Cuckoo Clock Design Contest

Images via Designboom

We found these great new concepts for cuckoo clocks online which were created as part of a contest for forest conservation.



Designer Naoto Fukawasa created a beautiful cuckoo clock using timber removed
from over-planted forests. The project was done in conjunction with Isetan, a Japanese department store, and More Trees, an organization that works with forest conservation in Japan and overseas. But the fun didn't stop with just one cuckoo clock. The display consisted of 50 customized interpretations of the clock by 50 different artists and designers from all over Japan. The whimsical and amazing clocks are enough to stop anyone in their tracks.



[via Treehugger and Designboom]



Don't forget about our popular design cuckoo clocks here.



The ClassicSpace will soon be featured in ReadyMade magazine in early 2010. Stay Tuned...

A Great Old Video of the Black Forest Clock Industry

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Alas, there are no more producers of European mechanical Anniversary Clocks. So many of these fine arts no longer exist. BUT, you can see a woman making a mechanical alarm clock that looks very similar to our very popular Sternreiter Alarm Clock! Quality mechanical items like these are very rare these days. We are very pleased to still be able to offer them. Contact your local clock dealer and ask about our Sternreiter mechanical alarm clocks.

Speaking of Clock Peddlers...

Justin just contributed a great post on his new antique clock peddler figurine. I particularly like the porcelain dial on his piece, and the fact that the man is carrying extra pendulums.



The clock peddler is a character that has all but disappeared from our lexicon of memories. Clock peddlers in the Black Forest used to carry their wares on a large backpack.

After toiling the winter months away in a crowded workshop over his wares, a clock peddler greeted warmer months by wandering over the hills and through storybook forests hundreds of years ago, matching painted dials and interesting animated scenes to the customers' choice of mechanisms.



This is a particularly unique example. The figurine above is a new hand-made piece that's still available. Housed inside the hand-carved body is a tiny mechanical mechanism with bellows and a multi-pitch whistle that plays a tune on demand. The mechanism is made by hand in Germany and is completely mechanical without any use of speakers or electronics. These are mechanical-musical instruments.

An Interesting Castle Cuckoo Clock

Here's something one of our bloggers found on the interwebs...





"Black Forest automaton, cuckoo, trumpet player, cylinder music player, circa 1890. Each quarter the cuckoo sings the quarters, every hour the trumpet player tells the time and a melody is played. HxWxD 83x64x37.50 cm / circa 33x25x15 inches."

Be sure to check out our castle-style cuckoos:

cuckoo

This is an antique cuckoo bird with moving wings... See our Gothic cuckoo and Long Bahnhäusle for new collectible clocks with this feature.

NEW cuckoo clocks!!

We have been busy searching the world for the most interesting and fantastic new cuckoo clocks. We are pleased to announce these new models this fall. Ask your favorite clock store or curiosities shop for more information...


A new creation from Rombach und Haas, the BAUHAUS distills the classic Bahnhäusle lines down to its essential qualities. This is an inexpensive piece that boasts simplicity and elegance.








We've had a clock like this in our collection before, but this one far surpasses it in intricate detail. There are very few of these made, each painstakingly crafted by a master clockmaker in the Black Forest in Germany. This clock includes extra details like moving wings on the cuckoo bird, and a specialized "slow cuckoo" sound created by the mechanism.










This clock was in our collection before, but we decided to bring it back due to popular demand. It's very charming, with animated birds, and a steep-roof chalet.




Another impressive long-case cuckoo clock from our new clockmaker in the Black Forest. This "Gothic" cuckoo combines impressive details with master craftsmanship.

Creative Patterns

We found this pattern maker, who had the good idea to use a vintage cuckoo clock pendulum (of the type typically used on pendulums in the '70s and '80s) to neat effect.









Check out a NEW shield Black Forest Clock:

Post from John

The following is a post in from our friend John, who emailed me:

"Frühe Kuckucksuhren. Entwicklungsgeschichte der Schwarzwälder Kuckucksuhr von 1750 bis 1850". In this book Dr. Schneider includes a vast amount of new, original research regarding the history of early Black Forest clocks, clockmakers and their families (many of whose ancestors no longer survive). I have personally found the contents of this book to be essential to the identification of one of my clocks made by the long forgotten Eisenbach clockmaker Johann GEORG Beha.

It is my hope that those of you (like me!) that struggle outside the English language will find this summary helpful. Moreover, in the interest of highlighting the contents of this book in the most concise form, I have forgone the formality of proper English and adopted the outline form:

Selected topics summary of "Frühe Kuckucksuhren. Entwicklungsgeschichte der Schwarzwälder Kuckucksuhr von 1750 bis 1850":

1) This book contains a wealth of NEW information and research concerning the clocks, clockmakers and their families for the early period of Black Forest cuckoo clock development, namely 1750-1850. Whereas previous works have focused primarily upon the later (after ca. 1850) period of cuckoo clock development, this text, for the first time, focuses on the developmental history prior to 1850.

