| Artist |
James Lane |
| Description |
This tall case clock is the work of James Lane, it can be found on the second floor of the Athenaeum in the library. It is believed that this clock was acquired 1815, making it the earliest acquisition. The work of Lane has been noted in publications such as American Clocks and Clockmakers.
Many clocks began to display the phases of the moon through an aperture cut in the lunette. This arrangement consisted of a disk, which rotated behind the dial once in every two lunar months. Two full moons positioned diametrically opposed were painted on the disk. The bottom edge of the lunette aperture is usually paired with two semi-circles, one at each side, which were often painted to represent globular hemispheres.
When the disk rotates and the painted moon appears from behind one of the semi-circles, it presented the appearance of a new moon which gradually came further into view until it was completely visible; this stage represented a full moon. As the disk continues to rotate, the moon slowly disappears behind the other semi-circle until it was out of sight, by which time the other painted moon was ready to appear on the opposite side to begin a new lunar month.
|
| Dimensions |
H-91 W-19 D-10 inches |
| Year Range from |
1814 |
| Year range to |
1818 |
| Material |
Wood/Glass/Metal/Paint |
| Object ID |
AP.01.01 |
| Object Name |
Clock, Tall Case |
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