An American Pillar & Scroll shelf clock, made by Eli Terry & Sons, Plymouth, Connecticut, ca. 1825-30. With a pretty walnut veneered case with tapering legs and a scrolling skirt, hinged door with clear glass panel at the top, reverse glass painting on the lower part with a fancy image of a building in a landscape surrounded by a gilt border, with a painted wood face with Arabic numerals and a flower basket at the center and spandrel corner ornaments, the dial approx. 10-1/2" in diameter, with a 30 hour striking movement, and with the original printed papers glued to the inside back. Comes with the original winding key, made in England. The case has two slender columns on the sides, and an architectural pediment surmounted by three brass urn-shaped finials. Overall size is 31-1/2"H x 17-1/4"W x 4-1/2"D. Similar to a clock in the collection of Old Sturbridge Village.
Eli Terry was born at East Windsor on April 13, 1772. He was the son of Samuel and Hildah Burnham Terry. He completed his apprenticeship in brass movement clockmaking in 1792. He had nine patents from 1797 to 1845 issued to him. He was the first American that produced clocks in volume at a modest cost. He invented and perfected the wood movement shelf clock, and was a master of difficult horological principles. He was a good businessman and by 1800 employed workmen who made several wood movement clocks at one time. The shelf clock production began in 1814. Around 1823 Seth Thomas began production of a wheel gear train movement in a pillar & scroll case clock and there was a law suit between them, but as Eli Terry did not have the patent the case was dropped. By 1840 the making of wood movements began to give way to wrought brass movements, and by 1850 few wood movements were made. Eli Terry died in 1952.
1,800/2,200 Sold $862.50
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