Extremely Rare Eighteenth Century Virginia Chippendale Walnut Tallcase Clock (Longcase or Grandfather Clock)

Extremely rare and highly desirable Virginia Chippendale walnut tallcase clock. This clock has many great Virginia idiosyncrasies including extremely narrow proportions to the elongated case, unique tapered wooden finials [all three original], and extremely large side windows. Other great features are the turtleback panel in the base, the heart-shaped cutout at the top of the waist door [see photo], and the ornate carved rosettes and dental moldings. If it wasn't for the grotesquely sized side windows and the uniquely "funky" original finials this clock might be seen as an extremely narrow Pennsylvania tallcase of the Chippendale period. This bonnet does not exhibit dovetailing at the sides as does most known Pennsylvania cases of this period. The above three features and the inscription to follow along with the clock coming out of the Paxton family estate in Rockingham County, Virginia shows this to be an original Virginia tallcase.This clock has a period pencil inscription inside on the waist door that reads "Judge David Smith's clock, Rockingham County, Virginia". David Smith was a well-known figure in that area and is found in many historical documents. We have much of his history as found from the Rockingham County Historical Society. There is also the date 1734 inscribed [David Smith's date of birth]. This clock was probably a wedding gift to his wife [the heart-shaped cutout at the waist door] and was locally made circa 1780. The movement, weights, pendulum, seatboard, all glass, the dial, the hands, are completely untouched and in their original state. The case has an old, lightly cleaned finish, still showing evidence of original dirt in their appropriate places.This clock is 8'6" in height and 11.5" in width at the waist. There are scooped out cutouts original to the case found inside at either end to allow the pendulum its proper swing since the case is so narrow. Virginia clocks of this type are virtually non-existent.