2) This book documents the roles and influence that the various clockmakers and their families played in the technical and business evolution of the Black Forest cuckoo clock design and industry. As many of the families that played key roles in, and even dominated, cuckoo clock production during 1750-1850 period have long since died out, this book documents a period of developmental history of the cuckoo clock industry that would otherwise be lost. For example, as I documented in my previous post, this work led to the identification of our "Beha" clock as a work of Johann GEORG Beha, a distant relative of Johann BAPTIST Beha, whose branch of the Beha family tree has long since become extinct.

3) From the purely pragmatic perspective of identifying the maker's of one's EARLY (1750-1850) cuckoo clocks, this work should be very helpful as Dr. Schneider has included in this book numerous colored photos illustrating both the decorative and technical (movement design and construction) that can be used as comparative examples ("standards"). The numerous summary tables he includes in his book are also very helpful in this regard.

For those of you who are German "challenged", I have found the most convenient way to translate the text in a German language book is to scan the pages into a text editor and then subsequently paste the German text into a German-to-English) language translator (such as Goggle Language Tools) to get a "machine" English translation. The English that comes out of the "machine" translation is not poetic (or even pretty) but the content can be understood.

Finally, in the interest in preserving as much capital as possible for future clock purchases, this book can be purchased directly from Dr. Schneider via his email address asrsoft@t-online.de.

Thanks John! We'd love to see more pictures from your collection!

Holy Cuckoo Clock Batman!

Recap on the /design Series

Fans of North Coast Imports already know about our new and exciting /design series clocks, but we've been adding materials to the website that you need to know about.

Check out http://tinyurl.com/classicspace on our www.northcoastimports.com/design site for a new video of these great clocks.







related articles: DESIGN

Unpacking and setting up your NEW Cuckoo Clock

Congratulations lucky owners of new cuckoo clocks! Welcome to the world of clock collecting and horology! Now that you have this treasured heirloom you'll want to follow this blog for more helpful hints and tips on the care of your clock, as well as fascinating information on fun, clock-related news items. We are also pleased to be posting many interesting articles by antique clock experts and their fascinating collections.

Check out the sidebar menu of this blog for extra navigational help. This website is huge, with tons of information on a range of horological subjects. On the sidebar, you can see an index for clock adjustments, as well as an index of terms. You can also see an index of instructional articles here or on our main website under "Instructions."

To get you started, here's a three-part video on how to setup and hang your new cuckoo clock!

Related Posts: Unpack Your Black Forest Clock, Cuckoo Instructions (PDF), Adjusting the Bird's Tail

Cuckoos in the Arts

Followers of North Coast Imports know that we are pleased as punch to be introducing an entirely new line of cuckoo clocks in our /design series. These clocks are a marriage of fine tradition with fine arts (and design). We are even planning an ancillary exhibition tour of artworks by the Black Forest artists who are responsible for creating these clocks.



It's good to see that we are not alone in creating a body of artistic work centered around the cuckoo clock. I recently read about The Bird House, a one-act play by Kate Marks receiving its world premiere at Theatre Three.



"The play's action begins in a brightly colored tree house in a land called The Bright Side where Louisy (Cotton Wright) and Syl (Christina Shipp) live in a sheltered ignorance that is decidedly not bliss. Initially, the primary source of their anxiety is that the two birds in their cuckoo clock (named "Cuck" and "Koo") can't be made to stay any longer than it takes for them to sound each hour. Soon, pretty bluebirds are crashing into their windows and ants are marching into the house. The girls can't shut themselves off from the world. Syl eventually leaves for The Lop Side, encountering a war-torn landscape and learning as many life lessons as Louisy, who is left behind in the tree house."

I'm sorry I'll miss the play!

[via TheaterMania]

Beha Shelf Cuckoo Clock with Inlays and Calendar

In the late 19th century, an argument can be made that the most prominent clock makers were located in the U.K. (for example, J. J. Elliott of London). It can also be stated with relative certainty that these prominent U.K. clock makers manufactured the most expensive clocks produced during this period placing the clocks beyond the financial reach of all but the most affluent.

This focus of the U.K. clock makers on the top-tier of the domestic clock market created an opportunity for the Black Forest clock markers to manufacture clocks that could be exported to, and marketed in, the U.K. to address the market for quality, but yet more affordable clocks. Naturally, this would mean that the German clock makers would have to adapt their clocks to suit the English market in terms of both function and style. This would necessitate the German makers to produce clocks powered with eight day fusee movements as opposed to the weight powered or 30-hour or 50-hour movements typically produced for their domestic markets. Similarly, this would prompt the German clock makers to produce clocks reminiscent of English design and formality.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, one of the most appealing aspects of collecting Black Forest clocks manufactured by the Beha families is the broad diversity of the clocks manufactured. To be sure, Beha did almost exclusively manufacture cuckoo clocks, but the wide scope of the available designs and incorporation of horological complications into the movements makes for a cuckoo collector's dream. An example of the diversity of the clocks produced by the Beha clock makers is provided by the clocks that they manufactured for export to meet the rising U.K.'s middle class's demand for quality clocks that competed with domestic manufacturers at a more affordable price. An example of the top tier of the clocks Beha's designed for this market is provided below:



