Simon Willard
Encyclopedia
Simon Willard were produced in Massachusetts
in the Grafton
and Roxbury workshops of Simon Willard (April 3, 1753 – August 30, 1848), a celebrated U.S.
clockmaker
. Among his many innovations and timekeeping improvements, Simon Willard is best known for inventing the eight-day patent timepiece that came to be known as the gallery or banjo clock
.
(England
), and they were among the founders of Concord, Massachusetts
. Simon Willard's parents were Benjamin Willard
and Sarah Brooks, who were Grafton natives. Like all Willard brothers, Simon was born on the family farm, in Grafton, on April 3, 1753. He was the second son; his brothers were Benjamin, Aaron, and Ephraim.
The farm, now operated as the Willard House and Clock Museum
, had been built in 1718, by the Willards' third American generation. When Simon Willard was born, the house had just one room. The elder brother Benjamin, who was 10 years older than Simon, learned horology
and opened a workshop adjacent to the house in 1766. It is presumed that the other Willard brothers were taught horology by Benjamin.
At age 11 Simon began to study horology, showing some inherent ability for it. A year later, senior Benjamin hired the Englishman Mr. Morris, who would teach horology particularly to Simon. Years afterward, Simon revealed that Morris didn't know much on the matter and his brother Benjamin had been his actual mentor. Just after another year, Simon built his first tall clock
.
Like some other contemporary horologists, the Willards divided their lives between farm chores and the clock business. The horology became profitable, and Benjamin got a workshop at Lexington, Massachusetts
, in 1767. Simon Willard managed his own business in Grafton; nowadays some clocks survive, reading "Simon Willard, Grafton."
At his workshop in Grafton, Willard studied the clocks which were repaired by him. He experimented intensively, to reduce those timepieces' parts which did the driving and the regulation. The smallest clock was the bracket clock
, and Simon invented his gallery clock (which was patented later in 1802) copying this design. The next creation of Simon was the shelf clock, which was based on the gallery clock model.
, nowadays), into a four-room workshop. Soon after, Aaron settled in the same neighborhood, a quarter mile away. In 1784, Willard's workshop advertised: "Simon Willard opened a shop in Roxbury Street, nearly facing the road which turns off to Plymouth. There, Simon Willard carries on the clockmaking business, in all its branches." Like Aaron, Simon was still interested in perfecting the mechanism of the compact clocks. Nonetheless, since the 1790s, Willard's workshop built tall clocks in great proportion while performing general clock repair.
Both Simon and Aaron Willard combined 18th century knowledge of horology with then-contemporary industrial methods (pre-cast parts, template
usage, labor division, standardized production
, efficient management
). Simon and Aaron Willard each developed an industrial zone, throughout a quarter-mile
radius around their shops. By 1807, 20 factories in Boston were sub-contracted to supply parts or materials to the Willard brothers' businesses. This included mahogany
(by some nearby mills), clock parts (amongst which 20 cabinetmakers were), gilder
works, and other important artistic resources. Besides, both Willards resorted to the same providers and even to the same workers.
English suppliers were also used, as the early United States lacked vital raw material
s, most particularly brass
. Entire English clock mechanisms, whose performance was much longer with respect to the wooden ones of America, were assembled into the mahogany clock cases of Boston.
By their quality, the clocks of Boston became a sign of status. Americans were eager to buy clocks for parlors, office
s, churches, or other public spaces. Simon Willard's clocks were the most famous in America. However, they were still expensive for the common people. Indeed, Simon Willard preferred to build sumptuous models which were full of artistic details (brass touches, mainly). In his belief, the clocks had to be just so expensive that, after acquiring one, the people may be still able to furnish their fine homes.
Simon Willard built most clocks through labored handicraft, and these devices were outstandingly precise. Particularly, Simon had quite trained hands and a great eye, filing cogwheels without using marks, whereas such mechanisms worked finely, with a month accuracy of 30 second
s. Although Simon's workshop produced fewer clocks with respect to Aaron's, nowadays Simon's clocks are sold by the highest bid
s in auction
s, by their superior refinement. About 1810, both Simon and Aaron were producing clocks which belonged among the Europe
an clock mainstream.
Simon Willard interviewed his clients personally, evaluating each detail, and he ordered his technicians to check each device extensively, in the customer's own home. Into each clock, Simon included brochures, with instructions, a written guarantee, and the assertion of ownership. Further technician service was provided, as well. Although Simon knew little about advertising
, he promoted his workshop through papers which were affixed inside the devices. He touted: "These clocks are made in the best manner. They run for a year and they don't wind up. We will give evidence that it's much cheaper to buy new clocks than to buy old or second hand clocks. Simon Willard warrants all his clocks." Nonetheless, on some occasions, the signature of Simon Willard was obviated from his clocks.
s which were quite sumptuous, being adorned with many fine details. These pricey models cost more than 60 dollars during their heyday, the 1790s.
