Datei:Guilmet Ainé. c.1895, number 1333 (4).jpg

c.1895 French Black Marble and Patinated Metal Mystery Clock, Guilmet Ainé.

A late Victorian black marble patinated metal and gilt-bronze mystery clock. The black marble case has gilt-incised floral decoration and several gilt-bronze mounts that include ringed lions to the sides, a cast egg and dart bezel with a thick beveled glass and four feet with stylized paw feet to the front. All the case mounts are stamped or inscribed with the case number, '1746'. Above stands the patinated metal Nubian princess. She is supported by a gilt-bronze molded platform and from her raised arm hangs the pendulum. It has a threaded steel rod with shaped decorative gilt-bronze turnings and a gilt-bronze lenticular bob with a heavy beveled clear glass center.

The black marble dial has engraved gilt Roman numerals for the hours and gilt bronze spade hands. The typically large eight day time and strike movement is stamped with both the maker's mark, 'GLT', and the movement serial number, '1333'.

The obvious mystery is why does the pendulum move? There is no apparent connection between it and the movement so what keeps it going? The answer is quite ingenious. The gilt-bronze platform on which the statue stands can oscillate side to side since it is mounted to a thick adjustable arbor that is pivoted top and bottom within the case. Perpendicularly screwed to that arbor is another arm that engages the patented escapement mounted on the front end. As the polished tip of that arm gets pushed over by the escapement it rotates the platform and swings the pendulum. The length of the pendulum, like all clocks, controls the rate of the clock. The platform and statue move so little that it is difficult to see without magnification.

For a more detailed discussion on Mystery clocks see, 'Mystery, Novelty & Fantasy Clocks' by Derek Roberts, pg. 241.

Sundial Farm Antique Clocks Ltd.

Lizenz

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