Night Timepiece
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
Second half of 18th Century
This night timepiece, dated to the second half of the 18th century, is presented in an ebonized wooden frame-shaped case. Measuring 53 x 41 x 18 cm, the object is designed to be illuminated internally, featuring an upper hood meant for a candle vent.
The time is displayed via a dial painted on copper, which incorporates an aperture for a rotating hour disc and pierced numerals that allow light to pass through. The mechanical movement is unsigned and incorporates fusee winding, a verge escapement, and a fixed pendulum. The auction description notes a visual similarity between the landscape scene depicted on the dial and a specific timepiece held in the Museo Civico Luxoro in Genoa, where the painting is attributed to Ludovico Mattioli.
The item functions as an atmospheric clock designed for nocturnal readability through rear or internal candle illumination.
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
- Ebonized wood frame style
- Date
- Second half of 18th Century
- Dial
- Painted copper with rotating disc
- Type
- Night timepiece
- Maker
- Unsigned
- Lighting
- Candle vent and internal light source
- Movement
- Fusee winding, verge escapement, fixed pendulum
- Dimensions
- 53 x 41 x 18 cm
Design
- Visible features
- • Case features an ebonized wood finish • Painted copper dial shows a maritime landscape scene • Crescent-shaped aperture for the rotating hour disc • Internal candle holder with metal hood for ventilation
- Dial and Mechanism
- The dial is executed in paint on copper, depicting a detailed maritime landscape. A crescent-shaped aperture accommodates a rotating hour disc that moves to indicate the passing hours. The numerals on this disc are pierced, which enables the light from the internal candle to shine through the openings, rendering the time visible in the dark. The internal mechanism is unsigned and utilizes a fusee winding system, indicating a reliance on standard 18th-century horological power delivery. It is equipped with a verge escapement and a fixed pendulum, which regulate the rotation of the hour disc. The combination of the painted decorative surface and the mechanical arrangement allows for the dual function of a decorative object and a night-time indicator.
- Case and Illumination
- The clock is housed in an ebonized wooden case structured in a frame style, measuring 53 x 41 x 18 cm. The construction includes a specific provision for illumination, featuring an upper hood located on the top of the case that serves as a vent for a candle. This internal lighting arrangement is intended to facilitate the reading of time in low-light conditions by directing light through the dial apertures. The interior of the clock contains a holder designed for a candle, positioned to align with the back of the dial. The metal construction of the vent and holder assembly reflects the functional requirements for containing an open flame within a wooden cabinet. The ebonized exterior surface provides a dark, decorative frame for the painted scene on the dial.
- Provenance and Comparisons
- The auction description provides a comparative note regarding the dial imagery. It states that the painting on this particular timepiece bears a resemblance to an example held within the collections of the Museo Civico Luxoro in Genoa. This comparison extends to the artistic execution of the scene depicted on the dial. Regarding the attribution of the dial painting on the comparative piece in Genoa, the description references an attribution to Ludovico Mattioli. No formal attribution for the artist of the present lot is provided by the auction house, leaving the stylistic connection as a point of reference rather than a definitive statement of authorship.
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: Movement is unsigned and lacks a specific maker attribution
- Research required: Attribution of the dial painting to Ludovico Mattioli remains a suggestion based on stylistic similarity