy Wood researched origins and provenance of these tools and wrote article in Vol. 96 #4 of LCHS Journal. Conversations with Virginia LaFond ( 5/19/04), Ed LaFond (7/6/04) and Carter Harris (7/7/04).
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Usage
Shreiner, Martin
Credit
Gift of the Richard C. von Hess Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
