A SOUTH GERMAN GILT-METAL EARLY SQUARE TABLE CLOCK

UNSIGNED, PROBABLY AUGSBURG, CIRCA 1570

Details

A SOUTH GERMAN GILT-METAL EARLY SQUARE TABLE CLOCK
Unsigned, probably Augsburg, circa 1570
The case with a gilt-metal bas relief frieze after Virgil Solis depicting David and Goliath flanking an enthroned King Saul with satyr herms to his sides, the corners joined by trussed Pan-hermed pilasters, the detatchable base-plate engraved with Arabesque foliate scrolls and strap-work on both sides, the inside with a sundial with a quadrant scale and typical gnomon with securing latch, the associated movement with 5in. sq. iron plates secured with iron pillars of square section, brass fusee and barrel for the going train and iron going barrel for the strike on a bell via gilt-metal calibrated countwheel, later verge escapement with foliate engraved gilt-metal footed clock, the gilt-metal dial with outer twice X11 chapter ring with touch pieces, inner concentric 24-hour ring and inner fixed sunburst twice 12-hour, later blued hand and foliate mask spandrels; movement probably associated and with alterations
5 in. (13.5 cm.) x 2 in. (7 cm.)

Provenance

Rothschild inv. no. AR2655.

Lot Essay

Three other clocks with almost identical friezes are known to exist:
1. Private collection, Milwaukee, illustrated in K. Maurice, Die Deutsche Rderuhr, Munich, 1976, p. 70, fig. 527, with associated movemement.
2. Muse du Louvres, Paris, inv. no. O.A. 675.
3. Private collection, Strasburg.
All of these clocks are likely to have been made in the same workshop as they have identical friezes; the Strasburg clock case bears an Augsburg stamp seemingly confirming the present clock's town of origin.

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