In the most expensive tall clock units, the mahogany cases had a mid-18th century English style and, bearing exactly similar English brass mechanisms all, their case complexity determined their final price. Distinctively for Willard's workshop, above the clock's top fretwork
, three pedestals were, on which two spherical finial
s and a large bird figure were mounted. In addition, like Aaron, Simon built a glass dial
door, whose top had a half arch shape. Onto the dial, celebrated Boston painter
s painted different motifs. Also, with few extra mechanism, amusing wheels with animated figures were featured on the dial, enticing the customer interest effectively.
During his career, Willard manufactured 1,200 tall models. However, after 1802, in which the gallery clock was finally patented, Simon spurned the manufacture of the tall clock, which was thereafter produced only by special commission.
Its small size meant a much lower price of 30 dollars, although this was still a large amount of money. Nonetheless, while American consumerism
was arising, Simon's Patent Timepiece revolutionized the clock industry, becoming the most popular clock in the United States, whereas Europe
lacked some counterpart of it.
Willard patented its creation quite late (1802) but most competitors of Simon dodged this document, reaping much money with their own versions of the Patent Timepiece. However, Simon never filed a demand against such usage. After 1802, in Simon's workshop, the smaller Banjo and shelf clocks were the bread and butter models while Simon pursued his other great projects, throughout the United States. Eventually, Willard's workshop manufactured 4,000 small timepieces (Banjo and shelf clocks).
Since its patenting, the Patent Timepiece remained with the same original design. Typically, they were surrounded by glass tablets, which were reversely painted with neoclassical
motifs. Additionally, Willard expanded the Banjo clock in accordance with the patent, making much larger "seconds beating" regulators.
, known as the lighthouse clock
and regarded as the first alarm clock
produced in America. Originally known as the "Patent Alarm Timepiece", they have become known as lighthouse clocks (a 20th century term) for their obvious similarities. The design of the cases were based on the Classical art then in vogue; Neoclassicism
and Empire. Some of these clocks, however, are less formal and reflect the vernacular interest in painted furniture, particularly Windsor chair
s.
It is worth mention, an unusual exemplary displayed in one of the bookshelves of the White House library
, made by the clockmaker to commemorate the visit of the Marquis de Lafayette to the United States in 1824-25. A likeness of Lafayette appears in a medallion on its base.
in Washington
, the Senate
requested Simon Willard to build a large gallery clock. Subsequently, he was invited both to set the clock up and to show its working.
Eventually, this trip had particular importance because Simon Willard became acquainted with President Thomas Jefferson
. After that they became close friends.
, and Attorney General Levi Lincoln
.
In subsequent years, Simon Willard visited Thomas Jefferson at his home, Monticello
, near Charlottesville, Virginia
. There they held many conversations. On one occasion, Thomas Jefferson invited Willard to chop a young tree down. Subsequently, Jefferson transformed it into a cane. It was given a silver mount that read: "Thomas Jefferson to Simon Willard, Monticello."
in Boston, the site of planning for the Boston Tea Party
, commissioned Simon Willard to build a carved and gilded gallery clock to hang opposite the pulpit on the balustrade of the room's south gallery. The clock was capped with a spread eagle, carved in high relief and gilded, and measures 32" in height. The clock was delivered c. 1805, and remained within the meeting house until 1872, when the congregation moved to Old South Church in Boston's Back Bay.
in Cambridge, Massachusetts
. Additionally, he oversaw Harvard's management of its clocks. Willard presented two clocks to Harvard. One was a tall-case clock; the other was a wall-mounted regulator clock that was installed in a room near University Hall
.
A particular incident relates to Harvard's Great Orrery which was malfunctioning. Many craftsmen had unsuccessfully attempted to repair it, until finally Harvard's authorities offered an important reward to Simon if he was able to fix it. For days, Willard analyzed the device. He fixed the orrery
by drilling a hole and fastening a rivet. The satisfied authorities asked: "Now, Mr. Willard. How much do we owe you?" Willard simply answered: "Oh. About a ninepence will do, I guess."
at Charlottesville
. The clock was to be a turret one and would be placed into the university's rotunda. Jefferson provided all of the clock's plans and specifications. According to these plans, Willard precisely assembled all the clock's pieces. The clock was installed in 1827. Jefferson, however, did not live to see the operating clock because he died in July, 1826. In 1895 a blaze destroyed both the university's building and Willard's clock.
, in Orange, Virginia
, former President Madison
received Simon Willard. Madison gifted Willard with a second illustrious cane. Its mounting was silvered, and it read "Presented by James Madison, Ex-President of the United States, to Simon Willard, May 29, 1827."
. Although Willard was already 84 years old, he travelled to personally install both.
One clock was placed into the Old Senate Chamber
but was later installed in the Old Supreme Court Chamber
. The other was a bare mechanism, designed to fit into the preexisting case sculpted by Carlo Franzoni in 1819 and titled "Car of History"; it depicts Clio
, the Greek muse of history in a chariot. It is located above the east entrance to the old chamber of the House of Representatives, now called National Statuary Hall
. Both clocks are still operational.
