Zoom
Linz, first half of the 19th century
- signed
- “Wilhelm Hübner in Linz”
- Case
- polished mahogany veneer, maple stripe inlay
- Dial
- enamel, small seconds
- Movement
- precision movement in brass case, Graham escapement, maintaining power, seconds pendulum
- Technique
- duration of one month
- Height
- 57 in
Viennese regulators (German: “Laterndluhren”) are among the highest quality clocks ever made. Both the fineness of the cases and the precision of the movements illustrate the high level of workmanship of Austrian clockmakers and cabinetmakers in the first half of the 19th century. This type of clock was not only produced in the Danube metropolis itself, but throughout the Habsburg Monarchy.
The special case design in the shape of the streetlamps of the time became the trademark and namesake of the “Laterndluhr” (“lantern clock”). To make the high-quality movement technology visible, the cases, which are veneered with fine mahogany, are largely glazed.
This regulator with a duration of one month is equipped with a brass-encapsulated precision movement and a seconds pendulum. The pendulum, which swings at the same rate as the human pulse at rest, is directly connected to the small seconds display on the dial. The signature of clockmaker Wilhelm Hübner can also be found here. The master craftsman, who worked in the Upper Austrian capital of Linz, is listed in historical address books with the city center address Landstraße 789, which corresponds to today’s house number 24 (corner of Spittelwiese).
This extremely attractive masterpiece with its high-quality precision movement and elegant case with the finest mahogany veneer is a wonderful example of the exceptional level of quality that Austrian clockmaking achieved in those days.