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Prague, middle of the 18th century
- signed
- "Wenceslaus Wilfarth Prag" (signed on front and plate)
- Clockmaker
- Wenzeslaus Wilfar(d)t(h), Prague
- active c. 1740-1780
- Case
- ebonized and polished fruit wood, ormolu Rococo mounts, finial in the shape of Diana, goddess of the hunt
- Dial
- engraved ormolu front, ormolu corner spandrels, silver-plated dial ring, silver-plated subsidiary dials for turning off the strike and repeater
- Movement
- verge escapement with fusee, Viennese grande sonnerie on bells, indication of date, lunar phase and lunar date
- Height
- 26 ¼ in
This exceptional Baroque bracket clock is the work of the renowned Prague clockmaker Wenzeslaus Wilfarth. During the 18th and 19th centuries, Prague was one of the principal centers of horology within the Habsburg Empire. The cases of Bohemian bracket clocks differ in several respects from those produced contemporaneously in Vienna. Prague Baroque mantel clocks are typically distinguished by their boldly curved, canopy-like tops, known among specialists as the “Prager Dachl” (“Prague roof ”). Elaborately designed ormolu mounts further enhance the visual richness of these remarkable works of art.
The present bracket clock features a sumptuous case of ebonized and polished fruitwood adorned with numerous ormolu mounts in the form of Rococo shellwork and ornamental Rococo vases. Crowning the case is a relief of Diana (Greek: Artemis), the goddess of the hunt. The intricately engraved ormolu front is embellished with floral corner spandrels framing the dial. Set within the silver-plated chapter ring is a small aperture displaying the date. The two silver-plated subsidiary dials in the lunette are used to set the strike and the repeater mechanism. A particularly sophisticated feature is the moon-phase display. A painted rotating disk depicts the current phase of the moon, while the silver-plated dial arch indicates the corresponding lunar date.
With its magnificent case design and rare moon-phase complication, this museum-quality Baroque timepiece represents an outstanding example of 18th-century Prague clockmaking at its finest.