Superb Antique Black Forest Chalet Cuckoo Clock

Black Forest Cuckoo Clock

attributed to Johann Baptiste Beha

A superb antique chalet style Cuckoo Clock dating from the 1890s originating from the Black Forest region of Germany with a double fusee powered movement.

The case is a darkly stained and lacquered cuckoo type table clock, made of either walnut or linden wood and characterised by a plethora of leaves, vines and logs and featuring, at the apex of the construction, a spread winged bird. Beneath the eaves is the two part door for the emergence of the cuckoo bird on the hour and half. The applied foliage in stained wood continues around to fill both sides of the lower case. The back of the case uses no hinges and is simply lifted off to gain access to the movement compartment. The balance of construction is often seen in both Beha and Anton Ketterer cuckoo clocks since both men used the same carvers (Lehnis and Schwarz) in the Black Forest.

The dial is a fairly typical dark stained round wooden dial with applied bone Roman hours, winding arbors at 5 & 7, concentric wooden circles in the dial centre with skeletonised well carved bone hands.

The movement is a fairly tradition good quality Beha, 8 day, wooden plate, double fusee movement with outside countwheel for striking the hours. A brass pendulum rod and bob hang from the pendulum suspension at the rear of the movement.

There is an overpasted label on the backboard of the retailer, Camerer Cuss & Co, printed post 1913/1914 (prior to that time the firm was Camerer, Kuss & Co.). There is an older and slightly darker paper label hidden by this over-pasted label. Post 1860 the Beha firms used a pasted paper label on their clock cases.

The clock is in good condition and has been well looked after throughout its life. It is good working condition and is keeping good time with regular winding. The bellows are also in good condition. There are a few small chips and minor losses around some outer leaves on the case but nothing detrimental. Videos can be provided of the working mechanism and the cuckoo in action but we cannot sell the clock with any guarantee.

Approximate Measurements :

Height : 18" (46cm)

Width : 10 1/2" (27cm)

Depth : 8" (20cm)