Immediately after arriving to Boston, Simon Willard developed a movable timepiece, the Roasting Jack, which was specifically designed for outdoor fireplace
s. For it, Simon reduced the traditional English Lantern clock
, simplifying its components. Willard's clock jack was patented, on July 2, 1764, and the document was inked by John Hancock
.
The third clock which was patented by Simon Willard was the Patent Alarm Timepiece, which was also known as the Lighthouse and which was similar to the English Skeleton Timepiece
. To build a clock which might be amusing to be seen, Simon bared the clock off its case, surrounding it with a glass cupola. Such device would be a beautiful thing to be stared at in the morning so Simon added a waking bell
, onto it. Simon patented it in 1819 and president James Monroe
inked the document. However, the model was too expensive and, also, it didn't fit among other household furniture because of its large size. Simon manufactured about 200 clocks of these, but few exist nowadays.
Succeeding Willard generations continued successfully as horologists. Beginning in 1828, Simon Willard Jr. (1795–1874) apprenticed in horology at his father's shop; he subsequently established his own workshop in Boston. Also, he specialized in both watches and chronometers, while his foremost jobs were Harvard's astronomical clock and the astronomical regulator which standardized the time for all New England's railroads.
On August 30, 1848, Simon Willard died in Boston. He was 95 years old. Because of his commercial traits, Simon finished his life with just five hundred dollars. However, simultaneously all other competing clock manufacturers had benefitted from producing the Banjo Clock massively, although the corresponding royalties were never claimed by Willard.
, the Willard House and Clock Museum
, which exhibits over 90 original clocks and many Willards' heirlooms too.
, Sturbridge, Massachusetts
. The 122-clock collection ranges from 1725 up to 1825. Some pieces are valuated above hundreds of thousands of dollars. The collection features several clocks attributed to Simon Willard.
in Columbia, PA houses several Simon Willard clocks.
Dedham Historical Society, Dedham MA
The Dedham Historical Society owns a Chippendale Brass-Mounted Mahogany Astronomical Wall Clock by Simon Willard. Engraving date 1780-81; perpetual calendar begins 1780.
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
in the Grafton
Grafton, Massachusetts
Grafton is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 17,765 at the 2010 census. Grafton is the home of a Nipmuc village known as Hassanamisco Reservation, the Willard House and Clock Museum, and the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine...
and Roxbury workshops of Simon Willard (April 3, 1753 – August 30, 1848), a celebrated U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
clockmaker
Clockmaker
A clockmaker is an artisan who makes and repairs clocks. Since almost all clocks are now factory-made, most modern clockmakers only repair clocks. Modern clockmakers may be employed by jewellers, antique shops, and places devoted strictly to repairing clocks and watches...
. Among his many innovations and timekeeping improvements, Simon Willard is best known for inventing the eight-day patent timepiece that came to be known as the gallery or banjo clock
Banjo clock
The banjo clock, or banjo timepiece, is an American wall clock with a banjo-shaped case. It was invented by Simon Willard, originally of Grafton, Massachusetts, later of Roxbury, Massachusetts, and patented in 1802...
.
Early life
Simon Willard was of the fifth Willard generation in America. The original Willard family had arrived in 1634 from KentKent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
(England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
), and they were among the founders of Concord, Massachusetts
Concord, Massachusetts
Concord is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 17,668. Although a small town, Concord is noted for its leading roles in American history and literature.-History:...
. Simon Willard's parents were Benjamin Willard
Benjamin Willard
-The Willard Family:Benjamin Willard, Jr. was the eldest of four brothers who were notable clockmakers in central Massachusetts during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.The other Willard brothers involved in clockmaking include:* Aaron* Ephraim* Simon...
and Sarah Brooks, who were Grafton natives. Like all Willard brothers, Simon was born on the family farm, in Grafton, on April 3, 1753. He was the second son; his brothers were Benjamin, Aaron, and Ephraim.
The farm, now operated as the Willard House and Clock Museum
Willard House and Clock Museum
The Willard House and Clock Museum, located in North Grafton, Massachusetts, USA, is the former farm homestead of the Willard brothers , who made clocks there in the late 18th century, before they moved the business to Roxbury, where they became pillars of the emerging American clockmaking...
, had been built in 1718, by the Willards' third American generation. When Simon Willard was born, the house had just one room. The elder brother Benjamin, who was 10 years older than Simon, learned horology
Horology
Horology is the art or science of measuring time. Clocks, watches, clockwork, sundials, clepsydras, timers, time recorders and marine chronometers are all examples of instruments used to measure time.People interested in horology are called horologists...
and opened a workshop adjacent to the house in 1766. It is presumed that the other Willard brothers were taught horology by Benjamin.
