Gothic-style Viennas are perhaps the rarest form we see today. The Gothic style, dating from 12th century France, is particularly associated with churches and cathedrals. A series of Gothic revivals began in mid18th century England, triumphed in 19th century Europe and continued, largely for ecclesiastical and university structures, into the 20th century. Interestingly, the term has nothing to do with the term “Goths”, a 17th century equivalent of “vandals”, who were savage despoilers of German heritage - see “Hairy Hordes” in the back of this catalog.
While shooting photo’s of this I had a bit of an epiphany - look at the photo of the top of this clock - can your minds eye envision a church? Well, mine did - from its crenelated walls to its four watch towers. Actually, quite a fetching interpretation.
While there is no makers name or mark, the mechanism is clearly Austrian, with its single-piece anchor and watch-like gears. Smaller than most, it is in very good, if very dirty condition. One of the joys of finding clocks with mechanisms that have not seen a good cleaning in many years is the overall condition of the underlying mechanism. Not having been cleaned usually translates to not having been damaged by well intentioned repair persons. And, considering the excellent condition of the screws, this appears to be a relatively untouched piece.
The dial is darned nigh perfect, with a lovely grommet to the winding hole, the pendulum bob dingless (though dingy - it will benefit from a good polish), the beat-scale in perfect condition, and all the glass is old and wavy.
The case has been cleaned and waxed, and is in very nice to excellent condition with one of those finishes you just want to touch - it is so smooth. Don’t get me wrong, this piece shows the age cracks and imperfections original to the piece, it is just in wonderfully-preserved condition.
I especially like the short, fat weight with its ever so small and perfect weight hook. One side of the weight is extremely presentable, though the other seems to have sat down rather hard one time and smushed its bottom a bit. But, its flattened backside is not visible from the front.
With its unusual and striking case and subdued maroon highlights, this piece is an excellent example of a rare style. Length 47 inches, original wall stabilizers, old winding key with brass handle, mechanism mounted on a wooden seat board which slides into wooden corbels in the back board of the case, the clock has its original beat scale, and the pendulum bob is zinc backed.
Recommendations: Enhance your collection with this beautiful example of the Gothic style of Vienna Regulators. And then, have SNClocks service the mechanism, including polishing up the bright bits (bob, bezels, pulley, and weight). This clock can then be delivered to your door in the lower 48 for a total of $2,400.
