These photos are from a visit to The Art Institute of Chicago's European Decorative Arts and Arts of the Americas collections.
The museum has timepieces of different styles from different eras that are not just time-telling devices, they are works of art that show the technological and artistic advancements of their time,
The display at the museum indicates that this clock is a Pillar and Scroll Shelf Clock, from the American Federal period. It was affordable and popular in the early 19th century. It was designed to sit on a shelf or mantle and the name refers to the decorative pillars supporting the scrolled top. .
This is an American Banjo Clock invented and patented by Simon Willard of Massachusetts in 1802. It is uniquely American and.was one of Willards most successful and enduring designs and was widely copied.
This clock has an eagle finial that was common in the American Federal-period decorative arts.
This Rococo porcelain clock from the mid-18th century is an example of the peak of European porcelain production, often referred to as "white gold,". first successfully produced by Meissen Manufactory near Dresden, Germany in 1710. The combination of fine porcelain and skilled clockmaking created a prized object for aristocratic patrons. This type of clock was a prestigious symbol of wealth.
The highly ornate French Rococo mantel clock is from the 18th century. It is gilded bronze (ormolu), a finely ground, high-carat gold-and-mercury amalgam applied to a bronze base that provided a lustrous finish that was both durable and stunning.
This clock uses both Roman numerals for the hours and Arabic numerals for the minutes on two enameled rings. At the bottom of the dial is signed "Gudin À Paris.", a prominent Parisian clockmaker.
Tall-case clocks (grandfather clocks) were typically wound once a week, and their height was necessary to accommodate the long pendulum and falling weights. Wealthy Americans displayed this prominent piece of furniture in the early 19th century
The arch at the top of the dial contains a lunar/ moon phase calendar indicating a complex and expensive mechanism.
The image shows an Arts and Crafts grandfather clock from the early 20th century. It is displayed alongside other furniture of the same period, including a Morris chair with a leather cushion and a slatted sofa.
All photos are from my family albums.