At age 11 Simon began to study horology, showing some inherent ability for it. A year later, senior Benjamin hired the Englishman Mr. Morris, who would teach horology particularly to Simon. Years afterward, Simon revealed that Morris didn't know much on the matter and his brother Benjamin had been his actual mentor. Just after another year, Simon built his first tall clock
Longcase clock
A longcase clock, also tall-case clock, floor clock, or grandfather clock, is a tall, freestanding, weight-driven pendulum clock with the pendulum held inside the tower, or waist of the case. Clocks of this style are commonly 1.8–2.4 metres tall...
.
Like some other contemporary horologists, the Willards divided their lives between farm chores and the clock business. The horology became profitable, and Benjamin got a workshop at Lexington, Massachusetts
Lexington, Massachusetts
Lexington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 31,399 at the 2010 census. This town is famous for being the site of the first shot of the American Revolution, in the Battle of Lexington on April 19, 1775.- History :...
, in 1767. Simon Willard managed his own business in Grafton; nowadays some clocks survive, reading "Simon Willard, Grafton."
At his workshop in Grafton, Willard studied the clocks which were repaired by him. He experimented intensively, to reduce those timepieces' parts which did the driving and the regulation. The smallest clock was the bracket clock
Bracket clock
A bracket clock is a style of antique portable table clock made in the 17th and 18th centuries. The term originated with small weight driven clocks that had to be mounted on a bracket on the wall to allow room for their hanging weights. When spring driven clocks were invented they continued to...
, and Simon invented his gallery clock (which was patented later in 1802) copying this design. The next creation of Simon was the shelf clock, which was based on the gallery clock model.
A pioneer American industry
About 1780, Simon Willard moved alone to Boston's 2196 Roxbury Street (Washington StreetWashington Street (Boston)
Washington Street is a street originating in downtown Boston, Massachusetts that extends southwestward to the Massachusetts-Rhode Island state line. The majority of it was built as the Norfolk and Bristol Turnpike in the early nineteenth century...
, nowadays), into a four-room workshop. Soon after, Aaron settled in the same neighborhood, a quarter mile away. In 1784, Willard's workshop advertised: "Simon Willard opened a shop in Roxbury Street, nearly facing the road which turns off to Plymouth. There, Simon Willard carries on the clockmaking business, in all its branches." Like Aaron, Simon was still interested in perfecting the mechanism of the compact clocks. Nonetheless, since the 1790s, Willard's workshop built tall clocks in great proportion while performing general clock repair.
Both Simon and Aaron Willard combined 18th century knowledge of horology with then-contemporary industrial methods (pre-cast parts, template
Die (manufacturing)
A die is a specialized tool used in manufacturing industries to cut or shape material using a press. Like molds, dies are generally customized to the item they are used to create...
usage, labor division, standardized production
Mass production
Mass production is the production of large amounts of standardized products, including and especially on assembly lines...
, efficient management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
). Simon and Aaron Willard each developed an industrial zone, throughout a quarter-mile
Mile
A mile is a unit of length, most commonly 5,280 feet . The mile of 5,280 feet is sometimes called the statute mile or land mile to distinguish it from the nautical mile...
radius around their shops. By 1807, 20 factories in Boston were sub-contracted to supply parts or materials to the Willard brothers' businesses. This included mahogany
Mahogany
The name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....
(by some nearby mills), clock parts (amongst which 20 cabinetmakers were), gilder
Gilder
Gilder may refer to :* A craftsman who performs gilding* A character in the video game Skies of Arcadia; see Skies of Arcadia characters.* A program by MDY designed to assist players in World of Warcraft in collecting in game valuables.-People:...
works, and other important artistic resources. Besides, both Willards resorted to the same providers and even to the same workers.
English suppliers were also used, as the early United States lacked vital raw material
Raw material
A raw material or feedstock is the basic material from which a product is manufactured or made, frequently used with an extended meaning. For example, the term is used to denote material that came from nature and is in an unprocessed or minimally processed state. Latex, iron ore, logs, and crude...
s, most particularly brass
Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...
. Entire English clock mechanisms, whose performance was much longer with respect to the wooden ones of America, were assembled into the mahogany clock cases of Boston.
By their quality, the clocks of Boston became a sign of status. Americans were eager to buy clocks for parlors, office
Office
An office is generally a room or other area in which people work, but may also denote a position within an organization with specific duties attached to it ; the latter is in fact an earlier usage, office as place originally referring to the location of one's duty. When used as an adjective, the...
s, churches, or other public spaces. Simon Willard's clocks were the most famous in America. However, they were still expensive for the common people. Indeed, Simon Willard preferred to build sumptuous models which were full of artistic details (brass touches, mainly). In his belief, the clocks had to be just so expensive that, after acquiring one, the people may be still able to furnish their fine homes.
