Lot 25

Southern German, Height 740 mm, circa 1596
An extremely rare one handed quarter hour striking Renaissance iron clock with automaton and alarm
Case: square iron case, polychrome painted, 2 bells, 3 hammers. Dial: painted hour chapter ring with radial Roman numerals, central red alarm disc with threaded holes and pin, finely cut iron hand with hand shaped head for time indication and control dial for quarter hour strike. Movm.: iron frame, iron going train in 3 levels with four weight winding spools, verge escapement, large two-arm iron balance.
As large as the clock itself is the figure in oriental dress that stands on top of the case and strikes the bells on the hour and quarter hour; the angel’s face in the pediment opens its mouth when the clock strikes. The left door is painted with the figure of a nobleman next to a wall clock and the inscription: "Alls Offt die Ur Schlagt O Mesch dein Ennd betracht" (whenever the clock strikes, man, bethink your end). The door to the right shows a scholar in his study and the inscription "Alle Weisshaitt kumbt Vonn Gott" (all wisdom comes from God). The hand and the auxiliary hand have beautifully worked tips in the form of hands. The iron frame only holds the lower third of the movement, the top part is taken up by the escapement and the large balance with a size of nearly 12 cm. In our opinion the frame of this clock is still mostly original.
In Klaus Maurice’s book "Die deutsche Räderuhr" on German mechanical clocks, a nearly identical bell cage is shown - the clock itself has not survived.
Motifs and design of this early clock make it an extremely rare and unique timepiece.

Sold