VR-283 - 90-Day duration Austrian Biedermeier timepiece by Kaufmann in Wien
Long-duration Viennese wall clocks are the focus for most collectors of finer Vienna Regulators. And this clock, with its single piece porcelain dial (in near perfect condition I might add), delicate pie-crust bezel, and intricately patterned door make this a very unusual and desirable piece.
Claterbos lists a Kaspar Kaufmann in Vienna who learned under Fuchs and lived in the city from 1815 thru at least 1852, and was noted for making beautiful clocks. This clock exemplifies the elaborate beauty of the late Biedermeier with the mechanical perfection of the early Biedermeier.
Where to begin? Note first the relatively small size of this clock - 53 inches is short for a three-month duration timepiece. The dial is in perfect condition - right down to the delicate precision of the makers name. As my British friends would say, this clock is “All of a piece” - meaning it has all the correct pieces! I would be amiss to fail to point out the perfection of the hands - can you imagine how long it must have taken to hand file out the very delicate lines, round the shafts, polish to perfection, then blue these beauties?
Single piece dial, brass-backed pendulum bob, case in stunning condition, large-headed wall stabilizers, early key - If I wasn’t into the plainer cases this clock would not be offered in this auction. As with many of the pieces in this auction, it is a pleasure to be able to offer a clock like this that is complete and in such exceptional condition.
The cast trim to the door is in excellent condition, with no obvious pieces missing. In fact, the only flaw that I can find is a missing piece of veneer to the top right back of the case - you have to look to find it. And, when you open the case door you will note the unusual round-top to the case. The mechanism is relatively clean, has maintaining power, is strung with brass cord, and ran when hung for pictures. Note the large four-spoke pulley, correct weight with knurled edge to the top plate (it is nice to see the symmetry of a weight and pulley that are the same width - just makes it all come together). The door glass is old and wavey, though both of the side panes appear to be later. The weight weighs just 6 pounds, and yet drives the exquisite mechanism for ninety days.
One more detail that bears noting: the pendulum adjustment nut indicator takes the form of an exquisitely detailed small arrow - clearly the nut itself once had numbers on it (traces of which survive) to aid in the precise adjustment of the clocks rate.
Read MoreClaterbos lists a Kaspar Kaufmann in Vienna who learned under Fuchs and lived in the city from 1815 thru at least 1852, and was noted for making beautiful clocks. This clock exemplifies the elaborate beauty of the late Biedermeier with the mechanical perfection of the early Biedermeier.
Where to begin? Note first the relatively small size of this clock - 53 inches is short for a three-month duration timepiece. The dial is in perfect condition - right down to the delicate precision of the makers name. As my British friends would say, this clock is “All of a piece” - meaning it has all the correct pieces! I would be amiss to fail to point out the perfection of the hands - can you imagine how long it must have taken to hand file out the very delicate lines, round the shafts, polish to perfection, then blue these beauties?
Single piece dial, brass-backed pendulum bob, case in stunning condition, large-headed wall stabilizers, early key - If I wasn’t into the plainer cases this clock would not be offered in this auction. As with many of the pieces in this auction, it is a pleasure to be able to offer a clock like this that is complete and in such exceptional condition.
The cast trim to the door is in excellent condition, with no obvious pieces missing. In fact, the only flaw that I can find is a missing piece of veneer to the top right back of the case - you have to look to find it. And, when you open the case door you will note the unusual round-top to the case. The mechanism is relatively clean, has maintaining power, is strung with brass cord, and ran when hung for pictures. Note the large four-spoke pulley, correct weight with knurled edge to the top plate (it is nice to see the symmetry of a weight and pulley that are the same width - just makes it all come together). The door glass is old and wavey, though both of the side panes appear to be later. The weight weighs just 6 pounds, and yet drives the exquisite mechanism for ninety days.
One more detail that bears noting: the pendulum adjustment nut indicator takes the form of an exquisitely detailed small arrow - clearly the nut itself once had numbers on it (traces of which survive) to aid in the precise adjustment of the clocks rate.
