This French sunflower mantle clock
belonged to Maryland Governor Charles Ridgely and is on
loan from the Hampton National Historic Site.
PHOTO BY HPS / WILLKIRK
|
Timepieces from the late 18th and early 19th centuries will
be on display in a new exhibition, Clock- and Watchmaking
in Early Maryland, opening with a free preview reception
from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 10, at the Homewood House
Museum, Homewood campus. The exhibition — accompanied
in coming months by special tours, lectures and programs
— will run through Sunday, Nov. 28.
Featuring more than 20 tall case clocks, pocket watches and
French mantle clocks from the museum's own collection and
on loan from private collections and museums across the
state, the exhibition will explore diverse facets of early
Maryland clock- and watchmaking. Topics will range from the
mechanism of the weight-driven clock to the relationships
between patrons and tradesmen, including cabinetmakers,
clock- and watchmakers, and importers.
Although Baltimore examples will be most numerous, examples
from Annapolis, Frederick and other cities will also be on
display. Specific clocks associated with the Carroll
family, the original owners of Homewood House, and
documented references to their clock and watch purchases
and repairs will be highlighted.
"In addition to the most obvious function of telling time,
a sounding clock also served the social function of
regulating the goings-on of a household," exhibition
curator Catherine Rogers Arthur said. "Elaborately
ornamented and inlaid clock cases were not only functional
but decorative objects, conveying the taste and status of
the owner. In this respect, the exhibition provides us with
a means to examine and share with our visitors multiple
layers of understanding of the daily lives of early
Marylanders."
Homewood House is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday
through Saturday and from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors (65 and older)
and $3 for students. For more information, call
410-516-5589.
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