Black Forest Cuckoo Clock, circa 1900
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1900
This German Black Forest cuckoo clock dates to circa 1900 and is reported by the source to be carved from two solid blocks of dark-toned wood. The upper portion represents a carved farmhouse nestled amidst pine trees, featuring an opening door where a carved cuckoo bird appears every thirty minutes.
Centered on the case is a circular dial with applied white Roman numerals and pierced brass hands. Below the dial, the hand-chiseled composition depicts a forested landscape with a watermill and a grazing deer. Suspended beneath are a carved wooden pendulum and two cast-iron gilded pine-cone weights.
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
- circa 1900
- Type
- Cuckoo clock
- Weights
- Cast-iron gilded pine cone weights
- Lower scene
- Carved watermill and grazing deer
- Construction
- Carved from two solid blocks of wood
- Place recorded
- Germany
- Activation interval
- Every 30 minutes
Design
- Visible features
- • Carved wooden farmhouse structure with balcony and pitched roof set amid pine trees at top • Central circular dial with applied white Roman numerals and pierced ornate brass hands • Carved lower landscape depicting a watermill and a deer surrounded by trees • Carved pendulum bob and two suspended cast-iron pine-cone weights on chains below
- Dial and Strike Automation
- Positioned at the center of the carved facade, the circular clock face displays applied white Roman numerals. Time is indicated by pierced, ornate brass hands positioned on the dial. According to the source documentation, timekeeping is coupled with an internal brass mechanism that activates every 30 minutes. At these half-hour intervals, the front door of the upper farmhouse opens, and a carved cuckoo bird emerges, opens its beak, and calls.
- Case Composition and Relief Carving
- The clock case is executed in dark-toned wood, stated by the source to be formed from two solid blocks. The relief composition is structured in distinct architectural and natural registers, with chisel marks described by the source as visible across the timber surfaces. The upper section portrays a rural farmhouse with a balcony and windows, set amidst surrounding Black Forest pine trees. Below the central dial, the lower case continues the forested motif with a landscape featuring a carved watermill and a deer grazing in the forest. Directly beneath the case structure, a carved wooden pendulum and two suspended cast-iron pine-cone weights hang on chains.
- Mechanical Description and Documentation Limits
- The clock utilizes two suspended cast-iron pine-cone weights finished with gilding, which the source describes as preserved in original condition. While mechanical components are identified as brass and claimed by the seller source to be fully cleaned and in working order, these condition and operational claims represent dealer statements rather than independent horological verification. The source provides no movement caliber identification, train count, or movement maker stamps. The attribution to Germany circa 1900 reflects a stylistic and dealer dating rather than documented workshop archives. The specific wood species of the case blocks is not recorded in the source text, and neither the dial nor case reveals an explicit signature, trade label, or serial number.
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: No specific maker or workshop mark is recorded in the text or visible on the exterior
- Research required: Movement caliber and internal mechanical details are not specified beyond being brass