Simon Willard and his clocks
To explore Simon Willard's clock-making career, click on the red tags on the map or the markers.
Willard's Life:
Predominant Types of Clocks:
Born in Grafton, Massachusetts in 1753, Simon Willard got involved with clockmaking at an early age. Over his 70-year career, Willard became one of colonial America's most prominant clockmakers with a resonating in the industry today. His use of pre-fabricated dials and willingness to experiment with new styles of clock enabled his success during the early 1800s.
Case Clocks
Tall "Grandfather" Clocks
Wall Clocks
Improved Patent Timepieces
The Willard "Style"
Eli Terry's Wooden Work Clocks
+ PHOTOS
+ SOURCES
Significant Locations to Willard
The Willard Style
As Simon Willard's clocks grew popular, his competitors began to produce replicas of his popular styles. Due to the lack of enforcement with patents, Eli Terry was able to create his version of the patent timepiece (shown left) without any reprecussions. Although the Industiral Revolution increased the demand for cheap clocks, Willard's dominance in the field allowed his business to remain unaffected by the cheap competitors.
Shown above is wall clock made by Eli Terry, Jr. around 1832. This piece was an attempt to replicate Willard's patent timepiece. (Photo: Clock Making in New England, 133)
Improved Patent Timepiece
The patent timepiece was one of Willard's most successful inventions. Patented in 1802, it offered a cheaper and smaller option to his customers than the case clock. This piece could easily be customized to fit the preferences of the buyer. Notice the gilded eagle on top, which was produced by John Doggett. He was one of the tradesmen frequently relied on by Willard to help produce the clocks.
Shown above is a Willard improved patent timepiece dating to 1805-10. (Winterthur Online Collection)
Liverpool, England
Prior to Willard's clocks, those from Europe served as the highest standard for quality clocks. Looking to minimize production time and maximize quality, Willard would purchase clock dials pre-built from Peter Stubbs in Liverpool. This early out-sourcing was one of the many factors that enabled Willard's success in the early 1800s.
Shown above are the brass components of a clock dial. (Photo: Youtube, Horological Society of New York)
Bibliography:
- Husher, Richard W., & Welch, Walter W. (1980). A Study of Simon Willard’s Clocks. Husher and Welch.
- Willard, John W. (1968). Simon Willard and his Clocks. Dover Publications.
- Zea, P. & Cheney, R. C. (1992). Clock Making in New England, 1725-1825: An Interpretation of the Old Sturbridge Village Collection. Old Sturbridge Village.
- Horological Society of New York. "Simon Willard Eight-Day Clocks: In Search of the Finely-Divided Trade, by Robert C. Cheney." Youtube. Last modified September 10, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLZ2ECy8UMY.
- Blackstone Heritage Corridor. "Field Trip Fridays: Willard House & Clock Museum." Last modified November 6, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSqH4ItPxBA.
Maps:
- BankNote World. "United Kingdom map. England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland. Vector Great Britain map wit UK flag isolated on white background." Last modified September 15, 2019. https://www.banknoteworld.com/blog/north-ireland-numismatic-history/united-kingdom-map-england-scotland-wales-northern-ireland-vector-great-britain-map-wit-uk-flag-isolated-on-white-background/.
- iStock. "New England region, colored map, a region in the United States of America stock illustration." Last modified October 7, 2020. https://www.istockphoto.com/vector/new-england-region-colored-map-a-region-in-the-united-states-of-america-gm1278978551-377729455.
Grafton, Massachusetts
Simon Willard was born here in 1753. It was here that he first got introduced to clock-making and trained in the practice with three of his brothers. From his family's workshop, he gained experience building his own clocks and repairing imported European ones. It was this repair experience that inspired his later designs.
The house shown above was Simon Willard's childhood home. The building shown to the right was his family's workshop. (Photo: Willard House and Clock Museum)
Roxbury, Massachusetts
Around 1780, Simon Willard relocated to Roxbury to reach a market of wealthier clients and assure a steadier income of supplies than was feasible in Grafton. It was during this portion of his career that Willard established a legacy for himself through the creation of his improved patent timepiece. He worked out of this storefront until his retirement in 1839.
Simon Willard's House and Workshop in Roxbury, MA. This was the building he worked out of for nearly 50 years. (Photo: Simon Willard and his Clocks)
Case Clocks
Known as the Grandfather clock today, case clocks represented Simon Willard's earliest pieces. They represented styles similar to the clocks being imported from Europe. These pieces were restricted to primarily the wealthier and would have cost an agricultural laborer in 1800 half of their annual salary.
This case clock was one of those made earlier in Willard's career, likely dating between 1790-1810. (Photo: Winterthur Online Collection)
Photo Credits Continued:
- Winterthur. "Clock (Tall clock)." Last modified January 23, 2019. http://museumcollection.winterthur.org/index_files/index-Clocks,%20Watches,%20and%20Scientific%20Instruments-catalog-20-1.html.
