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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Clock · Cuckoo clock

Black Forest Cuckoo Clock with Capercaillie Crest

Partially verified

This large Black Forest cuckoo clock, attributed to circa 1900, is designed in the chalet style. The wooden case features intricate carvings and lattice work depicting leaves and branches. The crest is surmounted by a carved figure of a capercaillie with wings spread. The dial, measuring 16 cm in diameter, has a dark background with applied white Roman numerals and white steel hands. A small door for the cuckoo mechanism is positioned above the dial. The base is decorated with leaf carvings, from which the pinecone-shaped metal weights are suspended. The movement is a one-day, weight-driven system featuring an anchor escapement. Access to the internal mechanism is provided via a side panel in the wooden housing. The dimensions are 76 cm in height, 48 cm in width, and 25 cm in depth.

Front view of the Black Forest cuckoo clock featuring a carved capercaillie crest and pinecone weights.
Front view of the Black Forest cuckoo clock featuring a carved capercaillie crest and pinecone weights. — Zamanito/W J Morris Clocks. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
zamanito.com
Category
Clock · Cuckoo clock
Maker / attribution
W J Morris Clocks (Attributed/Seller)
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
Source URL identifies the listing
Source-reported date
circa 1900
Source-reported place
Germany

Source-reported attribution and specifications are not independent authentication. A listing does not establish present ownership, current display, availability or permission to reproduce.

Object description

Case and Design

The clock is constructed in the chalet style, incorporating detailed wood carvings throughout the structure. The main body of the case is decorated with filigree carvings representing foliage, leaves, and intertwined branches, providing a thematic consistency across the housing.

The focal point of the exterior is the carved crest featuring a capercaillie, depicted with wings extended. Below this crest, the central dial displays Roman numerals and is paired with white steel hands, sitting beneath an integrated door for the cuckoo mechanism.

Evidence for this section
  • “این اثر در سبک کلبه‌ای (Chalet style) طراحی شده و بدنه چوبی آن با کنده‌کاری‌ها و مشبک‌کاری‌های ظریف از شاخه‌ها و برگ‌ها تزیین یافته است.”
  • “در بالاترین بخش تاج ساعت، پیکره بزرگی از یک خروس جنگلی (Capercaillie) با بال‌های باز تراشیده شده”

Movement and Mechanism

The movement is identified as a weight-driven mechanical system intended to operate for a single day. The ticking mechanism relies on an anchor escapement for timekeeping accuracy. The internal components, including brass wheels, are accessible through a side panel in the wooden casing.

Operational power is provided by two metal weights styled as pinecones, which are suspended from chains.

Evidence for this section
  • “موتور این ساعت دیواری از نوع وزنه‌ای یک‌روزه (Day going weight driven) بوده و مجهز به سیستم مهار لنگری (Anchor escapement) است.”
  • “دسترسی به قطعات متحرک، چرخ‌دنده‌ها و زنجیرهای موتور از طریق درگاه جانبی بدنه چوبی فراهم شده”
  • “طبق اظهارات فروشنده، پاندول و وزنه‌های این ساعت نسخه اصلی و متعلق به خود ساعت هستند.”

Condition and Attribution

The clock is attributed to circa 1900 and is of German origin. Regarding physical condition, collectors are advised to assess the integrity of the wooden joints and the attachment points of the crest, specifically looking for fractures or previous repairs.

Furthermore, the functional state of the internal bellows and the acoustic performance of the cuckoo mechanism are cited as aspects requiring verification prior to acquisition, as

Evidence for this section
  • “مجموعه‌داران پیش از خرید باید سلامت فوتک‌ها و صدای پرنده کوکو، اصالت چوب و قطعات اتصال تاج و یکپارچگی اتصالات بدون شکستگی را بررسی و صحت کارکرد موتور را مستقلاً ارزیابی نمایند.”

Open research questions

  • Does the lack of a maker's stamp suggest an unbranded mass-produced export piece from the Black Forest region?
  • Are there specific wood species associated with this style of late 19th-century cuckoo clock case?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Black Forest Cuckoo Clock with Capercaillie Crest
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
Datecirca 1900“حدود ۱۹۰۰”
EscapementAnchor escapement“سیستم مهار لنگری (Anchor escapement)”
Movement typeOne-day weight driven“موتور این ساعت دیواری از نوع وزنه‌ای یک‌روزه (Day going weight driven) بوده”
Height76 cm“ارتفاع کلی ساعت ۷۶ سانتی‌متر”
Dial Diameter16 cm“صفحه ساعت با قطر ۱۶ سانتی‌متر”

Visible details

  • Capercaillie carving at the crest of the clock case
  • Pinecone-shaped metal weights
  • Dial with white Roman numerals and white steel hands
  • Wooden case with carved leaf and branch decorations

Research qualifications

  • Functional status of the cuckoo bellows and internal mechanism requires independent evaluation
  • Authenticity of the wood and the structural integrity of the crest connections are not verified
  • Provenance and exact maker remain unidentified

Photograph identity and source facts were screened before import; rights clearance remains pending.

Consulted source

Extra Large Black Forest Cuckoo Clock, Capercaillie Crest.

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record bc0246c781

Terms in this record

Glossary explanations for terms named in this object’s record.

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