A Dutch figured and burr-walnut astronomical longcase clock
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A Dutch figured and burr-walnut astronomical longcase clock

PIETER SWAAN, AMSTERDAM, CIRCA 1735

Details
A Dutch figured and burr-walnut astronomical longcase clock
Pieter Swaan, Amsterdam, circa 1735
The case with canted angles and inlaid overall with fruitwood bands, the spreading scrolling plinth on hairy claw and ball feet, the rectangular trunk door with hollowed corners headed by a foliate clasp and centred by a glazed lenticle, overlaid with a gilt-metal mount with Apollo, the hood with a double scroll centred by an acanthus clasp above foliate soundfrets and with a bell-shaped caddy top surmounted by giltwood finials representing musical angels and king David, the breakarch dial covered in black velvet and applied with six silvered rings, the arch with Roman and Arabic time ring, with elaborate cross half hour markers and signed Pieter Swaan Amser Dam, with pierced brass hands, a lever for Niet Slaan/Slaan above, bisecting an astronomical dial below engraved with graduating rings indicating from the outside in: the 24 hours of the day (twice I-XII), the birthdays of various Saints (Saints ring), the month and its number of days, a figural representation of the twelve signs of the zodiac, the Latin name of the star sign and its appropriate symbol, the time of sunrise and sunset, the hours of daylight and darkness; with three hands, a pierced and blued steel hand indicating the 24 hours of the day, a sun hand with engraved brass radiant sun mask showing the Saints' days, the month and day of the month, sign of the zodiac, the hours of sunrise and sunset and the hours of daylight and darkness, and a moon hand with engraved brass crescent moon showing the time the moon will rise, moving by the average time - 52.68 minutes - the moon rises later each day, possibly for indicating high tide, the astronomical dial in turn bisected to top and bottom by subsidiary rings indicating the age of the moon with its phase to the centre, the hour, day of the week and date, the two train movement with anchor escapement and Dutch strike on two nested bells, the equation and calendar work positioned between the dial and the front plate
303 cm. (118¾ in.) high x 67 cm. (26¼ in.) wide x 28 cm. (11 in.) deep
Provenance
W.J.R. Dreesmann, Frederik Muller & Cie., Amsterdam, 22 - 25 March 1960, vol. II, lot 468.
Dr Anton C.R. Dreesmann (inventory no. K-4).
Literature
Verzameling Amsterdam W.J.R. Dreesmann, vol. II, Amsterdam, p. 621 and 624, illustrated.
J. Zeeman, De Nederlandse staande klok, Zwolle, 1996, p. 450-453, illustrated.
Exhibited
Heerlen, Heerlen Townhall, Amsterdam eert Heerlen, vijf eeuwen Amsterdamse kunst, April/May 1948, no. 106.
Amsterdam, Museum Willet Holthuysen, Het Nederlandse uurwerk, spring 1956, no. 135.
Special notice
Christie's charges a Buyer's premium calculated at 20.825% of the hammer price for each lot with a value up to €90,000. If the hammer price of a lot exceeds €90,000 then the premium for the lot is calculated at 20.825% of the first €90,000 plus 11.9% of any amount in excess of €90,000. Buyer's Premium is calculated on this basis for each lot individually.

Lot Essay

During the 18th century longcase clocks with astronomical indications were only made in Friesland and Amsterdam. The production of these clocks must have been small as so few of them have survived. In his book De Nederlandse staande klok, Mr. J. Zeeman mentions that only twelve astronomical clocks are known to exist. Some of these clocks are illustrated in De Nederlandse staande klok, including the present lot. The Swaan dial differs greatly from the other examples which typically have a painted dial surmounted by a second chapter ring with astronomical indication. According to Zeeman the movement of the Swaan clock is also different from the other clocks he mentions. The Pieter Swaan clock is dated 1735, five years earlier than the earliest of the "standard" astronomical clocks made in Amsterdam.
Very little is known about Pieter Swaan. Zeeman has found only scarce information amounting to: 1670? - 17?? Amsterdam, active in 1690 and 1742; his workshop was situated on the Leliegracht in Amsterdam.
Enrico Morpurgo records some eight clocks by Pieter Swaan in Nederlandse klokken en horlogemakers vanaf 1300. Two of these refer to the present lot, namely kalenderklok, voormalige coll Dreesmann, Amsterdam, and uurwerk tent Hoe laat was het? MWH, 1956. It is possible that Dr Anton C.R. Dreesmann purchased the clock either at the auction of the collection of his father in 1960, or at the Antiekbeurs, Delft in 1961.
Amongst the five remaining longcase clocks mentioned, one is in the Museé Royaux de Belgique, Brussels, two came to auction respectively at Mak in Dordrecht in 1949 and at Mak van Waay in Amsterdam in 1954, one is in Het Corvershof at the Nieuwe Herengracht in Amsterdam and the fifth is in possession of the Stichting Hervormd Weeshuis in Amsterdam.
As we have no record of when, or where W.J.R. Dreesmann acquired the present lot, it is possible that he did so at one of the two above-mentioned auctions.

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