99th Auction

2019/5/11

Lot 180

Southern German, Height 320 mm, circa 1620
A gilt crucifix clock with stackfreed and hour strike - a rare example of a late, so-called "cercles tournants" clock
Case: firegilt, iron. Dial: ball with iron chapter ring. Movm.: circular brass full plate movement, profusely engraved, 2 engraved barrels, 1 hammer / 1 rear bell, verge escapement, locking plate with internal teeth, stackfreed, iron balance.
Above the crucified Christ sits the dove, the symbol of the Holy Ghost; the dial in the form of a globe rests on top of the cross, above the inscription INRI. The cross is flanked by the figures of the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist and the group is supported by a molded circular base with strapwork and foliate scrolls; a pierced colonnade encloses the bell.
Crucifixion clocks form by far the largest group among the timepieces with a religious motif. This is due to the contemporary "memento mori" theme as a reminder of the transient nature of human existence. In the course of a century, a large number of pieces in various styles were created; most of them show the crucified Christ in the company of the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist, with a skull and crossbones at the foot of the cross. Some few versions show Christ alone.

estimated
9.00020.000 €
Price realized
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