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710
KAUFMAN IN WIEN. A RARE AND EXTREMELY ELEGANT MONTH DURATION GRANDE SONNERIE STRIKING EARLY BIEDERMEIER WALL CLOCK IN A MAHOGANY CASE. CIRCA 1845.

A very elegant early Biedermeier wall clock. The full length case has a flat top with a carved edging and Corinthian capitals to the top of the fully opening front door. Apart from this the case is very plain and elegant in the style of a Dachluhr. It is of six light construction with very thin carcase members to the sides and to the door and with profuse stringing throughout the case.

The sides of the door, the base and the top of the case have double stepping, again with profuse boxwood stringing and the undercut base finishes in a slightly carved moulding. The bottom of the front door has very small carved bases to conform with the Corinthian tops.

The quality of the case work is exceptional and the case maker has employed the very finest matched mahogany veneers and the small embellishments are very understated thus giving the whole case an extremely elegant appearance. The use of double stepping, both on the sides of the doors, the base and on the top, is also a high quality feature.

The large white enamel dial has a seconds ring below 12 o’clock and is signed for the maker Kaufman in Wien. It is contained within a beautifully engine turned and gilded bezel. The moon hands are very fine.

The month duration grande sonnerie movement strikes the quarters and hours on two gongs mounted on the backplate. It is extremely rare to have a grande sonnerie clock with a duration of one month as this requires approaching 27,000 hammer blows during the period. In order to obtain the month duration the wheel work and, particularly the pivots, have to be very fine and the pivots are very small. This cuts down the friction and enables the clock to run for a month on reasonable sized weights. The clock has a wood rod pendulum with a large polished brass bob. It is full seconds beating.

Length: 60" (152 cms.)

Price band: N

The maker, Kasper Kaufman, is noted as being a clockmaker between 1815 and 1852.