This Beha shelf clock was clearly intended for the U.K.'s market with a case of ebonized wood tastefully decorated with intricate inlays of brass and natural minerals. In addition to the cuckoo and gong-strike complications, this clock was also manufactured by Beha with a simple 31-day calendar complication. Calendar complications are very seldom found in Beha's clocks and suggest that this clock was intended for a particularly demanding (and affluent) customer. The cuckoo call and gong-strike may be silenced by rotating levers accessible through the right side door.



The wood plate movement and early Johann Baptist Beha labels indicate that the clock is an early example of Beha's production.





This clock was in the Kämper's personal collection for many years until it was acquired by this blogger last year. A minor restoration and maintenance have been recently been completed on the clock. The clock is running daily on time (and date!) like the fine clock it was always intended to be.

John

Memorial Day Clock

Happy belated Memorial Day. As usual, we at North Coast Imports spent a good part of our holiday thinking up ideas for new kinds of clocks... it's what we do!



This is a special variation on our "ClassicSpace" series (found at www.northcoastimports.com/design) with American Stars and Stripes. The "ClassicSpace" series already has a heavy American influence. The natural elements mixed with the machined simplicity definitely fits in an American aesthetic.

The "ClassicSpace" clearly fits an American tradition with its visible wood grain (natural materials) and natural power. A mechanical clock is a perfect example of a machine running on renewable energy. The only power required to run this clock is gravity! There are no batteries, no electricity, no heat... it will even run in the dark.

All of our clocks are packaged in recycled materials!

This clock would fit perfectly in a modern decor... the natural wood slat style easily matches either a Frank Lloyd Wright inspired interior, or a Danish Modern environment, as well as a Mission or Craftsman home... the possibilities are endless, and there are many more styles to chose from.

If you haven't already, take a moment to browse our new line of clocks found at www.northcoastimports.com/design. There you can find more examples of re-imagined timepieces for modern tastes.

The New /design Line!

We are very pleased to announce an entirely NEW line of quality timepieces to the North Coast Imports lineup. Visit www.NorthCoastImports.com/design today to browse many new clocks, designed specifically for the high-style/high-design modern tastes.

Long associated with a very traditional decor, the Black Forest cuckoo clock is undergoing a transformation. Simple and clean lines combine with master craftsmanship to create something for the modern home.

Visit our new site to see colorful new models with a fresh perspective on a clock as a delightful kinetic sculpture that also happens to tell time.

There are also several models called ART CLOCKS which are one-of-a-kind inspirations by Black Forest artists. These special clocks are presented as collectors items and include painterly and artistic creations signed by the artist. There are dozens to choose from.

...and check out these fantastic woodcuts! These special clocks feature an entirely new and creative design with very intricate filigree. Birds and flowers are interwoven into a tapestry of ornamentation.

Even industrial design is included in this broad new range of fine timepieces. Be sure to check out our new additional website, detailing all of these models and more, at www.NorthCoastImports.com/design

The Cuckoo Bird and Door

Sometimes, excessive jostling can cause a cuckoo bird to become disengaged from its door. The remedy to this problem is a simple fix, though it requires a steady hand and maybe some needle nose pliers or tweezers.

If you are unsure about completing this repair, please stop immediately and seek out a clock professional. If your clock is new and still under warranty, it is best if you find a clock repairman in your area. If this is the only problem, he or she should be able to solve it for you in short order.

Below, you'll see a picture of a bird who has lost contact with the door. Normally, the bird should have a wire going from its "feet" to a staple-shaped wire in the door. This picture is missing that wire:

As you can see, I've drawn (in white) where the wire belongs.  I've circled (in red) where the wire loops around the staple-shaped wire lodged in the door.  With the wires properly in place, the bird is able to push the door open.

Here's a view from above:

Here (pictured below) is a view from behind the cuckoo bird where you can see the connecting wire that has become unattached from the door.  I've circled this push wire in red:

A Beha Shelf Cuckoo and a Carl Heine Painting

This Beha cuckoo was made C. 1870 in Eisenbach, Schwarzwald. The typical wood plate 8 day double fusee movement is housed in a beautiful round top elongated walnut case.

The case is intricately done with fruit wood inlays of oak leaves and acorns both on the base and well at the top. The cuckoo door is also inlaid with flowers and leaves. What makes this Beha special is the full oil painting on zinc or tin.

While Beha frequently used paintings on his cuckoo clocks, this was rarely done on the shelf or table examples. These Beha shelf clocks with large oil paintings are prized by collectors worldwide.

The painting on the clock is well done. It shows a mother and child on the ground...quietly looking up into the tree at the cuckoo up in the branches. The mother pointing to the cuckoo.

