229 - Heinrich Petrau - East Prussian Table Clock

Heinrich Petrau - East Prussian Table Clock A museum-quality, very fine, square Königsberg horizontal table clock with hour strike Dimensions 95 x 135 x 135 mm, circa 1700, Origin: East Prussia Case: Fire-gilt bronze case, molded frame, silver side panels with floral decoration, volute feet, rear bell. Dial: Silver, floral decoration, applied solid brass chapter ring with Roman numerals, single blued iron hand. Movement: Square brass movement, screwed-on floral decorations, fire-gilt, chain/fusee for the going train, 1 barrel, 1 engraved hammer, locking plate for the striking mechanism, ratchet wheel set up with a blued steel spring, verge escapement, large three-arm brass balance, finely florally engraved, pierced balance cock. The impressive side walls are made of solid silver and crafted as handmade repoussé and chased reliefs. They feature delicate, beautifully shaped scrolls of spring and summer flowers. The motifs are repeated in the spandrels and the center of the dial. The solid brass hour ring features a single, finely pierced, blued iron hand with an elongated tip that indicates the time. The exceptionally well-crafted movement is equipped with a chain/fusee, verge escapement, and a barrel for the striking train. It is adorned with elaborately worked ornamentation that echoes the exterior’s decor. At every full hour, the bell in the hinged case bottom is struck by an exquisitely engraved hammer. A horizontal table clock is a portable, small, flat clock from the Renaissance and Baroque periods (16th to 17th century), whose dial sits horizontally on the top and is read from above. They typically take the form of four-, six-, or eight-sided boxes made of gilded brass or bronze, often lavishly decorated and engraved. The dial lies horizontally on the top plate, often featuring only a single hour hand. This design became possible with the invention of the mainspring and fusee in the 16th century, which allowed clocks to function in any position, independent of pendulums and gravity. Many examples were designed as astronomical clocks or alarms and displayed not only the time but also the date, moon phases, or the position of the sun. They served less as practical everyday objects and more as precious works of art, status symbols, and collector’s items for noble courts. Case: very good. Dial: very good. Movement: very good, capable of running; cleaning recommended.