Zoom
Vienna, first quarter of the 19th century
- Clockmaker
- Ferdinand Leichtl,
- Vienna, citizen 1808, appraiser of the court 1831–35, †1835
- Case
- polished mahogany veneer, partly ebonized, fire-gilt bronze mounts (ormolu)
- Dial
- engine turned and silver-plated metal
- Movement
- anchor escapement, Viennese grande sonnerie on wire gongs, repeater, turn-off for strike, mock gridiron pendulum, duration of four weeks
- Height
- 19½ in
This imposing month-going portal clock is a masterpiece of the renowned Viennese clockmaker Ferdinand Leichtl and is published and illustrated in Frederick Kaltenböck’s standard work „Viennese Timepieces“. Leichtl worked as appraiser at court from 1831 until his death in 1835. This impressive timepiece bears witness to his great skill, for the production of month-going mantel clocks with a Viennese grande sonnerie was reserved for only the most skilled clockmakers. The noble case gives the complex movement technology a worthy appearance. On the base with polished mahogany veneer there are four ebonized columns with capitals and bases of fire-gilt bronze. They support both the case drum with its engine turned and silver-plated dial and the entablature, also covered with mahogany veneer. The pendulum with mock temperature compensation has a finely engine turned and fire-gilt pendulum disc. The movement with anchor escapement and the remarkable running time of 4 weeks has a Viennese grande sonnerie, repeater and turn-off lever for the strike.