First Day of Pook & Pook, Inc. Auction Features Rare New York Federal Musical Tall Clock

The first day of Pook & Pook, Inc.’s forthcoming auction will present Americana, decorative art, antique furniture, fine art, and more. Showcased in the auction is a rare New York Federal mahogany musical clock. Created around 1790, the tall clock stands just over eight feet high. Its pagoda top shows an eagle inlay. The case is signed Effingham Embree New York, referring to the famous silversmith and clockmaker who partnered with Joseph Pearsall just after the Revolutionary War. However, the pendulum door bear the initials TB. This suggests the Embree case was made by his cousin and fellow New York cabinet maker, Thomas Burling. The clock includes a three-train movement that can play six musical tunes. These can be changed manually with a selector dial.

Another item in this Pook & Pook, Inc. auction is an oil painting by American artist Charles Willson Peale. Known for his important Revolutionary War-era portraits, Peale is also credited with the 1784 opening of the country’s first natural art and history museum in Philadelphia. In 1814, he established the Municipal Museum of the City of Baltimore as the first building in North America designed to function specifically as a museum. Dated 1772, the available Peale oil painting is a portrait of Philadelphia resident Sarah Benezet Bartow. She and her husband, Thomas, were well-respected members of 1700s high society. For the complete auction catalog and to register to bid, visit Bidsquare.