Description
Here for your consideration is a large Chinese Canton bracket clock. The gorgeous gilt bronze case is decorated with beautiful brass casting applications. There is a large Chinese pagoda on the top to make the appearance of this clock even more impressive. The Roman numeral dial is made of porcelain without any cracks or hairlines. Translucent enamel corners surround the center dial. The time and the automaton feature can be seen through a large beveled glass panel.
This clock has an 8 day mechanism with hourly striking, driven by triple fusee movement. The mechanism is built with heavy brass and with engraving on the back plate. The automaton features plays hourly followed by the hour striking. The complicated automaton plays as following, on the hour, the music, Mo Li Hua, starts to play on 8 bells, while a series of glass tube, which inside spins around to imitate a water fall and a set of horizontal tubes to imitate a running river. You can also find swimming ducks in the river as part of the automaton. At the same time, the right curtain rolls up first, a bronze monk moves under the bell, pause the automaton then strike the number of the hour. After the striking is completed, the automaton resumes itself and the monk moves behind the left curtain after it rolls up and closes behind him.
This clock measures 29-1/4 inch tall, 13-1/4inch wide, and 7-1/2 inch deep. This clock is currently in good working order and all features are working properly. The identical clock is currently in display at Beijing Forbidden City Museum.
