Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Hong Kong, Jul 09, 2016

LOT 371

PROBABLY ENGLISH MUSICAL AUTOMATON QUARTER STRIKING CLOCK Anonymous, probably English, made circa 1880. Very fine and extremely rare, musical and automaton , quarter-striking, wood and gilt-brass, table clock, the music witHEIGHT hammers on bells, the automatons moving left to right, and one bell playing on the hour or at will.

Wooden, rectangular base with four stylized gilt-brass foliage feet, the front with top aperture with characters moving from left to right in a village surrounding White enamel with radial Roman numerals, outer minute divisions. Gilt hands. Circular brass plates, going barrels for both trains, brass platform, monometallic balance with timing screws, flat balance spring, index regulator. MUSICAL AND AUTOMATON MOVEMENT rectangular brass plates, massive going barrel, fly governor, brass pinned cylinder acting on 8 hammers playing on a nest of 8 bells, the automatons geared by a system of rods and levers activated when the music plays.