Carved 'Cuckoo and Quail' Quarter Chiming Cuckoo Clock Attributable to Beha
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1875
This carved wooden quarter chiming cuckoo clock, catalogued as dating to circa 1875 and attributable to Johann Baptist Beha, features an ornate case carved with oak trees, foliage, and a hunter emerging with a hound.
Positioned above the 5.75-inch dial are two carved doors intended to reveal a quail on the left and a cuckoo on the right, both mounted on wooden bases and painted in naturalistic tones. The movement features triple gut fusees with brass fusees and barrels within three wooden plates. A retailer's label for Camerer, Kuss & Co. is affixed, and the backplate bears stamped marks.
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
- Cuckoo clock
- Dimensions
- 52 cm high
- Attribution
- Attributable to Beha
- Place recorded
- Germany
- Retailer Label
- Camerer, Kuss & Co., 56 New Oxford Street
- Backplate Markings
- S19.3.78 /D/0/0 and I.K.E.K.
- Maker / attribution
- Johann Baptist Beha (attributed)
- Movement Construction
- Triple gut fusee movement with brass fusees and barrels in three wooden plates
- Dial Size and Condition
- 5.75-inch dial with replaced numerals
Design
- Visible features
- • Dark carved wooden case framed by two tree trunks surmounted by oak foliage. • Carved hunter holding a gun with a hunting dog depicted below the dial. • Twin carved wooden doors above the dial. • Circular dial with applied white Roman numerals, central carved rosette, and ornate light-colored hands. • Arched plinth base decorated with carved foliage and scrollwork.
- Dial and Documented Alteration
- The circular dial measures 5.75 inches across and features a central carved rosette, ornate light-colored pierced hands, and applied white Roman numerals set against the dark wooden face. The auction cataloguer explicitly records that the dial numerals are replaced.
- Case Carving and Visual Composition
- The clock case is constructed in dark carved wood measuring 52 cm high. Visual observation reveals the case framed by two tree trunks surmounted by oak foliage, positioned on an arched plinth base carved with foliage and scrollwork. Emerging directly beneath the dial is a carved hunter holding a gun, accompanied by a hunting dog stepping out from the undergrowth. Above the dial are two carved wooden doors adorned with oak leaves. Although depicted closed in the lot photograph, the auction catalogue states that these doors open to reveal two automaton birds: a quail on the left and a cuckoo on the right. Both birds are described in the source as painted in naturalistic hues and mounted on wooden bases.
- Movement Description and Applied Markings
- The internal mechanism is described in the auction text as a quarter-chiming triple gut fusee movement. It features brass fusees and barrels fitted with brass clicks, arranged between three wooden plates. The backplate is catalogued with markings reading 'S19.3.78 /D/0/0 and I.K.E.K.'. The source further notes an applied retailer's label for 'Camerer, Kuss & Co., 56 New Oxford Street'.
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: Source notes the dial numerals are replaced.
- Research required: Cuckoo and quail automatons are concealed behind closed doors in the photograph.
- Research required: Internal triple gut fusee movement and backplate marks are not visible in the exterior photograph.