This painting was painted by the well known Black Forest painter Carl Heine, of Neustadt (1842-1882). Carl Heine's work almost always includes the tree with the bending trunk, and cuckoo up in the branches. The subjects eyes always gaze up at the bird... and frequently pointing to the bird... as on this clock.

The book IN DIE NEUE ZEIT (which covers clocks and influential people from the Titisee/Neustadt region in the Black Forest) has several pages devoted to Carl Heine... his life, his work, and many of his paintings. This piece shows a softer side of the clocks produced in the Black Forest.

"Another Beha" Cuckoo Clock

The conventional reading of a title "Another Beha Cuckoo Clock" would be that the adjective "Another" would modify the phrase "Beha Cuckoo Clock" with the implication that the topic of the post would be discussion of a Beha cuckoo clock created either personally by Johann Baptist Beha or, in later years, in collaboration with his sons Lorenz and Engelbert. In the case of this particular post, however, the topic is a bit more unique and thus the "'Another Beha' Cuckoo Clock" title.

Approximately a year ago I acquired a "Beha" cuckoo clock that became the topic of some debate amongst experienced Black Forest clock collectors as it's wooden plate movement, movement access door knobs/latches and maker's mark did not fully conform to the characteristics typical of a Johann Baptist Beha clock.















In fact, the middle initial of Johann Beha maker referenced on the maker's mark on this clock did not appear to be a "B" at all but rather either a "C" or "G". The maker's mark does however clearly indicate that the maker is a J. Beha from Eisenbach.



The unusual "Beha" maker's mark and the small, but significant, decorative and technical deviations of the clock from other Johann Baptist Beha clocks caused some experienced collector's to question the authenticity of the clock.

Fortunately, Dr. Wilhelm Schneider has recently published a book entitled "Frühe Kuckucksuhren. Entwicklungsgeschichte der Schwarzwälder Kuckucksuhr von 1750 bis 1850" in which he includes a vast amount of new, original research regarding the history of early Black Forest clocks, clockmakers and their families (many of whose lineages have since died out). Specifically, through the research that Dr. Schneider has conducted and documented in this book it has been possible, in consultation with Dr. Schneider, to unequivocally identify the maker of this shelf clock as not Johann Baptist Beha, but rather the relatively unknown distant relative of Johann Baptist Beha, namely Johann Georg Beha (1836- ca. 1885). The maker of this clock was identified by Dr. Schneider by his comparison of the movement, pipe-paper, etc. of this clock with other documented clocks produced by Johann Georg Beha. Moreover, apparently, no other examples of Johann Georg Beha clocks with carved cases are known to have survived as the other surviving examples of this maker are Bahnhäusle with a painted tinplate and a shield cuckoo clocks.

A possible explanation for the rarity of Johann Georg Beha's clocks may lie in the facts that the clockmaker Johann Georg Beha suffered a tragic and unexpected death relatively early in life and it is believed a good many of his clocks were exported to eastern Europe (i.e. Russia). This particular clock is believed to have been produced by Johann Georg Beha ca. 1865 and the walnut case is believed to have been carved by Rupert Wehrle of Neustadt, one of the best Black Forest carver's in his time. The fine carving quality of this piece is exemplified in the detailed carving of the oak leaves in a full three dimensions. The photos (which are archive photos taken immediately after the carvings were oiled) do not relect the rich, uniform natural walnut finish of the clock when viewed in person.

Interestingly, the families of Johann Baptist Beha and Johann Georg Beha lived next door to one another in Eisenbach (an old photo including the two homes is included in Dr. Schneider's book) and the commonalities between the designs of the two clockmakers were probably not a coincidence.

In this find, it reinforced a important lesson learned long ago but since forgotten: Just because an example is different, it doesn't make it wrong. In fact, in some cases, being different may absolutely correct for a previously undiscovered, or rare, variation. Additionally, the "experts" may usually be right, they are not always right and one ultimately has to trust one's own judgement in acquisitions...

Finally, it is my opinion that one should not let minor condition problems damper one's enthusiasm for the acquisition of a rare vintage item too much. This philosophy is based upon the prospect that, if one wishes to wait for a rare 150 year antique clock in perfect condition, one may have to wait for a very long, perhaps indefinite, time. There are professional restorers who can dramatically improve the appearance of clocks with minor damage or losses at, in my opinion, a very reasonable cost.

As an example, the following professional restoration of minor carving losses was performed on this Johan Georg Beha clock by Ms. Susan Wood of Minneapolis, MN. As you can observe, the resultant carving repairs are virtually indistinguishable from the original carvings and significantly enhance the aesthetic appeal of the antique clock.


After repair of chicken's wing and tree branch, before final matching of finish


After repair and finishing of chicken's wing and tree branch



John

Was Peter Columbo a Clockmaker?

