Sheraton style mahogany, holly and rosewood knife box. The slanting, hinged and hollow lids feature a metal ring on the front. The lids and the case fronts have a serpentine shape with inlaid wood strips at corners on the front, lid and bottom. Top front of the cases have a keyhole beneath the lid seam. The cases surmount three feet; one centered at the middle front wall and two under the back corners. Interiors have six compartments of varying depths that correspond to the slope of the cases.
Eight-day, tall case clock by John George Hoff, Sr., in a flat-top Chippendale walnut case.
Brass dial has pewter chapter ring with Roman numerals for the hour and Arabic numerals for the seconds. Separate seconds dial below XII. Pewter spandrels. "George Hoff" engraved at bottom of dial, above a calendar window. Painted moon wheel at top has moon on a field of stars.
Bonnet has molded cornice, arched door and arched side windows. Engaged columns at all four corners. Waist has wide chambered corners with lambequins at top and bottom. Door has arched top and molded edges; brass escutcheon (replaced?); door is hung by two brass steeple butt hinges. Base has plain sides and chamfered corners that match those at waist. Molding above four ogee bracket feet.
J.J. Snyder notes that this clock case with wide chamfers relates to other pieces with the same feature, e.g. G.03.1.1 (Jenkins family bookcase on desk) and P.78.76 (Old family bonnet top high chest). The Hoff clock chamfers, however, are not fluted like the large case pieces.
See photo of clock in Wood and Kramer's clock book, p. 37.
Provenance
Professor Kauffman said on 4-23-99 that he purchased this clock from a dealer after Joe Kindig refused it because it was a flat top. A receipt (now in file) was tacked to inside of clock case documenting the purchase from collector/dealer Melvin Hubley of Lancaster City in 1955 (cost $545).
Modest wear, right side light is cracked, molding missing at right side of waist at bottom. Base is scarred, some cracks, especially aroung feet and moldiing. Unfilled nail repair holes at base.
Finish has orange peel surface.
Object ID
G.96.37.1
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Credit
Gift of Henry J. Kauffman, Heritage Center Collection
8-day musical clockworks by Mennonite Christian Eby (c.1768-1803) of Manheim. Housed in a large, inlaid cherry case attributed to Emanuel Dyer. Case is transitional from Chippendale to Federal, although strongly Federal due to inlay of eagle and floral motifs on tympanum, quarter fan inlays and another floral inlay on waist section, and a patera centered on the base within a cartouche of line inlay.
Notes: Weight, key, and various parts located in box on Unit 52, Bottom Shelf.
Hood has side lights, fluted colonettes at sides, swan's neck scrolls terminating in inlaid paterae, three ball and spire finials (spire missing on center finial). Waist and base have fluted quarter columns. French bracket feet.
White-painted iron dial w/ Roman numerals on chapter ring. Seconds use Arabic numerals. Floral spandrels, lunar dial and inscription "C EBY Manheim under XII. Above lunar dial are ten names of tunes played by the musical works. Dial attributed to Reading area due to a dark moon wheel and the 2 hemispheres for the moon phase are identical (per Gary Sullivan). He also notes that brass-clad weights are very unusual, and usually an English practice.
Provenance
Ex Renner (per Gary Sullivan, clock dealer). Later from estate sale of Pauline Heilman of York, PA by Sotheby's July 17, 1982. The buyer, a private client of Citibank, put clock in storage in Florida, then consigned it Christie's where HCLC purchased Jan. 1992.
John and Carol Pyfer paid $800 for Quentin Johnson to repair the clockworks and get it running in 2004. Clock hands have losses (pieces in a box stored in clock bottom), repaired by Johnson. Case refinished (see early photos in file). Scratch on side to left of pendulum door; nicks & scratches at left side vertical member of opening to pendulum. Marred overall. Split at left side of front section of molding under hood. Pieces of string inlay replaced. Proper left back foot loose; proper left front column loose. See Gary Sullivan condition report (loan to Willard House)
Object ID
P.92.02
Notes
Made by Christian Eby (c.1768-1803), working 1792-1803. Case attributed to Emanuel Deyer.
J.J. Snyder notes, "The clock is significant because it is the only known Lancaster Co. eagle-inlaid clock with a musical movement. Musical movements predating 1840 are quite rare, and fewer than eight Lancaster Co. musical clocks prior to 1840 are known to survive. The inlay is unique in the placement of the eagle in the center of the pediment rather than in an oval medallion above the pendulum door and in the use of floral inlay in addition to the eagle. In summary, the Christian Eby clock is a masterpiece of not only regional but also national importance."
Snyder also states "Unquestionably, this is one of the most elegant and sophisticated pieces of Lancaster County Federal furniture now known." He adds "Of all the known Lancaster County eagle-inlaid clock cases, this one alone has floral inlays. In view of the fact that this case must predate Christian Eby's death in 1803, it stands as the earliest known use of the eagle as a patriotic device in Lancaster County furniture."
Snyder also suggests Manheim cabinetmaker Emanuel Dyer (1760-1836) as the probable casemaker. Working for about a half century starting in the early 1780s, Dyer was the leading Manheim cabinetmaker.
Place of Origin
Manheim
Credit
Gift of members and friends of the Heritage Center, Heritage Center Collection
