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Vienna, around 1800
- signed
- "Ph. Fertbauer in Wien"
- Clockmaker
- Philipp Fertbauer
- Vienna, *1763, 1795 master, 1805 appraiser, †1820
- Case
- polished mahogany veneer, ebonized fruit wood inlays
- Dial
- enamel, small seconds indication
- Movement
- precision movement, encapsulated with glass panels, pin wheel-escapement, oval weight positioned behind the pendulum
- Technique
- duration of 8 days
- Height
- 22 in
provenance: collection Prof. Dr. Hans von Bertele, Vienna
Philipp Fertbauer is regarded as the finest clockmaker in the Austrian Monarchy around the year 1800. He became a master craftsman in 1795, was appointed head of the Viennese master clockmakers in 1804, and served as official appraiser from 1805 onward. His highly precise timepieces were indispensable scientific instruments for the observatories of the Habsburg Empire, including those in Vienna, Kremsmünster, and Budapest. According to Stephan von Keeß, Fertbauer’s clocks were tested at the Imperial and Royal Observatory in Vienna and found to be “hardly capable of any further improvement.”
Despite its delicate dimensions and a height of only 22 inches, the present small regulator by this celebrated master boasts an impressive eight-day running duration. The exceptional quality of this particularly refined precision movement, equipped with a pin-wheel escapement – a feature extremely rare in wall clocks – is further emphasized by the protective glass enclosure surrounding the mechanism. As with most of Fertbauer’s wall clocks, the weight is positioned behind the pendulum.
This outstanding timepiece demonstrates Philipp Fertbauer’s extraordinary skill, as even in his smallest works he remained committed to the most meticulous execution of horological engineering. Through regulators of such remarkable quality, he played a decisive role in advancing the development of the Viennese regulators. Owing to master craftsmen of Fertbauer’s caliber, this type of clock achieved international renown for its exceptional accuracy and elegant cases, helping to establish Vienna as a leading center of horological excellence.