EXCEEDINGLY RARE AND IMPORTANT JOSIAH GOODING FEDERAL TALL-CASE CLOCK WITH ROCKING SHIP MOVEMENTBristol, Rhode Island, 1810-1815Select mahogany and mahogany veneer case with assorted string and banded inlay. Bonnet with scrolled and pierced fretwork joining three plinths topped by brass ball and spire finials, the central surmounted by an eagle. Tombstone dial door flanked by tapered fluted full columns with brass stop fluting. Trunk fronted by brass-capped quarter-columns with brass stop fluting. French splayed bracket feet. Painted iron face with gilt floral and foliate designs at corners. Roman numeral dial with outer Arabic numeral minutes ring and a subsidiary seconds dial. Beautifully tooled steel hands. Lunette with the rocking ship --an American frigate or similar -- set against a coastal scene of a lighthouse and cottage on a rocky island. Signed "J Gooding Bristol" on face.
Height approx. 93.5". Width 19.5". Depth 10". Retains pendulum and weights.
Provenance:
Gary R. Sullivan Antiques Inc., Massachusetts, 2016.
The Collection of Arun and Barbara Singh.
Illustrated:
Gary R. Sullivan Antiques Inc. advertisement in the The Magazine Antiques, March/April 2014.
Art and Industry in Early America: Rhode Island Furniture 1650-1830 by Patricia E. Kane, p. 424-426.
Notes:
Josiah Gooding (1777-1867) was trained as a clockmaker by his brother Joseph Gooding. Their brothers, Alanson, Henry and John, also worked in the trade. They worked throughout southeastern Massachusetts and northern Rhode Island from the Late 18th Century through the Mid-19th Century, Josiah basing himself on the border town of Bristol. He was the most prolific of the family and his clocks typically feature high-style cases and premium works. The appealing animated features, as seen here, were highly prized and only seen in the finest clocks.
Condition
Not guaranteed to be running.
The absence of a condition report does not imply an object is free of defects. All items may have normal signs of age and wear commensurate with their age; these issues will likely not be mentioned in the condition report. Please contact Eldred's
before the auction with any condition questions. Questions about condition will not be answered after purchase. Condition reports are provided as a courtesy, and we are not responsible for any errors or omissions.
Important note on frames: Frames are not guaranteed to be in the same condition as they are in the item photograph. Due to handling and shipping, many frames, especially antique ones, are prone to losses. If you have questions about the condition of a frame, please contact us prior to the auction.