Probably not, but he would have probably been pretty good at clock restoration because oftentimes, restoring an antique clock in a historically correct manner not only requires a mandatory high level of technical skills and knowledge but also the intellectual curiosity, deductive reasoning and persistent "detective" work to understand, and faithfully recreate, the original clockmaker's design given the typical situation of incomplete information and more than a few missing parts.

Recently, I had the opportunity to acquire a rare, and very early (ca. 1876), Johann Baptist Beha Number 932 cuckoo and monk clock. This clock is rather unusual for a Beha clock in that it not only has time, strike and cuckoo complications but also an animation complication in which a monk comes out of the lower door three times a day to ring the Angelus (the monk's arm goes up and down while clock's two gongs are struck to simulate the ringing of a bell in the church's steeple). At ca. 35 inches tall, it is also one of the largest Beha clocks.









Production of these clocks were extremely limited, presumably due to the small market size resultant from the very high price of the clocks in terms of an average person's wage at the time.

The example I acquired is in remarkably good condition considering the fragility of the clock's steeples, etc. but the last ca. 140 years did take a bit of a toll: the crest above the cuckoo's door had been lost. In addition, the count wheel, which controls the timing of monk’s ringing the Angelus and the gear that drives this count wheel, was also missing.



Because of the generosity of time and information provided by fellow Black Forest clock collectors Mr. Mark Singleton, Mr. Dean Sarnell and Dr. Wilhelm Schneider (to all of which I am deeply indebted) and the photographs of a Beha 932 clock included in Rick Ortenburger's "Black Forest Clocks" it has been possible to determine the basic style and design of missing crest and Angelus count wheel and drive gear. Thus, restoring the missing crest and enabling the basic functions of the clock now appear rather straightforward. However, restoring the clock to basic function and restoring the clock to include the subtle design details it's makers' intended are not necessarily synonymous.

Upon inspection of the Angelus count wheel one notes the setting of pins that activate the Angelus ringing event. Closer inspection however reveals that, in addition to the two set pins, there are numerous other positions marked with small indentations on the outer diameter of the Angelus count wheel. Faithful reproduction of this count wheel would thus require replication of these features at the correct positions. But why are these non-functional (unpinned) positions present and what is the horological logic of their pattern? More practically, how can one precisely replicate a pattern if one can't recognize the pattern? To me, at least, the answers to both questions are not obvious and require a bit of detective work...

In cooperation with my good friend, Dr. Martin Wolk, we have been trying to analyze and understand the design logic behind the marked horological positions on the Angelus count wheel. While we are not ready to yet declare success I think we have perhaps gained some insight and have developed an initial hypothesis (theory) that must now be tested through critical analysis and peer review. Our basic hypothesis is that, in the cottage Black Forest clock industry of the mid- to late-nineteenth century, there may have been an attempt to gain economies of scale in manufacturing by fabricating clock parts that could be used in multiple applications and clocks. Accordingly, the pattern of these indentations in the Angelus count wheel might represent a series of pre-registered positions that could be drilled, and pinned, to create a wide range of time intervals over which horological-registered events (i.e. a monk ringing the Angelus, a music box playing, etc.) could be activated. Thus, a "standard" count wheel could be customized via the setting of pin positions to fabricate a multiplicity of different clocks.

According to our current hypothesis, if one lets x represent the smallest interval between two consecutive marked positions on the Angelus count wheel, it appears that there are two intervals with 1x spacing, eight intervals with a 2x spacing, six intervals with a 3x spacing and six intervals with a 4x spacing. Thus, there are a total of 60x intervals (2*1x + 8*2X + 6*3x + 6*4x) about the circumference of the Angelus count wheel. Since there are sixty teeth on the Angelus count wheel and the Angelus count wheel rotates once every 24 hours, each x interval must then correspond to 0.40 hours or 24 minutes. Thus the intervals defined by successive markings on the Angelus count wheel would correspond to 0.40 hours (for each of the 1x intervals), 0.80 hours (for each of the 2x intervals), 1.20 hours (for each of the 3x intervals) and 1.60 hours (for each of the 4x intervals). Starting from position 1 and moving counter-clockwise, the interval sequence (in hours) is approximately …0.8, 0.8, 08, 0.4, 0.8,1.6,1.6, 1.6, 1.2, 1.2, 1.2, 0.8, 0.8, 0.8, 0.4, 0.8, 1.6, 1.6, 1.6, 1.2, 1.2, 1.2…






Given this sequence, pins may then set via combinations and permutations to create all of the following time intervals (in hours): 0.40, 0.80, 1.20, 1.60, 2.00, 2.40, 2.80, 3.20, 3.60, 4.00, 4.40, 4.80, 5.20, 5.60, 6.00, 6.40, 6.80, 7.20, 7.60, 8.00, 8.40, 8.80, 9.20, 9.60, 10.00, 10.40,10.80, 11.20, 11.60, 12.00, 12.40, 12.80, 13.20, 13.60, 14.00, 14.40, 14.80, 15.20, 15.60, 16.00, 16.40, 16.80, 17.20, 17.60, 18.00, 18.80, 19.20, 19.60, 20.00, 20.40, 20.80, 21.20, 21.60, 22.00, 22.40, 22.80, 23.20, 23.60, 24.00. Additional flexibility in these intervals could obviously be gained by modifying the rotation frequency of this count wheel.

