Movement by George Crow (active c. 1740-62), Wilmington, DE; Case by unknown maker, probably Philadelphia, Tall Clock, 1745-55, Brass works; walnut, tulip poplar, yellow pine, 105 ½ x 20 1/8 x 11 1/8 in. (268 x 51.1 x 28.3 cm), Gift of Sewell C. Biggs, 1992.76
What does 250 years of Delaware history look like through the eyes of our neighbors? To answer, we invited 25 diverse voices from across our state to serve as community curators. Each selected one piece from our collection, making Reflections: 25 Objects for 250 Years of Delaware History an exhibition curated entirely by our local community. Each post in this series features one object and the personal story of why it was chosen to represent our region’s history or felt particularly relevant to our contemporary moment.
Meet the Community Curator
Col. Jamil I. Musa, USAF
Commander, 436th Airlift Wing
Dover Air Force Base
Col Jamil I. Musa is the Commander, 436th Airlift Wing, Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. He is responsible for the combined C-5M Super Galaxy and C-17A Globemaster III wing providing worldwide movement of high-priority personnel and cargo. Dover AFB is also home to the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations, the Department of Defense’s largest aerial port, and the Air Mobility Command Museum.
Col Musa received his commission from the United States Air Force Academy in 2003. His staff assignments include positions at United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, U.S. Forces Korea as well as United States Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa. Col Musa has commanded an airlift squadron and served as a National Defense Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School. An Olmsted Scholar to Morocco and Foreign Area Officer, he is proficient in Arabic and French.
Col Musa is a command pilot with more than 3,000 flying hours. He has over 500 combat hours, supporting Operations Enduring FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, FREEDOM’S SENTINEL, and Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. He has served as an instructor and flight examiner in the C-17A and has also operationally flown the C-5M, C-37A, C-21A, and C-130J. Prior to his current assignment, Col Musa was the Deputy Commander, 86th Airlift Wing, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
Curator Reflection
Predating America, George Crow’s Tall Clock embodies early Delaware history and inspires a sense of a shared past on multiple levels. First, this work is characteristic of colonial furniture craftsmanship, a tradition that persists within the local Amish communities and continues to be celebrated today in Delaware’s abundant antique stores. As part of Sewell Biggs’s first collection, this piece is a fitting representation of the First State. Second, this attractive timepiece epitomizes the union of form and function, art and science. In a sense, these characteristics signify the spectrum of modern Delaware—a state boasting elegant natural aesthetics and a haven for business, industry and technology. Third, the Tall Clock exemplifies the significance of community, considering that various craftsmen collaborated to construct the case, the brass work, the glass work and more to complement Mr. Crow’s intricate movement. Interestingly, George Crow’s clock physically sits directly across from his son Thomas Crow’s clock within the Biggs, typifying familial and communal heritage. Lastly, this lovely work-of-art is a nod to life’s most precious commodity and something we all share—time.
About the Artist
One of the earliest Delaware clockmakers, Crow was working in Wilmington by 1744. This clock features an eight-day movement and fully ornamented clockface with a second hand, date ring, and signature.
The case was designed to showcase the inner workings of the clock. The sarcophagus-shaped bonnet has glazed windows or “lights” on either side to reveal the mechanism behind the face. Similarly, the bull’s eye glass on the front of the waist door would have shown the movement of the brass pendulum bob as it swung from side to side.
Engage Beyond the Artwork
The clock sits directly across from one made by the artist’s son. How does your family or community pass down its traditions to the next generation?
About the Exhibition
On view until January 3 – Reflections: 25 Objects for 250 Years of Delaware History is an exhibition curated entirely by Delaware community members reflecting on the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Visit and explore all 25 objects, community reflections, and the opportunity to add your own reflection.