Johann Baptist Beha “Harrenhäusle” Cuckoo Clock
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1885
This architectural cuckoo clock, styled as a 'Harrenhäusle' or small manor house, is attributed to Black Forest clockmaker Johann Baptist Beha of Eisenbach, Germany, circa 1885.
The hand-carved wooden case portrays a multi-story residence with a shingled gabled dormer roof, fretwork bargeboards, metal downspouts, mirrored windows, and a brick-patterned lower section with a stepped entrance. The circular white dial features black Roman numerals and twin winding apertures. According to the source, the interior houses a large wood-plate twin-fusee movement operating the time and striking trains alongside a gong, bellows, and whistles for an animated cuckoo automaton.
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 1885
- Type
- Cuckoo clock
- Maker
- Johann Baptist Beha
- Mechanism
- Large Wood-Plate Twin-Fusee Mechanism
- Dimensions
- 22″ High x 12-1/2″ Wide x 9″ Deep
- Place recorded
- Germany
- Maker / attribution
- Johann Baptist Beha
Design
- Visible features
- • Architectural carved wood case fashioned as a multi-story building on a stepped plinth. • Lower register incised with a simulated brick facade centered by a panelled door and entrance steps. • Large white circular dial with black Roman hour numerals and two winding squares. • Upper dormer features a pair of hinged wooden shutters flanked by mirrored panes underneath a shingled gabled roof with curved metal downspouts.
- Dial and Reported Mechanism
- The facade displays a large circular white dial showing black Roman numerals and two winding squares. The internal movement and acoustical components are completely enclosed within the wooden case and cannot be inspected visually. According to the seller's description, the clock is driven by a large wood-plate twin-fusee mechanism operating the time and striking trains. The source further reports that the hour strike utilizes a gong, accompanied by bellows and whistles that produce birdsong for an animated, large carved cuckoo bird that emerges from the upper shutters.
- Architectural Case Structure
- The clock case is executed in a multi-story architectural form identified by the source as a "Harrenhäusle," an idiom reported to derive from "Herrenhaus" (roughly translating to "small manor house"). Visual observation confirms an architectural carved wood structure set on a stepped plinth, with an incised simulated brick pattern across the lower register centered by an entrance stairway and a paneled door. The upper section features mirrored windows and an upper dormer with a shingled gabled roof flanked by curved metal downspouts. Positioned under the roofline are carved fretwork elements beneath the eaves and a pair of hinged wooden shutters through which an automaton appears.
- Attribution and Source Claims
- The clock is attributed by the dealer to Black Forest maker Johann Baptist Beha of Eisenbach, Germany, and given a date of circa 1885. The seller also asserts that this architectural form is extremely scarce, stating that fewer than ten examples are known to exist. These claims of authorship, rarity, and dating originate exclusively from the dealer description; no maker's stamps, trade labels, or independent horological citations are recorded in the provided documentation. The seller additionally notes that the clock has been restored and carries a one-year warranty, though no technical report of specific alterations or replaced parts is provided.
Identification
- SKU
- AGER 20
- Reference
- AGER 20
- 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: Movement, fusees, gong, bellows, and cuckoo automaton are enclosed within the case and not visible in the photograph.
- Research required: Restoration status and operational details are reported by the source dealer without independent mechanical verification.