Burgwin descendants donate heirloom clock to museum

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Burgwin-Wright House in downtown Wilmington just received an extraordinary addition to its collection, a beautiful example of an early American invention known as the banjo clock and it’s a family heirloom.

Pre-eminent clockmaker Aaron Willard of Boston crafted the timepiece specifically for John Burgwin, whose 1770 town home is a museum house dedicated to the interpretation of colonial history.

Donated by direct descendants of Burgwin, the clock is one of only three objects in the museum that actually belonged to Burgwin.

The ornate banjo clock will be featured in a temporary display.

The clock has survived more than two centuries.