249 - Anonymous - South German Table Clock

Anonymous - South German Table Clock A rare, presumably Augsburg tabernacle clock with quarter-hour and hourly chimes and a moon phase Dimensions: 285 x 155 x 155 mm, circa 1650, Origin: Southern Germany Case: Bronze, fire-gilded, square in cross-section, four bun feet, domed base, 2 hammers / 2 bells, short rear pendulum. Dial: Front—applied silver chapter ring with Roman hour numerals, Arabic minute numerals, and Roman quarter-hour numerals; central moon phase display. Back—quarter-hour dial and control dial. Movement: Iron frame, brass wheel train, chain/fusee, 1 barrel for the striking mechanism, iron baluster movement pillars, verge escapement with foliot balance. This tall, rectangular tabernacle clock has four smooth display sides. Its front features a central moon-phase indicator set against a blued background. The two side panels are hinged. The case is decorated with four corner balusters and features two superimposed bells of different sizes, each ornamented with leaf motifs and topped with baluster finials. The lower, larger bell strikes the full hours, while the upper, smaller bell sounds the quarter hours. Adjustment is performed via the two small dials on the back. The clock is driven by a chain-and-fusee winding system, while the quarter-hour strike is powered by a spring barrel. The timekeeping mechanism consists of a balance (Waagunrast) mounted between two plates beneath the bells. A tabernacle clock is an elaborately designed table or wall clock from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, whose case is shaped like a small, ornate tower. The case generally has a rectangular cross-section, stands on feet or a plinth, and is often surmounted by a dome or small decorative elements known as finials. The finely crafted cases were frequently made of gilded bronze, brass, or gilded copper, sometimes incorporating wood or ivory. These clocks reached their peak during the 16th century and the first half of the 17th century. The principal centers of production were cities in southern Germany, such as Augsburg and Nuremberg, as well as Austria. As table clocks, they were powered by a mainspring, while wall clocks often used weights. Many of these clocks were also equipped with additional functions, such as an hour strike or an alarm. They served as practical everyday objects, but were also prized works of art, status symbols, and collector’s items for princely courts. Case: very good, minor restorations, slightly rubbed. Dial: very good. Movement: very good, restorations, runs, cleaning recommended.