There are several digitized versions of Thomas Chippendale's Director available on the internet. I came across one I had not seen before before while doing research for the talk I gave on October 9th 2021 at the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors annual symposium. What surprised and delighted me about the edition I … Continue reading John Folwell and David Rittenhouse
Rittenhouse
John Folwell Chest-on-Chest
A chest-on-chest that will sell on January 21, 2021 at Sotheby's has been attributed to the Philadelphia cabinetmaker John Folwell (w. 1762-1780) based on the large conjoined initials “JF” inscribed on the top board of the lower case. Top board of the lower section of the chest-on-chest. Photo Sotheby's. The chest may very well be … Continue reading John Folwell Chest-on-Chest
Philadelphia 1769 June 3ᴰ 5ᴴ 4′ 43″
CraftNOW Philadelphia unites the leading institutions, artists and patrons of Philadelphia’s craft community to celebrate the city’s rich legacy of craft, its internationally-recognized contemporary craft scene, and its important role as an incubator for arts based in wood, clay, fiber, metal and glass. For their fall fundraiser that takes place later this month on September … Continue reading Philadelphia 1769 June 3ᴰ 5ᴴ 4′ 43″
Drexel’s Rittenhouse
The David Rittenhouse astronomical and musical clock now in the collection of Drexel University in West Philadelphia has been called the "Most Important Clock in America". It is a stunning achievement. The gearing calculations would have been difficult if Rittenhouse had access to modern computing technologies. That this work was done by hand calculation in … Continue reading Drexel’s Rittenhouse
In Proportion to the Trouble 