Lot n° 119  | Auction 503

Estimate € 10,000 - 15,000

Sold € 8,000

Auction: 20 April 2021 at 15:30

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ANONYMOUS Large iron and brass astronomical clock with two main orders. The upper part with a dial with two cycles indicating hours and minutes divided between hours of light and hours of darkness. At the center there are three small dials indicating the annual calendar. In the lower part there are all the astronomical functions divided into dials, bands and concentric discs. In the external band the astronomical and astrological calendar is engraved with indications of the zodiac signs, solstices, equinoxes and seasons. The calendar disk, that completes one revolution in 365 days, includes: a dial indicating the equation of time, a dial indicating the sidereal time, a dial indicating leap years and an orrery indicating the earth's rotation. At the centre is the sun and two other concentric disks that indicate the orbits of Venus (229 days) and Mercury (87 days) and report their synodic periods (Venus 583 days and Mercury 115 days). Pendulum movement striking the hours and the quarters with alarm on bells. Italy, 19th century. H. cm 75. On a wooden base (defects, minor replacements and losses) It is an extremely complicated clock whose calculations and construction are the result of a great deal of work time and as much astronomical, geometric and mathematical competence. The lack of an attribution might suggest that the constructor was not related to the clockmaking profession but a scholar (probably a monk). The structure also suggests that the clock could have been designed for a large piece of furniture (perhaps a sacristy). Church’s sacristy commonly displayed good quality clocks as well as astronomical clocks; a famous example of that can be seen in the Sacristy of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan.


Estimate € 10,000 - 15,000

Sold € 8,000

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