Johann Baptist Beha Model 519 B Shelf Cuckoo Clock
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1880
This shelf cuckoo clock, catalogued as model 519 B, is attributed to Johann Baptist Beha of Eisenbach, Germany, made for the English market circa 1880. The burl veneered oak case features floral marquetry inlay on the base and applied carved foliate moldings along the arched crest and sides.
The circular two-piece painted metal dial presents Roman numerals, decorative steel hands, and two winding arbors. Schmitt Horan & Co. describes the movement as an eight-day fusee wood-plate time and strike mechanism, and notes retailer labels from Camerer, Kuss & Co. on the interior backboard and side door.
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
- Case
- Burl veneered oak case with floral marquetry inlay and applied carved foliate molding
- Type
- Shelf cuckoo clock
- Model
- Model 519 B
- Movement
- Time and strike 8 day fusee wood plate movement
- Dimensions
- 18in x 13in x 7in
- Place recorded
- Germany
- Retailer Labels
- Camerer, Kuss & Co.
- Maker and Origin
- Johann Baptist Beha, Eisenbach, Germany
- Maker / attribution
- Johann Baptist Beha
Design
- Dial and Hands
- The time display features a circular two-piece painted metal dial with black Roman numerals and pierced steel hands. Visual inspection confirms two winding apertures positioned in the lower section of the center dial disk. Schmitt Horan & Co. describes both the painted two-piece metal dial and the steel hands as original to the clock.
- Visible features
- • Arched bracket-style wooden case with applied foliate carvings and a central carved crest motif. • Circular two-piece painted dial showing black Roman hour numerals and pierced steel hands. • Horizontal marquetry inlay band centered on the base plinth. • Two winding apertures situated in the lower portion of the central dial section.
- Case Architecture and Decorative Treatment
- The clock is styled as a shelf or mantel bracket cuckoo clock, cataloged as a burl veneered oak case with floral marquetry inlay along the base plinth and applied carved foliate moldings. Observation of the front shows an arched silhouette with carved foliate cresting, cyma-curved side carvings, and an inlaid floral band running across the stepped base. The auction catalog reports the case finish as original, while noting specific structural wear: a small loss of veneer on the front left base, a horizontal shrinkage crack on the curved top, separation gaps along the cyma-curved side moldings due to wood shrinkage, and broken hinges on the left side door.
- Movement, Automaton, and Provenance Labels
- The movement is not visible in the provided primary exterior photograph. According to the auction description, it is an eight-day fusee wood-plate time and strike movement that strikes and remains in complete condition, though noted as eventually needing service. The bellow tops are reported as replaced. The catalog notes several alterations and condition issues with the automaton and accessories: the cuckoo doors are mismatched, the cuckoo bird is cataloged as a possible period replacement because it is not of the typical Beha type, and the included pendulum is period and appropriate but too long to swing freely in the case. Labels from English market retailer Camerer, Kuss & Co. are reported on the inside backboard and inside right side door.
Identification
- Reference
- Model 519 B
- 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: Internal wood plate fusee movement, retailer labels, and cuckoo mechanism are not visible in the primary front photograph.
- Research required: The auction catalog notes replaced bellow tops, mismatched cuckoo doors, a pendulum that is too long to hang freely in the case, and a possible period replacement cuckoo bird.