VR-455 Month-Duration Bodenstanduhren by Weber/Salfer
Viennese Bodenstanduhren (Floor-standing clock) of 1 month duration in a Gothic-Revival Case
Gads – once in a while one gets lucky. I was perusing a local auction house when I spotted this rather amazing piece. Whilst filthy, the case is unbelievable with elements of about every style one can imagine. Note the gorgeous rope-twist columns, the Gothic touch to the open well and top, the exquisite carving throughout. This case will knock your eyes out when I have cleaned and polished it to perfection. And, while there are a few pieces of trim missing, most are in the drawer at the top of the base. What is not there will be easy for me to recreate in appropriate color and patina.
The dial shows the “maker” was J. Weber, which leaves one asking if it was Jacob (listed as a watchmaker in 1847 at 728 Rothenthrumstrasse, no longer there in 1893), Johann (listed in 1886, no longer there in 1891) or Josef (listed from 1857 to 1862). Given the case style I would tend to lean toward either Jacob or Johann, since I would place it in the later quarter of the 1800’s. But the mechanism is marked with Johann Salfer’s distinctive trademark. Johann, a preeminent Viennese maker (silver medal winner in 1880) was at 109 Neustiftgasse in Vienna’s district VII in 1874, and died in 1914. The thing that truly amazed me about the mechanism, and the whole clock actually, is how wonderfully preserved it is. The month-duration mechanism with maintaining power has never been bushed, looks to be in exceptional condition, and reflects the care and expertise of a top maker. I also noted the 9 pound pendulum with original suspension spring, engraved dial (which will restore wonderfully with the original silver replaced on the chapter rings), matching bob, weight, pulley and dial engraving – just a very complete and very original piece. Found in a local auction!
So. Who made it? I’d say Jacob – the watchmaker. In as much as the other two Webers were clock makers, they would likely have used their own mechanisms. But, for a late nineteenth-century watchmaker it would have been easy to commission a dial with his name on it, a mechanism from an exceptional maker, and a case made by a Viennese master. I suspect it was even possible to get Salfer to put it all together.
What a nice clock! Even the case is special, with the trunk of the case mating to the base with a pair of dove-tail slides!
Read MoreGads – once in a while one gets lucky. I was perusing a local auction house when I spotted this rather amazing piece. Whilst filthy, the case is unbelievable with elements of about every style one can imagine. Note the gorgeous rope-twist columns, the Gothic touch to the open well and top, the exquisite carving throughout. This case will knock your eyes out when I have cleaned and polished it to perfection. And, while there are a few pieces of trim missing, most are in the drawer at the top of the base. What is not there will be easy for me to recreate in appropriate color and patina.
The dial shows the “maker” was J. Weber, which leaves one asking if it was Jacob (listed as a watchmaker in 1847 at 728 Rothenthrumstrasse, no longer there in 1893), Johann (listed in 1886, no longer there in 1891) or Josef (listed from 1857 to 1862). Given the case style I would tend to lean toward either Jacob or Johann, since I would place it in the later quarter of the 1800’s. But the mechanism is marked with Johann Salfer’s distinctive trademark. Johann, a preeminent Viennese maker (silver medal winner in 1880) was at 109 Neustiftgasse in Vienna’s district VII in 1874, and died in 1914. The thing that truly amazed me about the mechanism, and the whole clock actually, is how wonderfully preserved it is. The month-duration mechanism with maintaining power has never been bushed, looks to be in exceptional condition, and reflects the care and expertise of a top maker. I also noted the 9 pound pendulum with original suspension spring, engraved dial (which will restore wonderfully with the original silver replaced on the chapter rings), matching bob, weight, pulley and dial engraving – just a very complete and very original piece. Found in a local auction!
So. Who made it? I’d say Jacob – the watchmaker. In as much as the other two Webers were clock makers, they would likely have used their own mechanisms. But, for a late nineteenth-century watchmaker it would have been easy to commission a dial with his name on it, a mechanism from an exceptional maker, and a case made by a Viennese master. I suspect it was even possible to get Salfer to put it all together.
What a nice clock! Even the case is special, with the trunk of the case mating to the base with a pair of dove-tail slides!