- Winterthur. "Clock (Wall clock)." Accessed on May8, 2024. http://museumcollection.winterthur.org/index_files/index-Clocks,%20Watches,%20and%20Scientific%20Instruments-catalog-20-3.html.
- Willard House & Clock Museum. "Book Your Tour Today." Accessed on May 8, 2024. https://willardhouse.org/contact.
- Zea, P. & Cheney, R. C. (1992). Clock Making in New England, 1725-1825: An Interpretation of the Old Sturbridge Village Collection. Old Sturbridge Village.
- Horological Society of New York. "Simon Willard Eight-Day Clocks: In Search of the Finely-Divided Trade, by Robert C. Cheney." Youtube. Last modified September 10, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLZ2ECy8UMY.
- Willard, John W. (1968). Simon Willard and his Clocks. Dover Publications.
Simon Willard and His Clocks
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Transcript
Simon Willard and his clocks
To explore Simon Willard's clock-making career, click on the red tags on the map or the markers.
Willard's Life:
Predominant Types of Clocks:
Born in Grafton, Massachusetts in 1753, Simon Willard got involved with clockmaking at an early age. Over his 70-year career, Willard became one of colonial America's most prominant clockmakers with a resonating in the industry today. His use of pre-fabricated dials and willingness to experiment with new styles of clock enabled his success during the early 1800s.
Case Clocks
Tall "Grandfather" Clocks
Wall Clocks
Improved Patent Timepieces
The Willard "Style"
Eli Terry's Wooden Work Clocks
+ PHOTOS
+ SOURCES
Significant Locations to Willard
The Willard Style
As Simon Willard's clocks grew popular, his competitors began to produce replicas of his popular styles. Due to the lack of enforcement with patents, Eli Terry was able to create his version of the patent timepiece (shown left) without any reprecussions. Although the Industiral Revolution increased the demand for cheap clocks, Willard's dominance in the field allowed his business to remain unaffected by the cheap competitors.
Shown above is wall clock made by Eli Terry, Jr. around 1832. This piece was an attempt to replicate Willard's patent timepiece. (Photo: Clock Making in New England, 133)
Improved Patent Timepiece
The patent timepiece was one of Willard's most successful inventions. Patented in 1802, it offered a cheaper and smaller option to his customers than the case clock. This piece could easily be customized to fit the preferences of the buyer. Notice the gilded eagle on top, which was produced by John Doggett. He was one of the tradesmen frequently relied on by Willard to help produce the clocks.
Shown above is a Willard improved patent timepiece dating to 1805-10. (Winterthur Online Collection)
Liverpool, England
Prior to Willard's clocks, those from Europe served as the highest standard for quality clocks. Looking to minimize production time and maximize quality, Willard would purchase clock dials pre-built from Peter Stubbs in Liverpool. This early out-sourcing was one of the many factors that enabled Willard's success in the early 1800s.
Shown above are the brass components of a clock dial. (Photo: Youtube, Horological Society of New York)
Bibliography:
- Husher, Richard W., & Welch, Walter W. (1980). A Study of Simon Willard’s Clocks. Husher and Welch.
- Willard, John W. (1968). Simon Willard and his Clocks. Dover Publications.
- Zea, P. & Cheney, R. C. (1992). Clock Making in New England, 1725-1825: An Interpretation of the Old Sturbridge Village Collection. Old Sturbridge Village.
- Horological Society of New York. "Simon Willard Eight-Day Clocks: In Search of the Finely-Divided Trade, by Robert C. Cheney." Youtube. Last modified September 10, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLZ2ECy8UMY.
- Blackstone Heritage Corridor. "Field Trip Fridays: Willard House & Clock Museum." Last modified November 6, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSqH4ItPxBA.
Maps:Grafton, Massachusetts
Simon Willard was born here in 1753. It was here that he first got introduced to clock-making and trained in the practice with three of his brothers. From his family's workshop, he gained experience building his own clocks and repairing imported European ones. It was this repair experience that inspired his later designs.
The house shown above was Simon Willard's childhood home. The building shown to the right was his family's workshop. (Photo: Willard House and Clock Museum)
Roxbury, Massachusetts
Around 1780, Simon Willard relocated to Roxbury to reach a market of wealthier clients and assure a steadier income of supplies than was feasible in Grafton. It was during this portion of his career that Willard established a legacy for himself through the creation of his improved patent timepiece. He worked out of this storefront until his retirement in 1839.
Simon Willard's House and Workshop in Roxbury, MA. This was the building he worked out of for nearly 50 years. (Photo: Simon Willard and his Clocks)
Case Clocks
Known as the Grandfather clock today, case clocks represented Simon Willard's earliest pieces. They represented styles similar to the clocks being imported from Europe. These pieces were restricted to primarily the wealthier and would have cost an agricultural laborer in 1800 half of their annual salary.
This case clock was one of those made earlier in Willard's career, likely dating between 1790-1810. (Photo: Winterthur Online Collection)
Photo Credits Continued: