Lorenz Furtwängler & Söhne Ebonized Wood and Brass Mounted 'Shield-Form' Mantel Clock
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
Circa 1900
According to Sotheby's, this ebonized wood and brass-mounted mantel clock was made in Germany circa 1900 and is attributed to Lorenz Furtwängler & Söhne. The case features a shield-form silhouette surmounted by a spread-winged brass eagle finial and flanked by pinecone finials.
The lower section flutes into a turned pedestal atop a stepped plinth raised on turned feet. The circular white dial displays black Arabic numerals with five-minute markers, ornate pierced hands, and twin winding apertures.
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
- Mantel clock
- Maker
- Lorenz Furtwängler & Söhne
- Origin
- Germany
- Provenance
- Property from the Collection of Dr. Larry McCallister
- Place recorded
- Germany
- Title Description
- An Ebonized Wood and Brass Mounted 'Shield-Form' Mantel Clock
- Maker / attribution
- Lorenz Furtwängler & Söhne
- Prior Auction Provenance
- Skinner, Inc., Marlborough, Massachusetts, October 11 & 12, 2012, sale 2616M, lot 841
Design
- Visible features
- • Surmounted by a spread-winged brass eagle finial on the crest and flanked by two pinecone finials. • White dial with black Arabic numerals, outer minute track with red five-minute markers, two winding apertures at 4 and 8 o'clock, and pierced brass hands. • Shield-shaped ebonized body tapered into a fluted lower section above a turned pedestal and rectangular base on turned feet. • A rectangular brass plaque is inset into the front of the stepped base plinth.
- Dial and Indication
- The circular dial is white with black Arabic numerals indicating the hours, bordered by an outer minute track that incorporates red five-minute markers. Time is shown with pierced brass hands. Two winding apertures are positioned on the dial at approximately 4 and 8 o'clock. Internal movement components, striking gear, and escapement details are not illustrated or recorded in the catalog entry.
- Identity and Attribution
- Sotheby's lists this mantel clock as an ebonized wood and brass mounted 'shield-form' clock, cataloging it under 'Lorenz Furtwangler & Sonne' and dating it to circa 1900 with German origin. The catalogue note provides historical background on the maker's factory origins beginning in 1836, citing an article by E. J. Tyler in Clocks (September 1987) regarding the firm's incorporation and trademark registrations. No maker signature or company logo is visible on the dial face in the auction photograph. The attribution to Lorenz Furtwängler & Söhne relies on the catalog description, as any internal movement markings or case stamps are not illustrated or recorded in the provided documentation.
- Case Architecture and Mounts
- The case exhibits a shield-form silhouette constructed from ebonized wood with decorative brass mounts. Its crest is surmounted by a spread-winged brass eagle finial, accompanied by two turned pinecone finials positioned on the upper shoulders. The shield body tapers into a fluted lower section above a turned pedestal support. This pedestal sits on a stepped rectangular base supported by turned feet, with a rectangular brass plaque mounted flush on the forward face of the plinth.
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 spells the maker as 'Lorenz Furtwangler & Sonne'.
- Research required: Internal movement, escapement, and case reverse are not shown.
- Research required: Maker attribution and dating to circa 1900 are source-reported and not independently verifiable from visible dial marks.