Badische Uhrenfabrik anniversary clock
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1920
This table-top torsion pendulum clock, frequently referred to as an anniversary clock, was manufactured by the Badische Uhrenfabrik circa 1920. Constructed primarily of brass and glass, the piece features a round moulded brass base supporting two vertical columns that hold the movement.
The upper portion of the frame is finished with pierced cresting. The clock incorporates a white enamel dial marked with black Arabic numerals and a minute track, accompanied by black hands. The timekeeping mechanism is key-wound and functions via a brass torsion pendulum comprising four balls suspended from a thin wire. The entire assembly is protected by a glass dome. According to the auction description, the clock is in a used condition commensurate with its age and is operational.
The dial and movement both bear the mark "CB". It measures approximately 20 cm in diameter and 24 cm in height including the dome.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Torsion pendulum clock
- Maker
- Badische Uhrenfabrik
- Dating
- circa 1920
- Height
- 24 cm
- Diameter
- 20 cm
- Markings
- CB on dial and movement
- Condition
- Used, operational
- Clock Type
- Torsion pendulum clock
- Place recorded
- Germany
- Maker / attribution
- Badische Uhrenfabrik
Design
- Visible features
- • Pierced metal cresting above the clock dial • Four-ball brass torsion pendulum assembly • White enamel dial featuring black Arabic numerals • Glass protective dome housing the entire mechanism
- Movement and Pendulum
- The clock operates via a key-wound movement, which powers a torsion pendulum mechanism. This specific pendulum design utilizes four brass balls suspended from a thin wire. Rather than the traditional back-and-forth swing, the pendulum rotates about its vertical axis, causing the suspension wire to twist during operation. This torsion mechanism allows for a significantly slower oscillation cycle, often taking between twelve and twenty seconds for a single oscillation. This efficient energy consumption is intended to enable the movement to operate for extended periods on a single winding, a characteristic for which this style of horological object is known.
- Signatures and Condition
- Both the dial and the internal clock movement are marked with the initials "CB". This mark identifies the piece as a product of the Badische Uhrenfabrik, a firm based in the Black Forest region of Germany that was also active in the manufacturing of radio receivers under the brand name Baduf during the 1920s. Regarding its physical state, the auction description reports that the object is in a used condition that is commensurate with its age.
- Case and Dial Construction
- The clock is designed as a table-top unit mounted on a round, moulded brass base. The visual presentation is defined by two vertical columns that serve as the structural support for the movement housing. A decorative element in the form of pierced cresting is positioned above the clock face, providing a frame for the upper portion of the assembly. The time display is provided by a white enamel dial, which features black Arabic numerals indicating the hours, alongside a minute track. The dial is equipped with simple black hands. The entire assembly, including the pendulum mechanism, is enclosed within a protective glass dome, which serves to shield the internal components from external air movement.
Identification
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: Key is reported as missing by the source
- Research required: Specific mechanism performance longevity beyond initial start is not verified