90th Auction

2014/11/15

Lot 246

Josef Cajetan Rasp, Munich, Diameter 365 mm, dated 1731
An important, astronomical clock of museum quality, with numerous indications and anaphoric star disc with 88 constellations and planetary set - this is the most important of only three clocks known by Josef Cajetan Rasp and the only one not held by a museum
Dial.: copper, lavishly engraved, on the back a mounted iron plate engraved with foliate pattern, signed, Roman/Arabic numerals, 5 iron hands. The construction of the dial is based on an astrolabe and shows the movement of sun, moon and stars. The background of the dial shows the anaphoric star disc with 88 constellations. Excentric hour ring with two 12 hour divisions for the 24 hour time zones represents the horizon line at 48 degrees. Outer chapter ring with 48 cities with their zenit of the sun, Roman chapter ring, two "1-12" divisions, outer 60 minute division, signature plate.
Shows true and mean solar time, lunation, sidereal time, zodiac, 24 time zones and the begin of spring and autumn. Movm.: rectangular brass full-plate movement, rounded pillars, plain barrel, epicyclic gearing, Clement lever escapement, short pendulum.

Only three clocks by Josef Cajetan Rasp are known. Two other pieces are held by the "Germanisches Nationalmuseum" in Nuremberg and by the "Stadtmuseum" in Munich.

According to the inscription on the dial this astronomical clock is based on charts by Giovanni Battista Riccioli (1598-1671). The charts were first recorded in 1687 and kept until 1700.

Giovanni Battista Riccioli
Riccioli was an Italian theologian and astronomer who joined the Jesuit order in 1614. He taught for many years at the universities of Parma and Bologna, before he dedicated himself completely to astronomy.
Source: Wikipedia "Die freie Enzyklopädie" - "Riccioli", http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_Riccioli, as of February 20, 2009
This clock is illustrated and described in detail in:
- Klaus Maurice "Die deutsche Räderuhr", Vol. 2, Munich 1976, p. 91f, ill. 763;
- Klaus Maurice "Die Uhrmacher in München", in "Uhren - alte und moderne Zeitmessung", Edition 4, August 1989, Munich 1989, p. 16ff;
- Hans von Bertele "Eine barocke Sternuhr mit moderner Sternhimmeldarstellung" in "Die Uhr", No. 7, Munich 1968, p. 103-110.

Sold

estimated
42.00048.000 €
Price realized
37.200 €