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Collecting Cuckoo Clocks
By the early 1700s the Black Forest region of Germany began making cuckoo clocks after seeing one from Eastern Europe. Local craftsmen from the Black Forest replicated the unique little clock, and a legend was born. The Black Forest became renowned for these charming clocks. Craftsmen would spend all winter creating them, and then clock peddlers would sell them all summer long. The entire clock was made of wood, including the time-keeping gears and mechanisms. Today, this clock is forever linked to this South Western portion of Germany. By the early 1800s, the cuckoo clock came in a design known as the Schildur, or Shield-clock. A flat face that had the mechanisms attached in the back was topped by a half circle that contained a door to hide the cuckoo behind. The entire clock was highly decorated by wood carving and painting. The sides were open, exposing the clock mechanisms. By the mid-1800s, the frame style dominated. This style looked like a picture frame that contained a typical Black Forest scene. The cuckoo was included in the scene, and it still popped out to call the hours.
By 1860, the house shaped clock evolved yet again. The design became more ornate, decorated with carved leaves, animals and vines. The weights were cast in the shape of pine cones. Today's clocks are still variations on this theme. Unlike most products, the cuckoo clock has not suffered from globalization and cheap production. The center of production is still in Bavaria, primarily because people who like these clocks maintain faith in the quality of the clocks made in this region. The "Chalet" style was developed in Switzerland as a variation of the traditional clock. The "Chalet" style has three distinct variations that can be found today: the Swiss chalet, the Black Forest chalet and the Bavarian chalet. Some of these chalet styles also include a music box, and other animated figures along with the traditional cuckoo. This little clock has always delighted children, and has been included in many children's stories like "The Cuckoo Clock," published in 1877, all the way to "Mr. Cuckoo," published in 1998. Today's more modern clocks come with a variety of choices for the internal mechanism. You can choose from a mechanism that must be pulled once a day, or once every eight days. Some come with music, some without. Some are traditional wood, others have painted accents. The clocks are traditionally made of linden, which is a locally grown hardwood in Germany and walnut. However, authentic and collectable cuckoo clocks work on a weighted mechanism, not batteries. The weights are usually in the shape of pine cones. You'll see some clocks with two pine cones, while others have three. One pine cone drives the time, one drives the cuckoo and its sound, and the third, if it exists, drives the musical movement. Authentic Black Forest clocks come with a certificate of authenticity, and are made by skilled craftsmen. To qualify for the certificate, a clock must operate mechanically, it has to be made in the Black Forest, and all major components must be made in the Black Forest. Many people discover the joy of having a cuckoo clock every year, and just like chocolate, once you have one, you can't wait to get another! Some of the modern clocks depend on a quartz battery for operation, and the traditional bellows and pipes that supplied the cuckoo's call has been replaced with a recording of an authentic cuckoo call. Whichever one you choose, you can't go wrong when you add a charming cuckoo clock to your home. Happy Collecting!
Below is a list of current US & UK eBay auctions of Clocks.
* all articles on auction courtesy of eBay ** links open a new window at eBay with product details. US Auctions Top
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In 1850, the Baden Clockmakers' School held a competition for new designs in clock cases. Friedrich Eisenlohr, an architect, submitted a design that took its inspiration from a railway guard's house. Submitted as "Wallclock shield decorated with ivy vines," his design swept the competition and became the standard that has carried through to today's clocks. The making of the clocks was becoming industrialized like every other manufacturing process. People began specializing... some made gears, some carved the decorative work, others did the colorful accent painting. Many maintained a busy cottage industry at home making their pieces to contribute to the building of the clocks. This style became known as the "Bahnhausle" style.
