Black Forest Organ Clock , c.1850
Maker Unknown
Black Forest Region,
Germany
Flanked by two angles, this clock features figures who turn as the clock plays. The painting around the dial illustrates David playing the harp for King Saul. The large bases of these clocks often store the additional pinned cylinders. This base is not original.
As the pinned wooden cylinder in the clock rotates, air is forced into a cavity. Levers, lifted up and down by the pins in the rotating cylinder, then open and close the valves to the pipes. As the air rushes through the various pipes, the clock plays a tune.
