John George Adam Woltz
Tall Case Clock
American, 1789-1804
Scroll
John George Adam Woltz
Tall Case Clock
American, 1789-1804
Physical Qualities
Walnut, yellow pine, replaced brass escutcheon; eight-day movement with anchor recoil escapement, 92 x 22 5/8 x 11 3/4 in. (233.7 x 57.5 x 29.8 cm.)
Credit Line
Middendorf Foundation Fund
Object Number
1972.16
BONNET: Broken scroll pediment having simply carved rosettes of concentric 'wavy' rings flanking a central plinth with drop shaped bracket below, no indication of any finials. Cove molded cornice. Half-round and ogee molding above round arched door and above similarly shaped side lights. CASE: Deep cove molding at top of waist with narrow half-round ogee just below. This is repeated just above the upper lambs-tongue chamfered end of the chamfered and fluted front corners of the waist section. Round headed arch shapes waist door which has barely rounded edges. BASE: has cove molding with repeat narrow ogee half-round at top, front corners chamfered as on waist, base has simple trapezoidal cutout of skirt edge at front and sides. DIAL: Arched top engraved with central roundel bearing maker's name, town and "NO:45" alongside roundel are pheasant-like birds on trees, spandrels crowded with vine and tulip-like flowers. Hours marked with Roman numerals, Arabic numbers in outside ring mark five minute progression, inside hour ring a ring of blossoms and vines interrupted by seconds dial at top, aperture for date just above "VI". Minute hand cruder and heavier than light, scrollwork hour hand.
The Baltimore Museum of Art by purchase, 1972; from Dr. and Mrs. Irvin B. Berd, Arden, Delaware, by 1972; Max Blum, Antiques, Philadelphia.
Elder III, William Voss. Maryland Queen Anne and Chippendale Furniture of the Eighteenth Century. Baltimore: The Baltimore Museum of Art, 1968, pp. 100-101, no. 64
Decorative Arts Accessions 1968-1973, BMA Magazine, Jan-Mar 1973.
Goldsborough, Jennifer. Silver in Maryland. Baltimore: Maryland Historical Society, 1984, p. 51, ill. 3, p. 62, p. 229, no. 346.
Elder III, William Voss and Jayne E. Stokes. American Furniture 1680-1880: From the Collection of the Baltimore Museum of Art. Baltimore: Museum of Art, 1987, p.118-120, ill. 85.
Hurst, Ronald L. and Jonathan Prown. Southern Furniture, 1680-1830, the Colonial Williamsburg Collections. Abrams, CWF, 1997, Fig. 174.2, p. 580.
Smith, Jane Webb, Clock and Watchmaking in Maryland. Fig. 3, p. 51
Goldsborough, Jennifer Faulds, "Silver in Maryland", Baltimore: Maryland Historical Society, 1983. p.229, ill.
Pauline A. Pinckney, "George Woltz, Maryland Cabinetmaker," "Antiques," March 1939, pp. 124-126.
Inscribed: Signed in pencil on inner backboard 'Repaired By/Albert__Hay__/ 1966 February 22' On back of pendulum bob in indelible ink 'Bonaventure.'
Markings: Clock face arch dial: "George Woltz/Hagers Town/No: 45"
