Clock
Transcript: Eli Terry was born on April 13, 1772 in East Windsor, Connecticut. Was the son of Samuel and Huldah Terry, born in what was is now East Windsor, Connecticut. As a young boy, he was accepted as an apprentice clockmaker under the guidance of Daniel Burnap. He learned the trade well, and when he was 21, he went into business for himself. It was 1793 when he opened his own clock shop in Plymouth. Eli Terry was a proficient mechanic Most of the early clocks he made were made with wooden works, as were most of the American clocks around this period. Since iron was difficult to obtain and hard to work, and the brass industry had not begun. Wood was plentiful, and there were plenty of quality species close at hand, and it could be crafted into beautiful pieces. As his business grew, he was able to take on an apprentice himself, and hire several employees as well. He saw the advantage in making clocks with standardized works, and he found that he could produce several clocks at the same time by adhering to these standards Entering into a contract with several merchants in 1807, Terry agreed to produce 4,000 wooden clocks within a 3 year period. The 1st year, he constructed a right machinery to manufacture his clocks, and the 2nd year, he produced 1,000 clocks. Producing the final 3,000 clocks in the 3rd year represented an unequaled achievement. Rather than relying on components that had to be handcrafted, what made Terry’s accomplishment possible were his steps towards incorporating mass production. He hires 2 assistants and starts wholesaling clocks in lots of one dozen. His most expensive tallcase clocks sold for around $70 (approximately $1,250 now). Their dials had both minute and second hands, the phases of the moon, and finely crafted cases. He sold less expensive tallcase clocks as well, some for as little as $18.00 (approximately $320 now) Eli Terry Eli Terry His business at time consists mainly of clock and watch repair, engraving, and the sales of eyeblasses. Slowly, he starts building his clockmaking business and charges about $25 for just a clock movement and dial (approximately to $400 now). Although his earliest clocks use both brass and wooden movements that he makes himself by hand, he decides to focus exclusively on making clocks with wood movements. The wooden movements are less expensive, allowing him to sell his clocks for less. Terry’s clock manufacturing techniques and designs made clocks household objects by the 3rd and 4th decades of the 19th century. Previously, clocks were luxury items owned only by the most well off in society. However, the low cost of Terry's clocks allowed them to permeate all economic and social strata and allowed for the clock to become a ubiquitous addition to the American household. Clock
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