20.                   $500

A. Read & Co. tall case clock, 1816-1820.  Twin brothers Abner and Amasa Read worked briefly with Luman Watson (1815) before setting up shop in Xenia Ohio in 1816.  They made tall-case clocks out of cherry with wooden movements made by Orlistus Roberts, probably from parts supplied by Luman Watson in Cincinnati.   Roberts reportedly stamped his seat boards ‘OR’, but I could not find a stamp on this movement, and the seat board has not been replaced.  Roberts left the firm in 1820.  This refinished cherry case is 87 inches tall; it should have three finials of some sort on top.  The hood glass is modern.  Note the inlaid trim on the front of the base [sandlewood(?) and walnut], as well as the two vertical cracks.  The feet and skirt are original. The wooden dial was restored by Judith Akey and looks great; it is signed ‘A Read & Co Xenia Ohio’, as was typical for their clocks. The pewter hands are likely original; the seconds hand and calendar hand are replacements.  The clock is running and striking (note that it was photographed without the pendulum rod and bob).  There are two 30-hour weights which may not be appropriate, and a door latch but no key.  Only one sale on LiveAuctioneers that I can find for A Read & Co., at Forsythes’ in Cincinnati in 2017 for $2800.  $500–$1500.