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A monumental and rare classical wall timepiece, made in Vienna circa 1810 by Johann Vellauer, one of the more distinguished makers in the imperial capital during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Johann Vellauer the younger (1748–1819) produced clocks of remarkable sophistication, and this example ranks among the finest surviving examples of Viennese giltwood craftsmanship.
The towering ebony case is lavishly adorned with carved ornament highlighted in gold leaf. At the base is an elaborately carved and gilded decorative element, surmounted by applied carved ornament. The pendulum aperture, revealing the brass bob, is framed by carved urns issuing acanthus foliage and clusters of berries. Above, cascading bellflowers descend beneath additional carved urns overflowing with foliage and fruit, culminating in a finely carved wreath. A majestic spread-winged eagle crowns the composition, clutching foliage and berries in its talons, a dramatic symbol of imperial authority and neoclassical grandeur.
The magnificent enamel dial, signed “Johann Vellauer a Wienne,” is set within a deeply carved giltwood bezel with convex glass. The dial displays Roman numerals for the hours, with Arabic numerals for the five-minute markers along the outer track. An inner Arabic numeral ring indicates the date of the month, though the calendar mechanism is not functioning. Elegantly pierced and engraved hands indicate both the time and date.
The finely crafted three-train brass movement features a silk-thread suspension, a highly refined horological system favored throughout the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries for its nearly frictionless pendulum action, before the widespread adoption of metal suspension springs. Fully wound, the movement will run for about two days.
Particularly unusual is the clock’s “blind-man” striking system. The mechanism announces the quarters progressively: one strike for the first quarter, two for the second, and three for the third. At the hour, the clock strikes four times on one bell to mark the completion of the fourth quarter, then strikes the hour count on a second bell with a distinctly different tone. This sophisticated arrangement creates an especially rich and layered audio presentation befitting the clock's imposing visual presence.
Height 45" Width 23" Depth 6.75"
Inventory #225154
Price $9,500
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