AN INTERESTING FORGED-IRON GOTHIC CHAMBER CLOCK IN THE SOUTHERN GERMAN TRADITION MOST LIKELY 20TH CENTURY POSSIBLY INCORPORATRING SOME EARLY ELEMENTS The frame with angled 'buttress' corner posts incorporating 'nose' projections and twisted finials terminating in polyhedral pommels, joined by fixed vertically aligned top and bottom rails applied with pivot bars secured with pegged mortice-and-tenon joints and with strike detent arbor pivoted between the posts to the right hand side, the movement with three-wheel going train with verge escapement regulated by foliate balance complete with cursor weights and incorporating 'nags head' lifting for the single-arbor warnless striking mechanism, with external countwheel driven via teeth cut to the inside edge of the rim and shaped cam for overlift applied to the arbor of the strike train second wheel formed as a contrate driving a transversely pivoted external fly positioned to the left of the frame, opposing the hour hammer sounding on a bell mounted within the superstructure, the dial with central toothed disc fitted with a single brass hand driven by an pinion-of-report fitted to the going train greatwheel arbor and painted with twelve-point star terminating with holes plugged with pins and with Arabic hour numerals between, within chapter ring painted with Gothic hour numerals and lozenge half hour markers, the frame fitted with large domed bell bearer applied with balls to the ribs beneath turned oak vase finial applied with wrought iron leaf decoration to waist, (formerly fitted an alarm mechanism). The frame 30.5cm (12ins) high, 21cm (8.25ins) square, the clock 58.5cm (23ins) high overall. Technologically the design of current lot belongs to the earliest form of domestic chamber clock having two-wheel trains regulated by verge and foliate, as well as single-arbor warnless striking released via nags-head lifting. The overall almost square proportions and feel of the frame resembles that of a clock in the Science Museum, London (object number 1954-184) and is perhaps more reminiscent of a down-sized turret clock than a fully developed chamber clock such as those made by the Leitchi family in Switzerland during the last half of the 16th century. From these observations it would be reasonable to suggest that the present movement closely resembles one made during the second quarter of the 16th century. Close examination reveals some beautifully executed details such as the forged wheels whose inner rims taper almost to a knife-edge. There are some variations within the finish of the various elements of the frame (the side bars for example are slightly cruder in their finish) and evidence of alteration (such as holes indicating that the fly may have originally been positioned at the rear of the movement). From this it is perhaps reasonable to suggest that elements such as the frame may have some antiquity but have formed the basis of a very well executed reconstruction of an early example.
AN INTERESTING FORGED-IRON GOTHIC CHAMBER CLOCK IN THE SOUTHERN GERMAN TRADITION MOST LIKELY 20TH CENTURY POSSIBLY INCORPORATRING SOME EARLY ELEMENTS The frame with angled 'buttress' corner posts incorporating 'nose' projections and twisted finials terminating in polyhedral pommels, joined by fixed vertically aligned top and bottom rails applied with pivot bars secured with pegged mortice-and-tenon joints and with strike detent arbor pivoted between the posts to the right hand side, the movement with three-wheel going train with verge escapement regulated by foliate balance complete with cursor weights and incorporating 'nags head' lifting for the single-arbor warnless striking mechanism, with external countwheel driven via teeth cut to the inside edge of the rim and shaped cam for overlift applied to the arbor of the strike train second wheel formed as a contrate driving a transversely pivoted external fly positioned to the left of the frame, opposing the hour hammer sounding on a bell mounted within the superstructure, the dial with central toothed disc fitted with a single brass hand driven by an pinion-of-report fitted to the going train greatwheel arbor and painted with twelve-point star terminating with holes plugged with pins and with Arabic hour numerals between, within chapter ring painted with Gothic hour numerals and lozenge half hour markers, the frame fitted with large domed bell bearer applied with balls to the ribs beneath turned oak vase finial applied with wrought iron leaf decoration to waist, (formerly fitted an alarm mechanism). The frame 30.5cm (12ins) high, 21cm (8.25ins) square, the clock 58.5cm (23ins) high overall. Technologically the design of current lot belongs to the earliest form of domestic chamber clock having two-wheel trains regulated by verge and foliate, as well as single-arbor warnless striking released via nags-head lifting. The overall almost square proportions and feel of the frame resembles that of a clock in the Science Museum, London (object number 1954-184) and is perhaps more reminiscent of a down-sized turret clock than a fully developed chamber clock such as those made by the Leitchi family in Switzerland during the last half of the 16th century. From these observations it would be reasonable to suggest that the present movement closely resembles one made during the second quarter of the 16th century. Close examination reveals some beautifully executed details such as the forged wheels whose inner rims taper almost to a knife-edge. There are some variations within the finish of the various elements of the frame (the side bars for example are slightly cruder in their finish) and evidence of alteration (such as holes indicating that the fly may have originally been positioned at the rear of the movement). From this it is perhaps reasonable to suggest that elements such as the frame may have some antiquity but have formed the basis of a very well executed reconstruction of an early example.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
