A 28" tall Federal mirror clock by Joshua Wilder of Hingham, Massachusetts, with eight-day time-and-passing-strike (i.e., just one bong on the hour), sold in the room for $35,550 (est. $25,000/35,000) to collector Joe Arvay. The underbidder on the phone was dealer Gary R. Sullivan of Sharon, Massachusetts.
While researching the award-winning Harbor & Home: Furniture of Southeastern Massachusetts, 1710-1850, with Brock Jobe and Jack O'Brien, Sullivan located a total of five mirror clocks made by Wilder, including the present one, which sold at Skinner on June 8, 1997, for $25,300. Robert Cheney recalls that he tried to buy it at that sale but was unsuccessful. A couple of years later, Cheney said he bought it at Christie's for roughly the same price. It went on from there to be owned by others.ne bong on the hour), sold in the room for $35,550 (est. $25,000/35,000) to collector Joe Arvay. The underbidder on the phone was dealer Gary R. Sullivan of Sharon, Massachusetts.