VR-284 - Biedermeier period week-running Viennese 3-lite timepiece with Milk-Glass Dial by Franz Wohlfurth in Linz.
You are looking at a wonderful example of an Austrian Vienna Regulator from the late Biedermeier period. With its beautifully finished case, high quality Viennese mechanism, stunning milk-glass dial, beautifully executed and ever so elegantly simple hands, correct key, weight, pulley, wall stabilizers, and bob (in excellent condition, brass backeed, quite heavy, and no dings!!!!)... As Kelly observed when I set this one up to photograph: “Why are we selling this one?”
I could not find a reference to Franz, not surprising in that he was a maker from Linz, a small town that grew from a first century Roman camp on the Danube, roughly 95 miles west of Vienna. Many, if not most of the provincial makers, like Franz, are not listed in any of the reference books. I guess that is where love of Viennese Regulators takes more than just recognizing a name - it is up to each of us to recognize clocks like this one, of the very finest quality, produced by unknown makers whose only claim to fame are the fantastic clocks they left for us.
Whilst the case is the first thing that will draw your eye, I find my mind goes back to the pleasure I had restoring this piece’s mechanism. I love to work on the earlier mechanisms: The parts are so perfectly made, the pivots so fine, the wheel-work so delicate and exquisite, requiring such little driving weights (which is why there is never excessive wear to the pivots - minimal weight equals minimal wear!), the simplicity yet perfect functuality (hmmm, did I make up a word there) of the beat adjustment... I suspect one of the reasons I am so very enamored with the Viennese mechanisms is my training in restoring watches. Interestingly, the origins of the Viennese clock-making skills harks back to training provided by Swiss watch makers. These skills were passed down from master to apprentice through the years, and have to be the reason the Viennese clocks are ever so perfect. Like watches.
This mechanism sticks in my mind as being a perfect example of all that is right about early Vienna Regulators. If you have never had the pleasure of working on a Biedermeier mechanism, you really don’t know what you are missing. They are such a pleasure, with everything fitting perfectly, no shortcuts to ease production in a factory, as was necessary in the latter parts of the nineteenth century.
Note too the headpiece - yes, it is original, and in perfect condition. The stringing around the windows (a hallmark of the earlier pieces, and such a lovely detail), the excellent condition of the veneer and the clocks finish - all add to the elegant simplicity of the case. Even the door hook is such a perfect fit, and so appropriate for the case. I find when I am winding my clocks that details like the door hook stick in my mind - when they work just the way they were designed to work - no flopping around - just holding the door right where it is meant to be. Details like this stick in my mind as I wind the 40 or so clocks that we keep running.
All of the glass is old, wavy and in great condition. In fact, the door glass has a number of bubbles, waves, dimples - simply more life than most pieces. The original milk-glass dial, with the makers name in excellent condition, the perfect hands, the ornate pie-crust bezel - all hark to a time that an individual maker showed his pride in his skills by making clocks that were simply the best pieces available.
And the clock comes with a nice old, wood-handled key!
Read MoreI could not find a reference to Franz, not surprising in that he was a maker from Linz, a small town that grew from a first century Roman camp on the Danube, roughly 95 miles west of Vienna. Many, if not most of the provincial makers, like Franz, are not listed in any of the reference books. I guess that is where love of Viennese Regulators takes more than just recognizing a name - it is up to each of us to recognize clocks like this one, of the very finest quality, produced by unknown makers whose only claim to fame are the fantastic clocks they left for us.
Whilst the case is the first thing that will draw your eye, I find my mind goes back to the pleasure I had restoring this piece’s mechanism. I love to work on the earlier mechanisms: The parts are so perfectly made, the pivots so fine, the wheel-work so delicate and exquisite, requiring such little driving weights (which is why there is never excessive wear to the pivots - minimal weight equals minimal wear!), the simplicity yet perfect functuality (hmmm, did I make up a word there) of the beat adjustment... I suspect one of the reasons I am so very enamored with the Viennese mechanisms is my training in restoring watches. Interestingly, the origins of the Viennese clock-making skills harks back to training provided by Swiss watch makers. These skills were passed down from master to apprentice through the years, and have to be the reason the Viennese clocks are ever so perfect. Like watches.
This mechanism sticks in my mind as being a perfect example of all that is right about early Vienna Regulators. If you have never had the pleasure of working on a Biedermeier mechanism, you really don’t know what you are missing. They are such a pleasure, with everything fitting perfectly, no shortcuts to ease production in a factory, as was necessary in the latter parts of the nineteenth century.
Note too the headpiece - yes, it is original, and in perfect condition. The stringing around the windows (a hallmark of the earlier pieces, and such a lovely detail), the excellent condition of the veneer and the clocks finish - all add to the elegant simplicity of the case. Even the door hook is such a perfect fit, and so appropriate for the case. I find when I am winding my clocks that details like the door hook stick in my mind - when they work just the way they were designed to work - no flopping around - just holding the door right where it is meant to be. Details like this stick in my mind as I wind the 40 or so clocks that we keep running.
All of the glass is old, wavy and in great condition. In fact, the door glass has a number of bubbles, waves, dimples - simply more life than most pieces. The original milk-glass dial, with the makers name in excellent condition, the perfect hands, the ornate pie-crust bezel - all hark to a time that an individual maker showed his pride in his skills by making clocks that were simply the best pieces available.
And the clock comes with a nice old, wood-handled key!
