Isaac Youngs Clock Build Video Now Available

In October of 2015 visited Hancock Shaker Village for the first time. The reason for the trip was to examine two particular pieces in their collection. A candle stand and one of Issacs Youngs wall clocks for prospective videos on building them. Both pieces were well known and often written about Shaker pieces; but not often well represented. By that I mean drawings and plans were often inaccurate or omitted details about their construction. The candle stand was a pretty straightforward deal but the clock was like opening Pandora’s box.

Isaac Youngs turned out to be a subject unto himself (there are several earlier posts about him and his clocks on this blog). The clock I had looked at on that first visit was just a small facet in the life of it’s maker. Very few pieces of vintage furniture (Shaker or not) do we know who the maker was at all, almost never with with a backstory like these small wall clocks.

The preview video is here and the full video is available here are the culmination of the documentation of three of Youngs 1840 style wall clocks. This is a very detailed build video at 7 1/2 hours long with many facts about Brother Isaac’s life scattered throughout. I will never like a video with me in it but if I did this would be my favorite. Josh Farnsworth at Wood and Shop did the filming and editing, it is his best work to date in my opinion.

A massive thank you to Lesley Herzberg curator at HSV during filming and subsequent visits. She always made time in her hectic schedule for all my questions and inquiries about pieces in the collection. Even when I know she did not need the added headache of Will hanging around! Also many thanks to Jack and Stephine Steffek both of which are interpreters at HSV. When visiting Hancock they have put me up in their spare room many times. They are both are excellent cooks and I always look forward to the most excellent meals and conversation when I am in the far north.

–Will Myers