Simon Willard built most clocks through labored handicraft, and these devices were outstandingly precise. Particularly, Simon had quite trained hands and a great eye, filing cogwheels without using marks, whereas such mechanisms worked finely, with a month accuracy of 30 second
Second
The second is a unit of measurement of time, and is the International System of Units base unit of time. It may be measured using a clock....
s. Although Simon's workshop produced fewer clocks with respect to Aaron's, nowadays Simon's clocks are sold by the highest bid
BID
Bid may refer to:*Bidding, making a price offer in an auction, stock exchange, or card games*Bid , a British home shopping channel...
s in auction
Auction
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
s, by their superior refinement. About 1810, both Simon and Aaron were producing clocks which belonged among the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an clock mainstream.
Simon Willard interviewed his clients personally, evaluating each detail, and he ordered his technicians to check each device extensively, in the customer's own home. Into each clock, Simon included brochures, with instructions, a written guarantee, and the assertion of ownership. Further technician service was provided, as well. Although Simon knew little about advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
, he promoted his workshop through papers which were affixed inside the devices. He touted: "These clocks are made in the best manner. They run for a year and they don't wind up. We will give evidence that it's much cheaper to buy new clocks than to buy old or second hand clocks. Simon Willard warrants all his clocks." Nonetheless, on some occasions, the signature of Simon Willard was obviated from his clocks.
The clocks
Longcase clocks
Simon Willard built longcase clockLongcase clock
A longcase clock, also tall-case clock, floor clock, or grandfather clock, is a tall, freestanding, weight-driven pendulum clock with the pendulum held inside the tower, or waist of the case. Clocks of this style are commonly 1.8–2.4 metres tall...
s which were quite sumptuous, being adorned with many fine details. These pricey models cost more than 60 dollars during their heyday, the 1790s.
In the most expensive tall clock units, the mahogany cases had a mid-18th century English style and, bearing exactly similar English brass mechanisms all, their case complexity determined their final price. Distinctively for Willard's workshop, above the clock's top fretwork
Fretwork
Fretwork is an interlaced decorative design that is either carved in low relief on a solid background, or cut out with a fretsaw, coping saw, jigsaw or scroll saw. Most fretwork patterns are geometric in design. The materials most commonly used are wood and metal. Fretwork is used to adorn...
, three pedestals were, on which two spherical finial
Finial
The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed decoratively to emphasize the apex of a gable or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. Smaller finials can be used as a decorative ornament on the ends of curtain rods...
s and a large bird figure were mounted. In addition, like Aaron, Simon built a glass dial
Dial (measurement)
A dial is generally a flat surface, circular or rectangular, with numbers or similar markings on it, used for displaying the setting or output of a timepiece, radio, clock, watch, or measuring instrument...
door, whose top had a half arch shape. Onto the dial, celebrated Boston painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
s painted different motifs. Also, with few extra mechanism, amusing wheels with animated figures were featured on the dial, enticing the customer interest effectively.
During his career, Willard manufactured 1,200 tall models. However, after 1802, in which the gallery clock was finally patented, Simon spurned the manufacture of the tall clock, which was thereafter produced only by special commission.
Patent Timepiece, or "banjo" clocks
Simon Willard invented the Patent Timepiece, later called the "banjo" clock, at Roxbury. It was America's first commercially successful wall clock. It was an innovative design. It was the first American eight day wall clock, the first American wallclock to have the pendulum suspended in front of the weight in the case, and the first American wallclock to have the weight attached to a pulley. The brass clock mechanism was reduced to a much smaller size, therefore saving brass which was in scarce supply in the early 19th century. Its shape was an imitation of the traditional wheel barometers. Early Patent Timepieces were built by hand, to order. By 1805 the clockworks, and standard cases, could be produced in quantity, reducing the cost of the clock.Its small size meant a much lower price of 30 dollars, although this was still a large amount of money. Nonetheless, while American consumerism
Consumerism
Consumerism is a social and economic order that is based on the systematic creation and fostering of a desire to purchase goods and services in ever greater amounts. The term is often associated with criticisms of consumption starting with Thorstein Veblen...
was arising, Simon's Patent Timepiece revolutionized the clock industry, becoming the most popular clock in the United States, whereas Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
lacked some counterpart of it.
Willard patented its creation quite late (1802) but most competitors of Simon dodged this document, reaping much money with their own versions of the Patent Timepiece. However, Simon never filed a demand against such usage. After 1802, in Simon's workshop, the smaller Banjo and shelf clocks were the bread and butter models while Simon pursued his other great projects, throughout the United States. Eventually, Willard's workshop manufactured 4,000 small timepieces (Banjo and shelf clocks).
Since its patenting, the Patent Timepiece remained with the same original design. Typically, they were surrounded by glass tablets, which were reversely painted with neoclassical
Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome...
motifs. Additionally, Willard expanded the Banjo clock in accordance with the patent, making much larger "seconds beating" regulators.
The shelf clock
Before creating the Banjo model, Simon designed a shelf clock (1780s, Grafton). It was similar to the tall model, with its original hood and base, but lacking its middle body. The shortened shelf clocks had lower prices, too, and they were commercially successful. Shelf models were produced until approximately 1830.The lighthouse clock
In 1818 he invented and patented a type of mantel clockMantel clock
Mantel clocks — or shelf clocks — are relatively small house clocks traditionally placed on the shelf, or mantel, above the fireplace. The form, first developed in France in the 1750s, can be distinguished from earlier chamber clocks of similar size due to a lack of carrying handles.These clocks...
