Name/Title
Églomisé ClockContext
Sitting on the fireplace mantle in the 1855 Bedroom is a mahogany shelf clock known as the “Looking Glass Clock.”
Attributed to Eli Terry, Jr. (1799‐1841), this clock, made in 1836, features a stenciled and painted splat and a reverse painted (verre églomisé) glass panel at the bottom with an unpainted space through which the pendulum is visible, hence the name, “Looking Glass Clock.”
Eli Terry, Sr. (1772-1852) was an innovator of interchangable parts technology introducing mass production to the craft of clockmaking. Almost singlehandedly Terry turned clocks into an affordable item that most American households could own.
Terry's son, Eli Terry, Jr., followed in his father’s footsteps becoming a well-regarded clockmaker in his own right. His clocks often feature a verre églomisé panel depicting a house or pastoral scene. In this way, Terry, Jr., brought a touch of elegance and luxury to an item that his father had made universally accessible.
You can see this treasured clock and all of the artifacts in the NCHM collection, Wed-Sun, 11-4pm.Acquisition
Accession
1967.04Source or Donor
Mrs. J. W. BerettaAcquisition Method
Gift