SQUARE HORIZONTAL TABLE CLOCK Johann Christoph Hein Circa 1725 Germany
M&R226
SQUARE HORIZONTAL TABLE CLOCK
Signed: Johann Christoph Hein
Circa 1725
Germany
Movement
The spring-driven brass movement is constructed between square plates and consists of going, striking and alarm trains. The going train has a chain fusee, verge escapement with hairspring balance, and regulation using a silvered regulation disc. The balance is situated under a richly pierced and engraved silvered cock. The striking mechanism, controlled by a count wheel engraved with Arabic numerals, indicates the hours fully on a bell. The last hour struck can be repeated at will (repeat). The clock also has an alarm, using two hammers. The maker signed the movement on the backplate, which is decorated with gilt and silvered pierced and engraved scroll motifs, as follows: Johann Christoph Hein.
Dial
A circular silvered chapter ring is applied to an engraved square gilt brass dial plate, having Roman hour numerals, half-hour markers, quarter-hour, as well as Arabic five-minute and minute divisions. The time is indicated by a pair of very beautifully pierced gilt-brass hands. A gilt-brass alarm disc is mounted under the hands in the centre of the dial. It has engraved Arabic hour numerals. The four corners next to the chapter ring have engraved spandrels in the shape of scrolled leaf motifs. A herringbone pattern is engraved on the edge of the top plate.
Case
The square gilt-brass case has four glazed windows to the sides with silvered brass frames. The bell is situated in the hinged base plate and the whole can be opened by means of a catch. The clock rests on four silvered claw feet.
Duration: 24 hours
Height: 10.5 cm.
Width: 12.5 cm.
Literature
– Klaus Maurice, Die deutsche Räderuhr, plates 592 and 597 (similar clocks)
-Jürgen Abeler, Meister der Uhrmacherkunst, p. 229.
The maker
Cristoph Hein worked in the then German Sprottau (now Poland). A table clock from around 1700-1720 is described in Abeler and a wall Zappler by his hand is also known.
