Monumental Turn of the Century Imperial Tower Altar Clock
Over ten years of owning this store and even more in the trade and hands down, without a doubt, the most impressive clock that has ever graced our store. To call it a clock is like calling the The Mona Lisa “”just a painting.”” Originating from central Europe in approximately the late 1800s his is a clock that was made with such intricacy and craftsmanship that it easily took months; if not more for the craftsman, or the artist, if you will to have created it.
If you look at the clock at a whole you will see that the clock is really not what it is. This is an altar piece that the artist designed to look like a magnificent cathedral. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if there isn’t (or wasn’t) a church out there that this is modeled after.
If you look closely you will find that the craftsman artist used intricate pieces of fretwork throughout the clock to create the doorways, windows, and especially the crosses. Some of these are built into the piece and others are more exposed for a more dramatic effect.
Standing on a base separate from the of the clock this base is intended to keep the clock away from the elements and cold floors of it’s home in Central Europe. Once you rise upon the base is where the magnificence begins. In each of the small windows is a church scene but the most impressive scenes are reserved for the larger windows that depict biblical scenes.
The largest relief area shows a Jesus hanging on a cross in the background with Mary Magdalene, Mary, and Peter at his side.
The top of the third of the clock is where the true brilliance of this clock comes through; the intricacy of these church pillars and crosses, all individually cut and brought together creating this magnificent cathedral.
Now we are asked where this clock comes from and with no markings (that we’re able to find) it’s impossible to say but it’s style indicates that it would be of central European origin. It would have been created by a master woodworker (really, an artist) for either a church or a very affluent individual for their own home altarpiece.
87in tall; 28.5in wide; 14in deep
$3,198 (originally $7,995!)
Ref: CL034