80,500 CHF
The Metronome – A Mechanical Conductor French, second half of the 17th century. Probably unique and highly important wooden portable metronome automaton. Sculpted and polychrome wooden animated figure of a monk standing behind a pulpit, rectangular base with hinged door on the back revealing the movement and two shelves, on the left panel three levers on a brass plate for running/stopping, tempo, and the speed respectively, the plate also engraved with the coat of arms of the Diocese of Tours. The monk conductor, in light brown robes, holds a baton in each hand and beats the rhythm on the pulpit according to the program. rectangular, solid iron plates, weight driven, 4-wheel train, the tempo governed by a pinned cylinder with pins engaging sliding lever pulling cords connected to the hands and the head of the conductor, fly governor with 4 wings, start/stop by a lever engaging the fly, the speed regulated by different pressure applied to the 3rd wheel arbor.Dim. height 1.55 m, base width 41 cm, figure 91 cm Notes From the collection of Annette Beyer Provenance.: Diocese of Tours Chartreux Monastery of St. Hugon, near Rochette (France) Foucou Collection, Paris Annette Beyer Collection of Automata, Zurich. Literature. "Histoire de la Boite a Musique" by Alfred Chapuis, Lau-sanne, 1955, p. 124-25. The metronome is a sort of mechanical Kappellmeister; one might call it a "measure beater", to use the scornful term which good musicians sometimes apply to a conductor whose
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2004-04-24
