VR-302 Biedermeier week-duration 3-lite Timepiece with single-piece dial and pie-crust bezel
As I looked at this clock my mind noted a series of features - the single-piece porcelain dial, in excellent condition (single-piece dials are a hall-mark of an earlier, say pre 1835 piece), beautiful pie-crust bezel, very nice, unusual pendulum rod suspension spring hanger (just one of the unusual features you will find on an earlier piece), the smaller than usual mechanism with the unusual crutch beat-adjustment mechanism, the brass-backed bob (in perfect condition), the contrasting banding around the windows, the wonderfully early, simple, and perfect hands, the small weight (a bit dinged, but so very small and correct), the new, but beautifully made and faux-finished head and tail pieces, the lovely, original winding key...
Perhaps, gentle readers, I can digress for a moment. People will often tell me they have just bought a Seth Thomas number 16, or 14, or perhaps 12 (did they make a 13?). I know from the tone of their voice that this is a significant find, and something they feel is very important. A Seth Thomas, of a certain number, is a defined quantity, one that has a defined value.
Life is not so simple when dealing with a Vienna Regulator. Quality, while it can be linked to specific makers, is better evaluated by looking at the clock, seeing how the maker chose to put his touch on the finished product. Things like pivot size (smaller pivots generate less drag, less wear, and require less weight to drive them), the way a pendulum is put together, or a crutch adjustment mechanism.
It is through getting to know the details of these clocks that I can tell if I am looking at a truly wonderful piece, or one that is more of a standard model. Don’t get me wrong, Vienna Regulators are very fine clocks. All off them. They all have Graham dead-beat escapements: They are all fine time keepers. But, there are details that bespeak quality above the norm.
In general, you see more interesting, and quality details in earlier clocks. Which means that when you find mechanisms from the 1880's that are made more like those from the 1840's - you know you have a hand-made piece from one of the better makers. Even if there is no name on the face.
Flip side, if you find a clock with Schoenberger on the dial, but only average mechanism details, well, it was made by one of the many apprentices that worked for Schoenberger.
Or, someone thought the clock might fetch more with a fancy name. Not that this is ever done...
Which brings me back to the lovely, unmarked piece under discussion. And why there are so many pictures accompanying this item.
I talk about a brass-backed pendulum bob. This is important because it is a sign of either an earlier piece, or a later piece with a maker who went that extra mile. But! Under that rear cover (which is held on by a screw through the center) there is a central boss that goes through the pendulum rod! I was so enamored I polished up both front and back and lacquered the bob to keep it just perfect!
I also quite liked the beat adjustment mechanism, as you can see in the photo. Unusual, simple, elegant even. But very effective. And, once again, that different touch that makes it special.
Another small detail, the brass cap on the end of the pendulum rod to connect to the suspension spring. Very nicely made, much more difficult to make than many of the simple plates used on other clocks. Another detail that makes this piece just that bit more unusual.
The dial and hands are virtually perfect, with only minor scratches (no hairlines) to the dial, the weight is nice, with its share of dings, but very presentable, and with a very nice top cap, which has been machined to provide a groove which, in combination with the hook washer, makes the top of the weight rather distinctive.
The finish on this clock stands out for how beautifully it cleaned up. The clocks color is wonderful, especially with the dark contrasts in the grain of the veneer. And, while the trim is of a later origin, you would be hard pressed to see that it is not original. The finish, as well as the texture, color, and the faux grain all match what would have originally been found on such a piece. Notice the detail to the top of the tail piece, an inset piece of veneer that matches the color and grain of the rest of the piece!
With its original wall stabilizers (note the rather large adjustment knobs), old, wavy glass, beautiful pie-crust bezel, delicate hands (so representative of the elegance of the Biedermeier period) and original, wood-handled winding key, this piece is just to nice to pass up. And, it is quietly ticking away behind me as I type this description, keeping time and adding an elegant touch to the “photo studio” (otherwise known as the breakfast nook).
If you don’t own a Biedermeier piece, you probably haven’t had a chance to discover how elegant these simple pieces really are.
Read MorePerhaps, gentle readers, I can digress for a moment. People will often tell me they have just bought a Seth Thomas number 16, or 14, or perhaps 12 (did they make a 13?). I know from the tone of their voice that this is a significant find, and something they feel is very important. A Seth Thomas, of a certain number, is a defined quantity, one that has a defined value.
Life is not so simple when dealing with a Vienna Regulator. Quality, while it can be linked to specific makers, is better evaluated by looking at the clock, seeing how the maker chose to put his touch on the finished product. Things like pivot size (smaller pivots generate less drag, less wear, and require less weight to drive them), the way a pendulum is put together, or a crutch adjustment mechanism.
It is through getting to know the details of these clocks that I can tell if I am looking at a truly wonderful piece, or one that is more of a standard model. Don’t get me wrong, Vienna Regulators are very fine clocks. All off them. They all have Graham dead-beat escapements: They are all fine time keepers. But, there are details that bespeak quality above the norm.
In general, you see more interesting, and quality details in earlier clocks. Which means that when you find mechanisms from the 1880's that are made more like those from the 1840's - you know you have a hand-made piece from one of the better makers. Even if there is no name on the face.
Flip side, if you find a clock with Schoenberger on the dial, but only average mechanism details, well, it was made by one of the many apprentices that worked for Schoenberger.
Or, someone thought the clock might fetch more with a fancy name. Not that this is ever done...
Which brings me back to the lovely, unmarked piece under discussion. And why there are so many pictures accompanying this item.
I talk about a brass-backed pendulum bob. This is important because it is a sign of either an earlier piece, or a later piece with a maker who went that extra mile. But! Under that rear cover (which is held on by a screw through the center) there is a central boss that goes through the pendulum rod! I was so enamored I polished up both front and back and lacquered the bob to keep it just perfect!
I also quite liked the beat adjustment mechanism, as you can see in the photo. Unusual, simple, elegant even. But very effective. And, once again, that different touch that makes it special.
Another small detail, the brass cap on the end of the pendulum rod to connect to the suspension spring. Very nicely made, much more difficult to make than many of the simple plates used on other clocks. Another detail that makes this piece just that bit more unusual.
The dial and hands are virtually perfect, with only minor scratches (no hairlines) to the dial, the weight is nice, with its share of dings, but very presentable, and with a very nice top cap, which has been machined to provide a groove which, in combination with the hook washer, makes the top of the weight rather distinctive.
The finish on this clock stands out for how beautifully it cleaned up. The clocks color is wonderful, especially with the dark contrasts in the grain of the veneer. And, while the trim is of a later origin, you would be hard pressed to see that it is not original. The finish, as well as the texture, color, and the faux grain all match what would have originally been found on such a piece. Notice the detail to the top of the tail piece, an inset piece of veneer that matches the color and grain of the rest of the piece!
With its original wall stabilizers (note the rather large adjustment knobs), old, wavy glass, beautiful pie-crust bezel, delicate hands (so representative of the elegance of the Biedermeier period) and original, wood-handled winding key, this piece is just to nice to pass up. And, it is quietly ticking away behind me as I type this description, keeping time and adding an elegant touch to the “photo studio” (otherwise known as the breakfast nook).
If you don’t own a Biedermeier piece, you probably haven’t had a chance to discover how elegant these simple pieces really are.
