295. $500
Black Forest trumpeter cuckoo, ca. 1920? This 31-inch shelf cuckoo is probably early twentieth century, although there are no markings on the brass plate movement or labels on the walnut case. The carvings on the front and top are detailed and extensive, with a partridge sitting on top and lots of vines and leaves winding about. The wooden dial has bone or, more likely, plastic roman numerals and carved wooden hands. There is a door in the peak from which a cuckoo emerges on the quarter-hours to call once, twice, or thrice while a hammer strikes a wire gong on the back wall. On the hour the cuckoo calls four times and then a trumpeter emerges from the door at the bottom to count out the hours on two horns, with chimes on the two wire gongs. The trumpeter appears to be plastic (or bone) and is unpainted. There are three winding arbors to drive this show; I suspect it runs 8 days, and it is running, calling, striking, and tooting with confidence. Schmidt’s Antiques sold a very similar example last spring for $1500. $500–$1500.
Dave Uhrich tells me that this clock was made by ProClocks in China some years ago. Bob Crowder has confirmed that with me.
Antique American Clocks JANUARY 2025