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David Williams

Patent Timepiece
Now On View

Maker

David Williams (American, 1769-1823)

Title

Patent Timepiece

Year

ca. 1815-1820

Medium

  • mahogany,
  • pine,
  • reverse-painted glass,
  • 8-day brass movement

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

  • Mahogany,
  • pine,
  • reverse-painted glass,
  • 8-day brass movement

Materials

glass, mahogany, pine, paint, brass (alloy)

Geography

Place Made: Newport; Place Made: Rhode Island

Dimensions

109.2 x 27.3 x 15.2 cm (43 x 10 3/4 x 6 inches)

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Museum purchase: Bequest of Eliza Taft, by exchange

Object Number

2003.74

Type

  • Furniture

Exhibition History

18th and 19th-Century American Galleries
Jun 19, 2015
Charles Pendleton House
Jan 02, 2015
Making It In America
Oct 11, 2013 – Feb 09, 2014

Label copy

Typically referred to as a banjo clock due to its similarity in shape to the musical instrument, this style of wall clock was developed by brothers Aaron and Simon Willard, who patented the design in hope of securing all profits. However, as this more affordable and compact form gained popularity over traditional tall case clocks, banjo clocks were soon made by other makers. Far from direct copies, banjo clocks by Rhode Island makers, including David Williams of Newport, were made with improved internal mechanisms for superior performance.

A true celebration of American symbols, the clock’s reverse-painted glass panels (verre églomisé) feature an eagle, a Federal shield, and a scene of a waterfront mansion, while the whole is crowned by a gilded eagle.

Image use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use.

Public Domain This object is in the Public Domain and available under a CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Tombstone

David Williams (American, 1769-1823)
Patent Timepiece, ca. 1815-1820
Mahogany, pine, reverse-painted glass, 8-day brass movement
109.2 x 27.3 x 15.2 cm (43 x 10 3/4 x 6 inches)
Museum purchase: Bequest of Eliza Taft, by exchange 2003.74

To request new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.

Feedback

We view our online collection as a living documents, and our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you have additional information or have spotted an error, please send feedback to curatorial@risd.edu.

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