190-C-0609

CLOCK STYLE	New York Shelf Clock
CLOCK NAME	N/A
MANUFACTURE	Marshall & Adams (E.W. Adams), Seneca Falls, N.Y. Chauncey Marshall Edwin W. Adams
CASE MODEL #	N/A
MOVEMENT TYPE	8 Day strap brass, type II, second production movement designed and manufactured by Marshall & Adams. This movement is similar to one designed by Joseph Ives and it is suspected that Adams may have borrowed from Ives when designing this movement. The first brass strap movements used in Marshall and Adams clocks were Joseph Ives designed movements and produced by Birge, Case & Co. The clock features an hour strike on cathedral gong.
CASE DIMENSIONS & CONSTRUCTION	Base=21 1/2" , Height=36 1/4", Depth=7 1/8" Full Columns are 21 1/2" with carved capitols Case style is attributed to Phillip Smith as it is typical of the cases he produced during this time period.
LABEL INFORMATION	Good labels stating: Top Label: "Patent / Eight Day Brass / Clocks. / Manufactured and sold by / Marshall & Adams, / Seneca Falls, N.Y. / Warranted if Well Used. Printer: J.H. Child, Pr...Seneca Falls, N.Y. Bottom Label: "E.W. Adams, / Horologist: / Town Clocks, Time Pieces / and / Regulators: / Seneca Falls, /New York"
DIAL INFORMATION	The original dial is in good condition with some minor paint loss in the center. It has black roman letters with gold leaf chapter rings and gold leaf over gesso decorations. The chapter ring is 7 3/4". The dial glass appears to be original and is 10"W x 10 7/16H, held in place with putty.
MISC FEATURES	The upper tablet is a Lee Davis reproduction of an original. It is a reverse painted transfer with a gold leaf border. The tablet measures 10"W x 8 1/2"H and is held in place with putty. The lower tablet is original and has reverse painted curtains and columns with gold leaf accents. The tablet has a crack on the right side. The tablet measures 10"W x 5 5/8"H. This tablet style is typical of Marshall & Adams, the curtains frame the inside of the case where the label can be seen. In many of these clocks, a lithograph print was pasted over the label in order to be viewed through the opening. This clock may have originally had a lithograph in it as there is evidence that an over pasted print may have been removed. The original weights details are: Strike weight is 9 lbs., 4 oz. and is 6 1/2"H. Time weight is 8 lbs., 3 oz. and is 5 3/4"H. The weights run in "closets" which extend to below the lower door.
ACQUIRED FROM	Acquired this clock from a good friend, and private collector of early American clocks, who has had this clock in his personal collection for quite some time.
CONDITION WHEN ACQUIRED	Case is in good condition with minor veneer loss on the lower door, this will be restored at a later date. The case uses mahogany veneer throughout.
RESTORATION	N/A
HISTORICAL DATA	Chauncey Marshall and Elmer W. Adams produced wood & brass movement clocks from the period 1834-36. Both partners were originally from Connecticut and moved to the Seneca Falls area of New York in the early 1830's. They produced high end clocks much in the style of the Munger and Benedict firms. Marshall was the businessman and financier, while Adams was the clockmaker. Marshall suffered financial ruin during the recession of 1837 and committed suicide. Adams carried on the business as E.W. Adams through 1847, selling clocks from Chillicothe, Ohio in the later years. Based on the E.W. Adams label, this is a late Marshall & Adams clock, sold after Adams assumed full ownership which occurred in 1836. The firm filed for bankruptcy in October 1837. Image to the left is Cowing & Co. factory building in Seneca Falls, N.Y. circa 1850. This building used to house the Marshall & Adams Clock Factory c. 1832-1837.
REFERENCES	1. "An Empire in Time", G. Russell Oechsle, Helen Boyce & Collaborators, 2003, NAWCC. 2. "The Contributions Joseph Ives to Connecticut Clock Technology 1810-1862", Kenneth D. Roberts, 1988
NOTES