Vienna, middle of the 18th century
- Case
- ebonized and polished fruit wood, fire-gilt bronze mounts (ormolu)
- Dial
- engraved, silver-plated and red painted front, engraved christogram “IHS” in the lunette, mock pendulum in the shape of the moon’s disc, silver-plated dial ring, silver-plated alarm disc
- Movement
- verge escapement, richly engraved plate, hour strike (on one bell) and quarter strike (double strike on two bells) on demand, alarm on bell
- Height
- 11½ in
This wonderful miniature baroque clock captivates by its low height of only 11 ½ in. Made in Austria around the middle of the 18th century, this baroque timepiece features the rectangular case made of ebonized and polished fruitwood, typical of that period. The fire-gilt flame vases, the likewise fire-gilt handle with shellwork held by two lion heads and the open-worked sound apertures backed with red fabric make it clear what a precious object such a clock already represented at the time of its creation. The artistic engravings of the silver-plated front receive special radiance and presence through the red painting. In the corners around the dial ring one can see winged angel heads. In the lunette is the christogram „IHS“ in the halo of a sun. Inside the silver-plated dial ring there is a segmental arch-shaped aperture for the mock pendulum and a silver-plated setting disc for the alarm on bell. The alarm clock and the movement with verge escapement can be wound up through openings in the dial. In addition, the movement is equipped with a complex quarter-hour strike on request (hour strike on one bell, double strike of the quarter hour on two bells).