Clearly, this sequence of pre-registered positions on the count wheel would have provided the nineteenth century Black Forest clockmaker with a wide range of closely spaced time intervals for customizing animation, music, and other events registered to time.

As I indicated above, this is only our initial hypothesis and elucidation of the true significance and function of the non-functional marked positions on the Beha 932’s count wheel is a work in progress….I'll update the blog as we get smarter :-)

Comments and alternate theories are welcomed!

The finest carvings

Hand carving is a craft enjoyed by many.  You can go to any craft show or Boy Scout Jamboree and find some kind of whittled piece - it's one of the oldest forms of sculpture.

Like any craft, there are certain parts of the world and certain examples which raise the practice of wood carving from a Craft to an Art.  Black Forest carvers have consistently shown some of the world's most excellent wood carvings for over a hundred years.  Black Forest carvings have adorned many household objects - and they work especially well when they are featured on clocks.

You can see the fine and lifelike detail on the antique clocks shown in previous posts...  The delicate vines, leaves, and even the feathers on the birds' backs are incredibly real - almost as if, as in some Black Forest folkloric scenario, the bird itself was turned to wood after being caught by a lover's magic spell.

This is an art not completely lost by the passing of time.  The tradition is still carried on by guardians of the art, deep in the cold and dark valleys of the Black Forest in Germany.  

This fine clock is one example of a modern extension of Justin's antique clock, found in the previous post.  It features a life sized, baby cuckoo - this one is stuck in a little cage, and has an animated beak and wings.  An un-traditional shape, this clock is able to incorporate a wild and impressive amount of carved vegetation... trees, vines, leaves... this piece is a feast for the eyes.

Curious Modern Timepieces

Before the cuckoo came into vogue many other animated figures were used on Black Forest clocks. Bell ringing monks, laughing faces, and the dumpling eater were charming examples.

Justin showed us a beautiful example of a very early shield clock with animated figure.  Here is a modern example, made today with the same tradition of craftsmanship.

This clock is an authentic replica of a Black Forest clock of the early Nineteenth Century. The Hand-painted shield clock features a face whose eyes move with the movement of the pendulum. "The Turk" also laughs, or gasps counting each hour on the hour and once on the half-hour.

This piece is handpainted by the award-winning shield painter Conny Haas.  The clock is built by Ingolf Haas who represents the fourth generation of Black Forest clockmakers.

A Curious Branch of Art from the 19C. To Today

“The most curious branch of art is, without exception, the manufacturers of automation clocks and the ingenuity of the Germans has produced some wonderful mechanical clocks.” As quoted in “The Watchmaker and Jewler” June 1875 issue.

The clocks that have been produced in the Black Forest Region of Germany, represent some of the most interesting timepieces every created by man…and are truly a work of art. Although the above quote was published almost 135 years ago… it is no less true today.

I would like to take a moment to take a step back in time… And see what this unknown writer back in the 19th C. would have seen in 1875...that would have prompted this comment.

Below is a clock that would have been nearly 50 years old at the time of that publication…

It is a Black Forest shield automa…a type of clock the Germans call “Figurenuhren”.

These early Black Forest pieces highly sought after today. This clock is called a “Schnappuhr”, and was made by Lorenz Bob of Furtwangen C. 1820-30.

This beautiful example has wood arbors, and is driven by ropes instead of the later used chains.

As the pendulum swings back and forth the eyes of the figure move side to side with every swing. The clock strikes the half and full hours , on a bell located on the top of the clock. The mouth of the figure opens and snaps closed with every blow to the bell.

The Germans constantly used these clocks to poke fun at other cultures… I have seen figures ranging from Turks, Harlekins, Indians, to the Russian figure seen here all used.


These pieces show that despite the cold long winters, without electricity, running water and modern tools (It was the early 1800’s!!!)…these creative people were able to make beautiful pieces of art, using only the resources available to them... and make a profit doing so.

These pieces continue to be admired today by both young and old.




Best,
Justin

Hello from Justin and his Black Forest clocks

Hello-

First off I would thank Dolf and North Coast Imports for the invitation to contribute to this Blog.

I am excited to share my knowledge of Black Forest Clocks, as well as learn from others.

Growing up in a family interested in Antiques and Horology, I became a member of the NAWCC (www.nawcc.org) at the age of 2. As far back as I remember as a young boy… I attended NAWCC Regional Meetings and Chapter Meetings in sunny Southern California.

I was almost immediately drawn to clock collecting myself at a very early age. Saving my money to be able to add clocks to my little collection, and reading everything I could on the subject.

Although there are many different and wonderful types of clocks available to a collector, I was almost immediately was drawn to Black Forest Clocks made in Germany.

