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A Dutch ebony, padouk wood, rosewood and silver-mounted striking 'Haagse' clock with alarm

BERNARD VAN DER CLOESEN, THE HAGUE. CIRCA 1685

Details

A Dutch ebony, padouk wood, rosewood and silver-mounted striking 'Haagse' clock with alarm
Bernard Van Der Cloesen, The Hague. Circa 1685
The door with moulded breakarch cresting centred by a later brass flaming urn finial, with spiral-twist half columns above blocks applied with foliate and urn brass mounts, with stylised leaf cast mounts above and resting on two brass bun feet with leaf cast collars, opening on concealed hinges via integral side-positioned catch operated with the winding key, the case with glazed side panels within moulded frames and supported by two further brass bun feet, the inside rear panel inlaid with an olivewood parquetry star, the upper rear with brass hanging loops, the dial opening on hinges and with velvet-covered brass plate, gilt-brass skeletonised Roman chapter ring with outer minute markers and five minute calibrations, pierced and engraved silver hands, central brass alarm-setting disc, with repoussé silver winged cherub spandrels above and repoussé silver mount below signed on a cartouche B Vander Cloesen/Fecit Hagae and with figures to its sides, the eight to ten days movement with rectanglar plates joined by four cylindrical ringed and back-pinned pillars, single barrel, three spoke wheelwork, reconverted verge escapement with silk suspension and cycloidal cheeks, pierced and engraved backcock, calibrated countwheel with foliate pierced centre hour and half hour strike on possibly later bell above the case, with separate alarm movement mounted to the side of the case and sounding on the same bell; pendulum, key
38.5 cm. high

Literature

Illustrated, Dr R Plomp, Spring-driven Dutch Pendulum Clocks 1657-1710, Schiedam, 1979, p.109, fig.30

Special notice

Christie’s charges a premium to the buyer on the Hammer Price of each lot sold at the following rates: 29.75% of the Hammer Price of each lot up to and including €5,000, plus 23.8% of the Hammer Price between €5,001 and €400,000, plus 14.28% of any amount in excess of €400,001. Buyer’s premium is calculated on the basis of each lot individually.

Lot Essay

Bernard van der Cloesen (ante 1650-1736) was born in Emmerik and having married in The Hague became a citizen of the city in 1688. With the establishment of the Clockmakers' Guild in 1688 he became Warden and later he was Master. In 1692 he succeeded Lubbertus van der Burgh as city clockmaker for The Hague, being succeeded in 1735 by one of his sons, also Bernard. In 1694 van der Cloesen made Christian Huygens' last clock for measuring longitude at sea.

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