German, Nuremberg or Augsburg, circa 1580-1620

Property from a Swiss Private Collection

German, Nuremberg, circa 1580-1620

Table Clock in the Shape of a Monstrance (Spiegelubr)

gilt-bronze and steel, on later circular wood base

height of clock: 11 in.; 28 cm.

height overall: 12 ⅜ in.; 31.5 cm.

with refined chiseling and openwork, surmounted by two heraldic lions presenting a coat of arms engraved with floral ornaments forming ornate scrolls, on a baluster-shaped stem flanked by scrolls, with a circular, domed base pierced with strapwork and a band of acanthus leaves

the movement is made up of a gilt bronze plate and the dial has three bands and a hand decorated with a sun. The first dial indicates the hours of day and night with two series of engraved Roman numerals from I to XII; the second silver dial has engraved hours in Arabic numerals from 1 to 24; the third dial is a lunar calendar in Arabic numerals from 1 to 29 (the last is inscribed 29T") indicated by the tail of the hand. Above, a disc displays the phases of the moon with different engraved motifs. The mechanism on the reverse opens with a convex glass door. Another dial shows the position of the hourly striking mechanism with a scale engraved from 1 to 12 in Arabic numerals. The reverse is entirely engraved with foliate motifs forming arabesques