I think this is because they always seemed to do something special!
Whether it was the cuckoo bird coming out and calling the hour, or the painting clock with the eyes moving back and forth as the time ticked away… there was something about the Clocks made in the Black Forest.
As the years have passed my understanding on the subject has improved… the budget for acquiring pieces has grown… but my interest is the same… anything Black Forest that is Pre 1900 …Automated, Musical, Miniature, Heavily Carved or Unique.

While many of these clocks I will sharing are antiques … I am very impressed with clocks currently available by quality makers and craftsman in the Black Forest of Germany. These clocks represent a great value, that will be sure to grace the collections of tomorrow.

Best,

Justin

Odds and Ends, links to learn more...

• The Beha hotel...
  

• While you are planning your travels to Cuckoo Country, consider this...
  

• Books on automata, and an automata blog...

...and here are some more book selections to check out, consider it your North Coast Imports' Book Club reading list:

The Turk by Tom Standage

Black Forest Clockmaker and the Cuckoo Clock by Karl Kochmann

Black Forest Clocks by Rick Ortenburger

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Connections by James Burke

Johann Baptist Beha's Clocks

Perhaps the most celebrated of the Black Forest cuckoo clock makers in the mid- to late-nineteenth century was Johann Baptist Beha of Eisenbach, Germany. The life and many horological accomplishments of Beha have been diligently researched and very professionally documented (see, for example, the excellent articles authored by Dr. Wilhelm Schneider and Monika Schneider in the NAWCC Bulletin, April 1988, pages 116-132 and Dr. Wilhelm Schneider in Antiquarian Horology, Autumn 1988, pages 455-462). Thus, the objective of this post is not to recount factual information that is readily available elsewhere. Rather, the purpose of this post is to try to convey what makes these clocks special to me 150 years after they were made in a small factory located within a town in the Black Forest (which was so tiny that the Beha label sometimes affixed to the clock would not only include city of manufacture (Eisenbach) but the larger neighboring city of Neustadt as a reference locality!).




In my experience, the vast majority of Beha clocks do not have a Beha manufacturing label affixed to the clock, either because it was never thought necessary to attach a label in the first place or it has long since fallen off. Fortunately, I have found that the presence of a label is oftentimes not necessary to identify an antique clock as a "Beha". Indeed, identification based upon the technical features of the movement (such as the design of the stop gear assembly, fusee movement, etc.) and the extraordinary high quality of the casework is often possible by an experienced collector. The easily recognizable high quality in the carvings in Beha clocks formed out of woods such as walnut and pear is what first enticed me to begin collecting these clocks and still summons me to spend numerous hours on the Internet seeking a new example to add to our collection. The quality of manufacture in Beha's clocks would extend to every aspect of the clock whether it be the quality of the oil paintings placed on the fronts of some clocks or the detailed carving and painting of the cuckoo occupant. The quality incorporated into Beha's clocks, in my opinion, was not an accident but a conscious decision to differentiate his clocks from the lower priced, mass-produced Black Forest cuckoo clocks that were produced by competitors. For me, Beha's clocks are the living proof of the veracity of the old adage that "the quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten".

Futhermore, Beha's clocks are also a most interesting category of clock to collect based upon the broad diversity of the clocks manufactured. This diversity is well documented in Beha's original product catalogs which have survived .












To be sure, Beha did almost exclusively manufacture cuckoo clocks, but the wide scope of the available designs and incorporation of horological complications into the movements makes for a cuckoo collector's dream. In the next few posts I hope to share some of the rich diversity of Beha's cuckoo clocks with you.

Until then,

John

A Brief Introduction...

Hello everyone,

Dolf and I have been sharing our mutual passion for Black Forest clocks over the last year and when Dolf recently invited me to join North Coast Import's blog I thought it would be a good opportunity to meet new collectors and share information and enthusiasm for these wonderful clocks.

My wife and I have for many years shared an interest in clocks and antique folk wood carvings. These interests have naturally evolved into an interest in the intersection of these hobbies-carved antique clocks. And of course once we were hooked on carved wooden clocks the temptation to start collecting finely carved Black Forest clocks was much too tempting to resist!

Because the scope and variety of Black Forest clocks available is very broad and diversified, we quickly found ourselves trying to restrict our active collecting of these clocks to a manageable scope. Based upon our natural gravitation toward fine wood carvings and some initial research and discussion with experienced collectors of Black Forest clocks, we found ourselves seeking out Black Forest clocks that were made in the mid-late 19th century by Johann Baptist Beha and his family of Eisenbach, Germany. As our collecting interests became more refined we found that the Beha examples that are most appealing to us are the early examples that are made with wooden clock plates and exhibit the most detailed carvings-truly magnificant folk art! I have posted a photo of one of our Johann Baptist Beha clocks that I hope to discuss in more detail in a future post.

John

NEW BLOGGERS

We at North Coast Imports and GermanClocks.org are very pleased to welcome a new member to our blogging community.  John is an expert on antique Black Forest clocks and has a wealth of information to share.

