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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Table clock · Allemagne

Clock with painted dial

Verified

The upper part of the painted dial is decorated with a cartouche bearing the inscription: PARS TUI MELIOR IMMORTALIS EST (The best part of you is immortal). Two escutcheons in the lower corners present, on the left, the coat of arms of the commune of Dornach, near Mulhouse, and on the right an unidentified escutcheon, a toothed wheel surmounted by a foliot.

Technical facts

Inventory number
MIH IV-384
Object type
Table clock
Place of production
Allemagne
Dating
1540 - 1560
Materials and techniques (catalogue wording)
Fer forgé, fer peint, bronze
Dimensions (catalogue)
dimensions min/max: 501 x 600 mm
Inscriptions (catalogue)
PARS TUI MELIOR IMMORTALIS EST (Cadran)

Historical significance

  • The upper part of the painted dial is decorated with a cartouche bearing the inscription: PARS TUI MELIOR IMMORTALIS EST (The best part of you is immortal). Two escutcheons in the lower corners present, on the left, the coat of arms of the commune of Dornach, near Mulhouse, and on the right an unidentified escutcheon, a toothed wheel surmounted by a foliot.
  • The sun-shaped end of the single stylised iron hand gives the hours; the other end is moon-shaped.
  • The movement has two trains: one for the time, the other for the striking mechanism. The first, which is placed in front, has a verge escapement and a straight foliot fitted with regulating weights. The second has a locking-plate, which controls the striking of the hours.

Photographs

Clock with painted dial (MIH IV-384)
Clock with painted dial (MIH IV-384) — Musée international d'horlogerie, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Museum collection photograph, rights review pending. MIH collection record
Clock with painted dial (MIH IV-384)
Clock with painted dial (MIH IV-384) — Musée international d'horlogerie, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Museum collection photograph, rights review pending. MIH collection record
Clock with painted dial (MIH IV-384)
Clock with painted dial (MIH IV-384) — 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-384: https://collection.mih.ch/fr/collection/item/35960/

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