Christianus Caroly

Christianus Caroly, Königsberg, Królewiec, circa 1690. On three feet, each in the shape of winged woman’s head, windowed side panels for viewing the movement, molded base and top, hinged bottom with opening for bell. Solid silver ring with radial Roman numerals, half-hours and outer minute track with five-minute Arabic markers on gilt dial plate engraved with rural scene, a farmer sowing while another plays the flute, a church in the background. Pierced brass hands. Hexagonal, brass baluster pillars, fusee and chain for the going train, fixed barrel for striking, verge escapement, three-arm brass balance, blued steel balance spring, double-footed cock engraved with stylized foliage, slot by the regulator, rack striking, pull repeat. Signed on the movement. Dim. 112 x 112 mm Notes Christianus Caroly (also Carolli or Caroli), A watchmaker in Königsberg working in the second half of the 17th century who specialized in table clocks. A very similar clock, probably from the same cast, with the same feet and main frame, was in the well-known Bloch-Pimentel Collection. It was a spectacular table clock. circa 1660, in its original leather box. It was sold by Antiquorum on November 11, 2001, lot No. 6, and is now in an important American collection. The clock in the Bloch-Pimentel collection, the present piece, and lot 293 of this auction, are the only other clocks by this maker known today. Caroly closely followed the German/Polish tradition in clockmaking. During the 17th centu