He also has a beautiful collection of rare and unusual timepieces.

Remember, these antiques are very rare and not for sale... but North Coast Imports is pleased to offer a line of new clocks built in this grand tradition of craftsmanship.  Just take a look at this modern Black Forest clock that preserves the Black Forest tradition of incredible carving:

  Ask your favorite clock dealer, or send us an email, to find out  about North Coast Imports and our wonderful timepieces.

Rat Eater part 2

I thought I would do a quick follow-up post on the delicious Rat Eater owned by our friend and collector J. Miller.  This information and material is copied from the previously-mentioned discussion at the NAWCC forums...

Apparantly it was quite common, during time of war, for soldiers and citizens to be driven to eating rats - especially during sieges.  There are some accounts (during the Franco-Prussian war) of rat-sellers and one American journalist even writes about the best rat recepits and the comparisons between dog, cat, and rat meat.

Here is a painting by  of a "Rat Seller"(c.1870)

Here is an account from 1871 by an American journalist, shut in in Paris during the Franco-Prussian war

...and another account of eating rats in Metz c. 1814

Rare Black Forest Clocks

We are always happy to hear from our friend J. Miller. He's got quite a collection of rare and unusual antique Black Forest Clocks. He most recently acquired an exteremly rare piece from the 19th Century, and there is only ONE of these known to exist in the world.



This "Rat-Eater" is a very rare example of a set of German automata known as "Dumpling Eaters." For whatever reason, the clockmaker here decided to make the figure eat rats instead of dumplings or sausages.



(see more pictures on our Flickr photostream here )

There is also a very fascinating discussion about the clock here. Apparantly there are several interesting accounts of eating rats during wartime.

The rat eater isn't a clock you can run out and buy, but North Coast Imports is pleased to offer automata that eat dumplings and drink beer. Rombach und Haas has the only original Black Forest clock that eats dumplings or drink sips of beer, counting the hour and half hour.

New Ideas for Cuckoo Clocks

Ingolf Haas is starting a movement of re imagining the cuckoo clock. North Coast Imports is proud to be introducing this new and exciting line of handcrafted works of art. Stay tuned for more designs.



Experimenting on the cuckoo clock is a real trend among designers and conceptual artists. Here's a wacky idea, that may not make it to mass production: a cuckoo clock based on the movie Stanley Kubricks's The Shining... (click on the link and scroll down)

The Catalogs are Away!

Be sure to visit your nearest North Coast Imports dealer! The new cuckoo catalogs are arriving in a store near you this week. The selection is fantastic. Choose the most fascinating and beautiful designs from Romba, Sternreiter, and Hubert Herr!

In the meantime, do you remember this?

New Catalog Preview

You saw it here first! North Coast Imports is pre-releasing our NEW Cuckoo catalog #56. You can download a PDF of the 40-page, pre-print, rough draft here:



Please keep in mind that this is still a rough-draft copy. It's colors are not very sharp, and there are a few pictures missing. We were so excited, we wanted to put out an advance copy, but for full details and pics visit our main website at http://www.northcoastimports.com/ All of our cuckoo clocks are up there, even with movies of each clock!

To have and hold your very own copy of the catalog you can print out the PDF!

What did the Swiss invent?

Even though this little quote has done so much to spread the misnomer that the Swiss invented the cuckoo clock, I still love the movie. The Prater hasn't changed all that much, except there's no way you can open the door when it's up high. I rode on it again a few months ago.



For a pretty good history on the cuckoo clock take a look at the Wikipedia

Fresh Supply

We have recently recieved a limited supply of the hugely popular 1316 and 1459. Visit your North Coast Imports dealer today to find out about these fine pieces! They are perfect for holiday gifts!

New ways to learn about NCI...

North Coast Imports has lots of new things on the web. In addition to working on a new facelift for our website we are now have a page on Squidoo.com , Myspace and Flickr.

Of course, if you haven't already seen our YouTube page you should do that soon. We are always adding new movies of all our clocks there.

In case you don't get enough cuckoo in your life, we offer the following two ringtones FREE OF CHARGE. Just download the proper file into your phone and hear a North Coast Imports ring every time someone calls! Both of these files are taken from the Rombach und Haas Glass Bell Cuckoo model #3400 or #3402 found on page 22 of our orange Cuckoo Catalog #50. The "Glass Bell Cuckoo" is a pure recording of the clock striking and calling and the "Cuckoo Ring Tone" is conglomeration of sounds based on that cuckoo call (put together by myself).

Glass Bell Cuckoo
mp3
amr
qcp
mmf

Cuckoo Ring Tone
mp3
amr
qcp
mmf

A Brand New Arrival

North Coast Imports is proud to announce the new arrival of the "Feeding Deer" cuckoo clock by Rombach und Haas. This clock is based off of the very popular "Eleventy-First Anniversary Model," but with new and updated carvings.

Click on the thumbnail to see a detailed description and pictures: