This bracket clock is a very attractive example with a mellow historic surface with terrific patina. In eighteenth century New York, clockmakers often imported clocks, or clock works, from England. It was a typical practice for clockmakers to order clocks or clock movements from England with their own name on the dial in place of that of the actual maker. This was particularly common in New York, where prevailing tastes demanded English fashion. This clock is an imported example that Effingham Embree [1759-1817] would have retailed in his shop. Effingham Embree was born into a Quaker family in Flushing, New York. He may have apprenticed with his future partner and brother-in-law, Thomas Pearsall (1744-1825). The two announced a partnership in the Royal Gazette on 28 March 1781 as "Pearsall and Embree." By 1790, Embree opened his own shop at 185 Queen Street (now Pearl) where he remained until his retirement from clockmaking in 1796. This clock is likely from this later period.

This example, in untouched surface, is in an iconic form with a raised and molded pagoda top that is mounted with a brass lift. The case has front and rear tombstone-form doors, which have cross banded mahogany frames and half-round brass moldings. The sides have arched panels above a molded skirt and applied cast brass feet.

The locking front door opens to an engraved sheet brass, tombstone-form dial. The dial has a strike / silent dial in the lunette and register of Roman numerals to demark the hour and an outer ring of Arabic numerals for minutes. The center arbor is mounted with wonderful cut steel hands in a rococo style. The dial is engraved in flowing calligraphy with the maker's name and locale on each side of the arbor "Effingham Embree / New York"

The brass eight-day double fusee movement features an hour strike with a strike/silent selector and pull repeat. The rear door reveals the elaborate foliate engraved back plate.

Height 21 3/4"; Width 13"; Depth 8"

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