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Tall Clock

Tall red-brown mahogany clock with brass trim.

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  • Tall red-brown mahogany clock with brass trim.

Date:

1912

Artist:

Designed by George Grant Elmslie (of Purcell, Feick and Elmslie)
American, born Scotland, 1871–1952
Manufactured by Niedecken-Walbridge, Milwaukee
American, early 20th century

About this artwork

This handsome tall-case clock was designed by the firm of George Grant Elmslie and William Gray Purcell for the Henry Babson House in Riverside, Illinois. Although Louis Sullivan designed the house in 1907, a large part of the scheme—including the built-in and freestanding furniture—was actually executed by Elmslie, who was then working for Sullivan. In 1912 Elmslie and his firm made additions to the house, including eight pieces of furniture. This elegant clock, whose works and nine chimes were imported from Germany, dates from this later commission. Its hands were executed by Chicago metalsmith Robert Riddle Jarvie according to Elmslie’s design. In his concern over creating an organic, harmonious relationship between the interior of a house and its exterior, the Scottish-born Elmslie found a staunch ally in designer George Niedecken, president of Niedecken-Walbridge, a firm based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which made the clock’s mahogany case.

Status

On View, Gallery 178

Department

Arts of the Americas

Artist

George Grant Elmslie

Title

Tall Clock

Place

Milwaukee (Object made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1912

Medium

Mahogany with brass inlay

Dimensions

213.3 × 66 × 40 cm (84 × 26 × 15 3/4 in.)

Credit Line

Purchased with funds provided by Mrs. Theodore D. Tieken

Reference Number

1971.322

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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