, known as the lighthouse clock
Lighthouse Clock
A lighthouse clock is a type of mantel clock manufactured in the U. S. from 1818 through 1830s by the American clockmaker Simon Willard, having the dial and works exposed beneath a glass dome on a tapered, cylindrical body....
and regarded as the first alarm clock
Alarm clock
An alarm clock is a clock that is designed to make a loud sound at a specific time. The primary use of these clocks is to awaken people from their night's sleep or short naps; they are sometimes used for other reminders as well. To stop the sound, a button or handle on the clock is pressed; but...
produced in America. Originally known as the "Patent Alarm Timepiece", they have become known as lighthouse clocks (a 20th century term) for their obvious similarities. The design of the cases were based on the Classical art then in vogue; Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome...
and Empire. Some of these clocks, however, are less formal and reflect the vernacular interest in painted furniture, particularly Windsor chair
Windsor chair
A Windsor chair is a chair built with a solid wooden seat into which the chair-back and legs are dowelled, or pushed into drilled holes, in contrast to standard chairs, where the back legs and the uprights of the back are continuous. The seats of Windsor chairs were often carved into a shallow dish...
s.
It is worth mention, an unusual exemplary displayed in one of the bookshelves of the White House library
Library (White House)
The White House Library is located on the Ground Floor of the White House, the official home of the President of the United States. The room is approximately 27 by 23 feet and is located in the northwest of the ground floor. The Library is used for teas and meetings by the President and First Lady...
, made by the clockmaker to commemorate the visit of the Marquis de Lafayette to the United States in 1824-25. A likeness of Lafayette appears in a medallion on its base.
United States Senate (1801)
For the United States CapitolUnited States Capitol
The United States Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress, the legislature of the federal government of the United States. Located in Washington, D.C., it sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall...
in Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, the Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
requested Simon Willard to build a large gallery clock. Subsequently, he was invited both to set the clock up and to show its working.
Eventually, this trip had particular importance because Simon Willard became acquainted with President Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
. After that they became close friends.
Thomas Jefferson (1801-1802)
Among their first correspondence, in 1801 Thomas Jefferson alerted Simon Willard that his banjo timepiece hadn't yet been patented. Subsequently, on November 25, 1801, Willard made his application to the US Patent Office. The patent was both granted and issued on February 8, 1802. It was signed by President Jefferson, Secretary of State James MadisonJames Madison
James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
, and Attorney General Levi Lincoln
Levi Lincoln, Sr.
Levi Lincoln, Sr. was an American revolutionary and statesman who served as a Minuteman at the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, a state legislator in Massachusetts, a participant in Massachusetts' state constitutional convention, Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, a U.S...
.
In subsequent years, Simon Willard visited Thomas Jefferson at his home, Monticello
Monticello
Monticello is a National Historic Landmark just outside Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was the estate of Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence, third President of the United States, and founder of the University of Virginia; it is...
, near Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
. There they held many conversations. On one occasion, Thomas Jefferson invited Willard to chop a young tree down. Subsequently, Jefferson transformed it into a cane. It was given a silver mount that read: "Thomas Jefferson to Simon Willard, Monticello."
Old South Meeting House
Minister Joseph Eckley and the congregation of Old South Meeting HouseOld South Meeting House
The Old South Meeting House , in the Downtown Crossing area of Boston, Massachusetts, gained fame as the organizing point for the Boston Tea Party on December 16, 1773. 5,000 colonists gathered at the Meeting House, the largest building in Boston at the time.-Church :The church, with its 56 m ...
in Boston, the site of planning for the Boston Tea Party
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a direct action by colonists in Boston, a town in the British colony of Massachusetts, against the British government and the monopolistic East India Company that controlled all the tea imported into the colonies...
, commissioned Simon Willard to build a carved and gilded gallery clock to hang opposite the pulpit on the balustrade of the room's south gallery. The clock was capped with a spread eagle, carved in high relief and gilded, and measures 32" in height. The clock was delivered c. 1805, and remained within the meeting house until 1872, when the congregation moved to Old South Church in Boston's Back Bay.
Harvard College
For 50 years, Simon Willard was responsible for the periodic maintenance of all clocks at Harvard CollegeHarvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
. Additionally, he oversaw Harvard's management of its clocks. Willard presented two clocks to Harvard. One was a tall-case clock; the other was a wall-mounted regulator clock that was installed in a room near University Hall
University Hall (Harvard University)
University Hall is a white granite building designed by noted early American architect Charles Bulfinch on the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is now a National Historic Landmark....
.
