VR-234 Inlaid Dachl by Carl Haydt
Many people say that the Dachluhren is the simplest and most elegant of the Vienna Regulators. If this is true, than clock 234 has to be one of the most elegant even amongst Dachl’s. This three-month duration clock, at 40 inches long, will dominate whatever room it is in – it is that striking, and that impossibly rare.
I can remember when I restored this mechanism – in those days, and now too for that matter, I didn’t count gear teeth or work out exactly how long a clock would run. I had never worked on a long duration wall clock that was not either a month runner or a years runner. And, with its 3.2 pound weight, it looked like a month runner. Imagine my surprise when I looked up one day from my desk and noticed that it was still running, over two months after I had cleaned the mechanism. I suppose I should be more careful when buying clocks to confirm their duration, but then I wouldn’t get surprises like this!
Claterbos tells us that Carl Haydt was apprenticed to Franz Schieszl until 1835, when he was freed of his apprenticeship. He achieved master status in 1843, and died in 1848. Note that the name on the dial of this clock is Hayd – not Haydt – or, Heidt (apparently another spelling that has been found for this maker). Calligraphers in the 1800’s were often illiterate and equally often came up with rather imaginative spellings – as found on clock dials like this one.
With all of its original bits, and in fantastic condition, this piece is one of my personal favorite, right up there with some of the extremely unusual mechanisms in my collection. In terms of visual appeal, this clock truly is one of the most fantastic Vienna Regulators that I have ever seen.
I look forward to going through this mechanism again before allowing it to go to a new home. And, at that time I will get a chance to properly photo-document this fantastic mechanism. As one would expect of a clock of this caliber, the pendulum rod is made of metal, the bob has a brass back, and the pendulum has a knife-edge suspension.
Read MoreI can remember when I restored this mechanism – in those days, and now too for that matter, I didn’t count gear teeth or work out exactly how long a clock would run. I had never worked on a long duration wall clock that was not either a month runner or a years runner. And, with its 3.2 pound weight, it looked like a month runner. Imagine my surprise when I looked up one day from my desk and noticed that it was still running, over two months after I had cleaned the mechanism. I suppose I should be more careful when buying clocks to confirm their duration, but then I wouldn’t get surprises like this!
Claterbos tells us that Carl Haydt was apprenticed to Franz Schieszl until 1835, when he was freed of his apprenticeship. He achieved master status in 1843, and died in 1848. Note that the name on the dial of this clock is Hayd – not Haydt – or, Heidt (apparently another spelling that has been found for this maker). Calligraphers in the 1800’s were often illiterate and equally often came up with rather imaginative spellings – as found on clock dials like this one.
With all of its original bits, and in fantastic condition, this piece is one of my personal favorite, right up there with some of the extremely unusual mechanisms in my collection. In terms of visual appeal, this clock truly is one of the most fantastic Vienna Regulators that I have ever seen.
I look forward to going through this mechanism again before allowing it to go to a new home. And, at that time I will get a chance to properly photo-document this fantastic mechanism. As one would expect of a clock of this caliber, the pendulum rod is made of metal, the bob has a brass back, and the pendulum has a knife-edge suspension.
I have included two shots of this clock, one with a lot of light, one with less - in an effort to give you a good idea of how the clock looks.
