Berlin Flute Floor Clock by Ehrbar
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
Ende 18.Jh.
This large Berlin floor clock, signed "Ehrbar Berlin" on the dial, features an integrated flute musical mechanism. The clock is housed in a spruce case with mahogany veneer, finished with shellac polish and decorative brass inlay.
The brass arch dial includes decorative corner mounts and a signed cartouche with a mode selector for "Spielen – Chlagen – Stille". The silvered chapter ring displays Roman numerals and an Arabic minute track, paired with iron hands and a chased center featuring a small seconds display. The internal 8-day brass full-plate movement is equipped with an anchor escapement and spring suspension for the pendulum. It includes a striking mechanism for the hour on a bell.
The musical component operates via a large pinned wooden roller, playing a melody from Weber’s "Der Freischütz" through 38 open pipes, with a performance duration of approximately 4 minutes.
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
- Date
- Ende 18.Jh.
- Type
- Floor clock with flute mechanism
- Maker
- Ehrbar
- Height
- 276 cm
- Movement
- 8-day brass full-plate with anchor escapement
- Case materials
- Spruce and mahogany veneer
- Place recorded
- Germany
- Musical mechanism
- 38 open pipes, pinned wooden roller
- Maker / attribution
- Ehrbar
Design
- Visible features
- • Spruce case with mahogany veneer and brass stringing • Arch dial with Roman hour numerals and Arabic minute track • Flute mechanism with 38 open pipes • Mode selector lever on the dial arch
- Case and Exterior
- The clock is contained within a tall floor-standing case constructed from spruce and finished with mahogany veneer. The wood surfaces are treated with shellac polish and ornamented with brass inlay strips. The case design features a central circular brass grille on the waist door. The brass arch dial is mounted with cast and cut corner decorations. A signed cartouche is positioned within the arch, which also holds a scale for the mechanical settings labeled "Spielen – Chlagen – Stille". The silvered chapter ring shows Roman numerals and an Arabic minute track. Time is indicated by cutout iron hands, and the dial center is chased with a small seconds indication.
- Movement and Mechanism
- The timekeeping is powered by an 8-day brass full-plate movement. It utilizes an anchor escapement and features a pendulum supported by a spring suspension. The clock performs an hourly strike on a bell. The condition is reported as intact. The integrated flute musical mechanism utilizes a large, pinned wooden roller. It is configured to play a melody from Weber’s "Der Freischütz". The air is produced by 38 open pipes, which the auction description notes as a rare feature. The musical sequence lasts approximately 4 minutes.
- Provenance and Documentation
- The maker, Ehrbar, is identified as a Berlin flute clockmaker. The auction description references documentation for this maker in Abeler's literature, specifically volume I, page 157. The object was offered as lot 882. The musical selection is identified as "Was gleicht wohl auf Erden dem Jäger Vergnügen" from Carl Maria von Weber's opera "Der Freischütz".
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: Date attributed to the end of the 18th century
- Research required: Reference to Abeler literature is reported by the auction description
- Research required: Performance duration of 4 minutes reported by the auction description