18th Century Clockmaking in New Jersey: A Tale of Two Cities

November 14 at 7:30 PM

Guest Speaker: Dr. David Sperling

Few people realize that New Jersey was an important center of clockmaking during the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.  Colonial New Jersey was geographically divided into East and West (today referred to as north and south).  Both areas produced grandfather clocks of high quality with a decorative design reflective of the local society and culture.

East New Jersey clockmaking was centered in Elizabethtown. Although tied to the Dutch and English influence of New York, the area around Elizabethtown took the lead in developing a style that became unique. East New Jersey clockmaking rivals the very best examples created in this country.

The handcrafting of timepieces continued into the nineteenth century and ended only when inexpensive, mass produced clocks fromConnecticut began to make it possible for the average citizen to afford one.

This slide lecture will present a “bird’s eye” view of clockmaking in Colonial East New Jersey (to include Elizabethtown, Westfield, New Brunswick and Flemington). The presentation will demonstrate how an American style gradually came into existence. The clocks discussed come from private collections, museums and historical societies.Biography:

David Sperling of Father and Son Antiques (www.homestead.com/fatherandsonantiques) is a retired physician and longtime collector of Americana.

In retirement David lectures for the New Jersey Council for the Humanities on American clock making in New England and the Middle Atlantic states.  He writes horological articles for the Maine Antique Digest (Waldoboro, Maine) as well as for the Bulletin of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (Columbia, Pennsylvania). He has done appraisals of fine American clocks for antique dealers, museums and insurance companies as well as private individuals. In addition to collecting, running a clock business with his son, writing and lecturing, he currently is an on-line appraiser of watches and clocks for valuemystuff.com based in London and whatsitworthtoyou.com in Perth, Ontario, Canada.