A particular incident relates to Harvard's Great Orrery which was malfunctioning. Many craftsmen had unsuccessfully attempted to repair it, until finally Harvard's authorities offered an important reward to Simon if he was able to fix it. For days, Willard analyzed the device. He fixed the orrery
Orrery
An orrery is a mechanical device that illustrates the relative positions and motions of the planets and moons in the Solar System in a heliocentric model. Though the Greeks had working planetaria, the first orrery that was a planetarium of the modern era was produced in 1704, and one was presented...
by drilling a hole and fastening a rivet. The satisfied authorities asked: "Now, Mr. Willard. How much do we owe you?" Willard simply answered: "Oh. About a ninepence will do, I guess."
The University of Virginia (1826)
In 1826, Thomas Jefferson requested that Simon Willard build a clock for the University of VirginiaUniversity of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
at Charlottesville
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
. The clock was to be a turret one and would be placed into the university's rotunda. Jefferson provided all of the clock's plans and specifications. According to these plans, Willard precisely assembled all the clock's pieces. The clock was installed in 1827. Jefferson, however, did not live to see the operating clock because he died in July, 1826. In 1895 a blaze destroyed both the university's building and Willard's clock.
Former President James Madison (1827)
At his home, MontpelierMontpelier (James Madison)
Montpelier was a large tobacco plantation and estate of the prominent Madison family of Virginia planters, including James Madison, fourth President of the United States. The manor house of Montpelier is four miles south of Orange, Virginia, and the estate currently covers some...
, in Orange, Virginia
Orange, Virginia
Orange is a town in Orange County, Virginia, United States. The population was 4,721 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Orange County...
, former President Madison
James Madison
James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
received Simon Willard. Madison gifted Willard with a second illustrious cane. Its mounting was silvered, and it read "Presented by James Madison, Ex-President of the United States, to Simon Willard, May 29, 1827."
United States Capitol (1837)
After an official request, in 1837 the last two of Simon Willard's important works were again destined for the United States CapitolUnited States Capitol
The United States Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress, the legislature of the federal government of the United States. Located in Washington, D.C., it sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall...
. Although Willard was already 84 years old, he travelled to personally install both.
One clock was placed into the Old Senate Chamber
Old Senate Chamber
The Old Senate Chamber is a room in the United States Capitol that was the legislative chamber of the United States Senate from 1810 to 1859. It was designed in Neoclassical style and is elaborately decorated...
but was later installed in the Old Supreme Court Chamber
Old Supreme Court Chamber
The Old Supreme Court Chamber is the room on the ground floor of the North Wing of the United States Capitol. From 1800 to 1806, the room was the lower half of the first United States Senate chamber, and from 1810 to 1860, the courtroom for the Supreme Court of the United States.- History and use...
. The other was a bare mechanism, designed to fit into the preexisting case sculpted by Carlo Franzoni in 1819 and titled "Car of History"; it depicts Clio
Clio
thumb|Clio—detail from [[The Art of Painting|The Allegory of Painting]] by [[Johannes Vermeer]]In Greek mythology, Clio or Kleio, is the muse of history. Like all the muses, she is a daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne...
, the Greek muse of history in a chariot. It is located above the east entrance to the old chamber of the House of Representatives, now called National Statuary Hall
National Statuary Hall
National Statuary Hall is a chamber in the United States Capitol devoted to sculptures of prominent Americans. The hall, also known as the Old Hall of the House, is a large, two-story, semicircular room with a second story gallery along the curved perimeter. It is located immediately south of the...
. Both clocks are still operational.
Inventions
The gallery, or banjo, clock had been invented years before, in Grafton, but its patent was issued in 1802. The original model had been called the Grafton wall clock. Later, it was also known as the Improved Timepiece. In 1816, its patent expired.Immediately after arriving to Boston, Simon Willard developed a movable timepiece, the Roasting Jack, which was specifically designed for outdoor fireplace
Outdoor fireplace
An outdoor fireplace is a place for building fires outside of the home. Similar in construction to an indoor fireplace, an outdoor fireplace is usually added to a stone, brick, or concrete patio. It often consists of a firebox and a chimney. As with indoor fireplaces, an outdoor fireplace...
s. For it, Simon reduced the traditional English Lantern clock
Lantern clock
A lantern clock is a type of antique weight-driven wall clock, shaped like a lantern. They were the first type of clock widely used in private homes. They probably originated before 1500 but only became common after 1600; in Britain around 1620. They became obsolete in the 19th century.- Origin...
, simplifying its components. Willard's clock jack was patented, on July 2, 1764, and the document was inked by John Hancock
John Hancock
John Hancock was a merchant, statesman, and prominent Patriot of the American Revolution. He served as president of the Second Continental Congress and was the first and third Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts...
.
The third clock which was patented by Simon Willard was the Patent Alarm Timepiece, which was also known as the Lighthouse and which was similar to the English Skeleton Timepiece
Skeleton clock
A skeleton clock is any clock or wristwatch, though typically mechanical in nature, in which the parts that usually conceal the inner workings of the mechanism have been removed or significantly modified so as to display these inner parts....
