BLACK FOREST CLOCK COLLECTORS
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OUR LATEST ACQUISITION
1850’s Uhrenträger figurenuhr (clock peddler)
Below are some photos of my recent acquisition which is a circa 1850 clock peddler. As you can see it is in stunning condition for being 168 years old. The movement is also in perfect running condition and it keeps perfect time running 24 hrs on a single wind.
This is “not” one of your typical clock peddlers that you see occasionally for sale that are made of cast metal. This one is an original clock peddler from the 1800's that is hand fabricated from thin sheets of tin.
The movement is a spring driven heavy brass plate movement that has an real porcelain dial face with all the minutes defined. "please note that the clock is only 2 1/2" tall so it is extremely small. As you can also see in the photos it is a silk suspension movement and is quite smaller than the very sought after sorg clocks. The additional shielded clock that he is carrying on his back also has a porcelain dial face and has real hands rather than a faux clock face with painted hands.
The peddler is also mounted to a linden wood base not a metal base as found in the newer versions. This is a true museum piece and which an example of this style is found in Berthold Schaaf’s book on antique Black Forest clocks. I will follow up with a detailed video showing the inner workings on this miniature clock movement.
Silk Suspension Style Movement
Video Channel Name
More recent acquisitions can be found below
New Acquisition of an early Jakob Bäuerle Trumpeter 1858
We have just acquired this very early documented example of a trumpeter clock manufactured by Jakob Bäuerle of Furtwangen Germany.
What is very unique on this clock is that it has an exposed trumpeter figure that is also an automaton. On each and every hour he raises its trumpet to his mouth and he turns from side as the trumpet sounds off. This is the same type of automation that can be found on an organ clock.
The three trumpets don't make much music, but the signal at every hour alone is more impressive than a gong strike.
The oriental-looking soldiers with headgear, bloomers and white gaiters are Zuaves. The Zuaves were recruited from the North African population for the French army. The oil painting on zinc sheet was probably made after a painting from 1858 by the Polish painter Aleksander Raczynski (1822 - 1889).
The enamel dial measures 16 cm in diameter. The picture is framed with narrow gold strips. The housing is made of spruce wood with black lacquered and polished molding. Judging by its appearance, the watch was intended for the French market, but the sticker says the English sales company, "Camerer Kuss", so that the watch was ultimately sold in England.
This was a very rare feature for a clock of the era that was manufactured in 1858. Also on the back of the clock there are several service entries from Camerer Kuss who sold the clock that helps in dating the clock as the first maintenance that was performed on the clock was 1863.
There are four additional service records on the back which are approximately four years apart.
Here is the clock as shown in the above illustration from Heinrich Englemann's book on Black Forest Clocks. Note: this is the same exact clock that we purchased from Heinrich's collection.
Schwarzwalduhren Sammeln, Restaurieren, Bewahren
by Heinrich Engelmann
Above is the Jakob Bäuerler very early three bellows and horns movement. This same exact movement is found on another Jakob Bäuerle clock in my collection as shown in the photo on the right --->
Exposed trumpeter figure that is also fully automated which is a very rare function on an early 1800's clock.
There are several service entries from Camerer Kuss on the back board of the clock that helps in dating the clock. The first maintenance that was performed on the clock was 1863. There are also four additional service records on the back which are approximately four years apart. So this clock was well maintained during the years of ownership.
The oil painting is painted on a zinc plate and shows a battle scene of the French Zouaves soldiers.The painting covers the full face of the clock of which the paintings detail is just magnificent and is a work of art in its own right. The exposed trumpeter figure that is situated on the top of the clock is also a Zouave soldier and is fully automated. He raises his horn and calls out a charge on his trumpet at the top of each hour turning side to side.
The case is manufactured in the styled in the Biedermeier design which was a popular motif during the era. The case also has elements that are found in the traditional trumpeter clocks including the large fretted access doors on each side of the case and is open on the bottom, which allows the sound of the horns to resonate.
The Zouaves soldiers were also known as the Fighting Peacocks