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Lot 50
An exceptionally fine and rare early 17th century gilt brass German automata 'Turmchenuhr' Stamped NS for Nikolaus Schmidt, Augsburg
16 December 2015, 14:00 GMT
London, New Bond StreetSold for £105,700 inc. premium
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Clocks (UK)
An exceptionally fine and rare early 17th century gilt brass German automata 'Turmchenuhr'
Stamped NS for Nikolaus Schmidt, Augsburg
The gilt brass case surmounted by the figure of a standing warrior, his right arm raised to hold a staff, his lowered left hand steadying a shield engraved with four eagles and the initials FGMC, on a circular turret-topped cupola with brickwork body, stepped castellations and four protruding cannon barrels at the cardinal points, eight urn finials over eight tapering columns, the cupola centred by the static figure of Diana encircled by two naked draped female attendants and the figure of Actaeon, his body partially metamorphasized, with the head of a stag, outside the cupola a huntsman and five woodland creatures rotate on the hour, all set above an arcaded ring with hour and alarm bell below, the corners set with four obelisk finials over reeded tapering corner columns framing panels of strapwork and foliate engraving, on stepped cast bases to a spreading cast base containing the quarter-hour bell, on turned feet,
The dials all of silver and comprising the following:
the main dial with some original enamelling in blue and black to the Roman hours interspersed with simple line half-hour marks, the inner edge marked in Arabic 13-24, enclosing a decorated alarm setting disc, with single steel hand, all framed by a cast brass bezel over a smaller dial marked for the quarters with decorated centre and single steel hand.
The rear dials with vestiges of green, red and yellow enamel decoration marking the position of the hour-striking and quarter-striking trains
The one-day duration movement wound from the rear and comprising of steel square-section corner posts uniting steel top and bottom plates. The going train with brass barrel and fusee linked via a chain, with large steel balance wheel verge escapement with hog's bristle regulation affected by a pivoted lever mounted on the top plate.
The hour and quarter striking trains each with a steel countwheel; the final quarter strike releasing the automata scene above
The alarm train is wound from the right hand side and protected by two crisply struck steel stamps NS within a shield 45cms (17.5ins) high.
The gilt brass case surmounted by the figure of a standing warrior, his right arm raised to hold a staff, his lowered left hand steadying a shield engraved with four eagles and the initials FGMC, on a circular turret-topped cupola with brickwork body, stepped castellations and four protruding cannon barrels at the cardinal points, eight urn finials over eight tapering columns, the cupola centred by the static figure of Diana encircled by two naked draped female attendants and the figure of Actaeon, his body partially metamorphasized, with the head of a stag, outside the cupola a huntsman and five woodland creatures rotate on the hour, all set above an arcaded ring with hour and alarm bell below, the corners set with four obelisk finials over reeded tapering corner columns framing panels of strapwork and foliate engraving, on stepped cast bases to a spreading cast base containing the quarter-hour bell, on turned feet,
The dials all of silver and comprising the following:
the main dial with some original enamelling in blue and black to the Roman hours interspersed with simple line half-hour marks, the inner edge marked in Arabic 13-24, enclosing a decorated alarm setting disc, with single steel hand, all framed by a cast brass bezel over a smaller dial marked for the quarters with decorated centre and single steel hand.
The rear dials with vestiges of green, red and yellow enamel decoration marking the position of the hour-striking and quarter-striking trains
The one-day duration movement wound from the rear and comprising of steel square-section corner posts uniting steel top and bottom plates. The going train with brass barrel and fusee linked via a chain, with large steel balance wheel verge escapement with hog's bristle regulation affected by a pivoted lever mounted on the top plate.
The hour and quarter striking trains each with a steel countwheel; the final quarter strike releasing the automata scene above
The alarm train is wound from the right hand side and protected by two crisply struck steel stamps NS within a shield 45cms (17.5ins) high.
Footnotes
Literature:
Sotheby's Art at Auction 1968/69, p.438. Sold 9th December 1968 from the Collection of Mr and Mrs Michael Travers.
Klaus Maurice, Die deutsche Raderuhr, Munchen, 1976, VOL II, p.26 and plate 131. Illustrated next to this clock is a remarkably similar design, modelled with a huntsman and animals, sold by Christies New York, lot 139, 28th October 1992.
H.M. Vehmeyer, Clocks, Their Origin and Development 1320-1880, Snoeck 2004. Item G14.