. To build a clock which might be amusing to be seen, Simon bared the clock off its case, surrounding it with a glass cupola. Such device would be a beautiful thing to be stared at in the morning so Simon added a waking bell
Bell (instrument)
A bell is a simple sound-making device. The bell is a percussion instrument and an idiophone. Its form is usually a hollow, cup-shaped object, which resonates upon being struck...
, onto it. Simon patented it in 1819 and president James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
inked the document. However, the model was too expensive and, also, it didn't fit among other household furniture because of its large size. Simon manufactured about 200 clocks of these, but few exist nowadays.
Hannah Willard
Simon Willard married Hannah Willard on November 29, 1776. She was a 20 years old Grafton native. Their lone son was born in 1777, on February 6, and he was named Isaac Watts Willard.Mary Bird
In 1787, Simon Willard married again, to Mary Bird, a 24-year-old Boston native. Of their sons, both Benjamin and Simon continued their father's craft.Succeeding Willard generations continued successfully as horologists. Beginning in 1828, Simon Willard Jr. (1795–1874) apprenticed in horology at his father's shop; he subsequently established his own workshop in Boston. Also, he specialized in both watches and chronometers, while his foremost jobs were Harvard's astronomical clock and the astronomical regulator which standardized the time for all New England's railroads.
Last Years
In 1839, Simon Willard retired. He sold his business to Elnathan Taber, his apprentice. Furthermore, Taber received the business' name too.On August 30, 1848, Simon Willard died in Boston. He was 95 years old. Because of his commercial traits, Simon finished his life with just five hundred dollars. However, simultaneously all other competing clock manufacturers had benefitted from producing the Banjo Clock massively, although the corresponding royalties were never claimed by Willard.
Legacy
- Nowadays, Simon Willard's clocks are recognized as American masterpieces. As such, they are avidly sought by both antiquarianAntiquarianAn antiquarian or antiquary is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient objects of art or science, archaeological and historic sites, or historic archives and manuscripts...
s and museumMuseumA museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
s. In perfect condition, a Simon Willard's clock is usually sold from $50,000 up to $250,000. - The Willard brothers revolutionized clock manufacturing by both division of labor and by using multiple previously molded parts. However, it is commonly accepted that historically their clocks weren't definitively popular. Instead, Eli TerryEli TerryEli Terry Sr. was an inventor and clockmaker in Connecticut. He received a United States patent for a shelf clock mechanism. He introduced mass production to the art of clockmaking, which made clocks affordable for the average American citizen...
popularized clock ownership, among common American people.
Willard House and Clock Museum
Nowadays, the Grafton farm which held the original Willard family's workshop is open to the public and has become a museumMuseum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
, the Willard House and Clock Museum
Willard House and Clock Museum
The Willard House and Clock Museum, located in North Grafton, Massachusetts, USA, is the former farm homestead of the Willard brothers , who made clocks there in the late 18th century, before they moved the business to Roxbury, where they became pillars of the emerging American clockmaking...
, which exhibits over 90 original clocks and many Willards' heirlooms too.
- Willard House and Clock Museum http://www.willardhouse.org/
Old Sturbridge Village
The J. Cheney Wells Clock Gallery is located at Old Sturbridge VillageOld Sturbridge Village
Old Sturbridge Village is a living museum located in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, in the United States, which re-creates life in rural New England during the 1790s through 1830s. It is the largest living museum in New England, covering more than 200 acres . The Village includes 59 antique...
, Sturbridge, Massachusetts
Sturbridge, Massachusetts
Sturbridge is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It is home to Old Sturbridge Village living history museum and other sites of historical interest such as Tantiusques.The population was 9,268 at the 2010 census...
. The 122-clock collection ranges from 1725 up to 1825. Some pieces are valuated above hundreds of thousands of dollars. The collection features several clocks attributed to Simon Willard.
- Old Sturbridge Village's museum http://www.osv.org/museum/history.html
National Watch and Clock Museum
The National Watch and Clock MuseumNational Watch and Clock Museum
The National Watch and Clock Museum , located in Columbia, Pennsylvania, is one of a very few museums in the United States dedicated solely to horology, which is the history, science and art of timekeeping and timekeepers....
in Columbia, PA houses several Simon Willard clocks.
Dedham Historical Society, Dedham MA
The Dedham Historical Society owns a Chippendale Brass-Mounted Mahogany Astronomical Wall Clock by Simon Willard. Engraving date 1780-81; perpetual calendar begins 1780.
Simon Willard's Stamp
On January 24, 2003, with its American Design Series, the US Postal Service issued a commemorative 10 cent stamp which features a Banjo clock, thus remembering Simon Willard. The stamp featured an image of a Banjo Clock's dial, drawn by the artist Lou Nolan.External links
- Willard House and Clock Museum
- The National Watch and Clock Museum
- Richmond Then and Now - A Photo History
- FindArticles - LookSmart
- FindArticles - LookSmart
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- HighBeam Research