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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Table clock · Friedberg

Astronomical table clock

Verified

The square case, which rests on four moulded feet, is engraved with geometrical motifs decorated with flowers and palm leaves.

Technical facts

Inventory number
MIH IV-154
Object type
Table clock
Place of production
Friedberg
Dating
1680 - 1700
Materials and techniques (catalogue wording)
Laiton, Argent, Alliage ferreux
Dimensions (catalogue)
Dimensions: 150.0 x 230.0 x 230.0 mm; poids: 5.000 kg
Inscriptions (catalogue)
Elias Kreitt Meyr inn Fridtberg (Mouvement)

Historical significance

  • The square case, which rests on four moulded feet, is engraved with geometrical motifs decorated with flowers and palm leaves.
  • Five silver dials applied on an engraved brass plate indicate, at bottom left, the hours, engraved in Roman numerals; at bottom right, the months with their astrological sign and number of days; at the centre, the quarter hours; above left, the date; and above right, the phases and age of the moon. The hands are blued steel.
  • The movement features a fusee-and-chain and a verge escapement and a balance without hairspring. The balance is held in place by a circular single-footed balance cock, engraved and pierced with strawberry flowers. It is also fitted with an hour and four-quarter strike, whose engraved and pierced gilded brass hammers strike three bells on the under side of the clock. The hour strike dial, numbered from 1 to 12, the four-quarter strike dial, numbered from 1 to 4, and a dial indicating the wind of the mainspring, engraved from 1 to 10, can all be seen on the engraved back plate.

Photographs

Astronomical table clock (MIH IV-154)
Astronomical table clock (MIH IV-154) — Musée international d'horlogerie, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Museum collection photograph, rights review pending. MIH collection record
Astronomical table clock (MIH IV-154)
Astronomical table clock (MIH IV-154) — Musée international d'horlogerie, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Museum collection photograph, rights review pending. MIH collection record
Astronomical table clock (MIH IV-154)
Astronomical table clock (MIH IV-154) — Musée international d'horlogerie, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Museum collection photograph, rights review pending. MIH collection record

Photographs are illustrative examples of the type, not necessarily the exact object described. Verify details against the source file page.

Sources & references

  1. Musée international d'horlogerie, online collection record, inv. IV-154: https://collection.mih.ch/fr/collection/item/36554/

Where sources disagree, the disagreement is stated rather than resolved silently.