237 - Anonymous - South German Table Clock

Anonymous - South German Table Clock A rare, early, drum-shaped, single-hand Renaissance clock with hour strike, presumably of South German origin Dimensions 85 x 101 mm, circa 1600, Origin: Southern Germany Case: Brass, fire-gilt, pushed bottom, engraved on all sides, profiled edges. Dial: Brass, fire-gilt, engraved chapter ring with Roman hours “I–XII” and Arabic numerals “1–24,” 12 touch pieces for night reading, central engraved sunray motif, single blued iron hand. Movement: Solid iron frame, brass and iron wheels, 2 barrels, 1 hammer / 1 bell (bell added later), count wheel, winding bypass for striking train, verge escapement, three-arm brass balance. The two-part, cylindrical case is decorated with delicate, finely executed engraving featuring hatching motifs, floral and foliate scrolls, and two heraldic coats of arms, both engraved upside down. In the upper section are heart-shaped sound openings for the bell—added later—positioned behind them and mounted above the movement. The baseplate rests on three bun feet. Its rim is engraved with a stylized floral motif, while the center features flame-like, flickering foliate scrolls surrounding a central mascaron. The lower part of the case houses the spring-driven movement, with iron and brass wheels, a count wheel, as well as a winding bypass for the striking train. A gilt balance cock sits on the underside of the movement. A horizontal table clock is a portable, flat timepiece from the Renaissance and Baroque periods (16th to 17th centuries), with its dial positioned horizontally on the top surface and intended to be read from above. They were generally round, square, hexagonal, or octagonal boxes made of gilt brass or bronze, often richly decorated and engraved. The dial was set horizontally into the top plate, often featuring just a single hour hand. This design was made possible by the invention of the mainspring and the fusee mechanism in the 16th century, allowing clocks to operate independently of pendulums and gravity in any position. Many examples were designed as astronomical clocks or alarm clocks and, in addition to the time, displayed the date, the phases of the Moon, or the position of the Sun. They were intended less as practical everyday objects than as precious works of art, status symbols, and collector’s items for princely courts. Case: good, restored. Dial: good, slightly oxidized, restored. Movement: good, restored, runs, later balance wheel, rebuilt, cleaning recommended.