Did you know that the four season often appear on the face of a tall clock?

Did you know that the small paintings in the corners of a tall case clock's face often represent the four seasons? Toward the end of the 18th century as enamel and painted dials were incorporated more commonly into English clocks, the highly decorated spandrels or corner ornaments were replaced by painted vignettes. These vignettes were often just simply painted flowers but in more substantial clocks, particularly those with an arch dial, these vignettes took on an allegorical meaning.

As exemplified in the face of this wonderful Georgian tall case clock, four women are painted to represent the four seasons. Starting with spring and summer in the upper corners, fall and winter round out the seasons on the bottom left and right respectively-all under a painted arch depicting Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, complete with an apple tree and a snake.

This is just one example of the fine collection of clocks to tempt you at Mill House Antiques. More than an ordinary experience.