Details
Image(s)
TitleMusical Table Clock with Bell-Playing Movement
Creator Abraham Tappy
PlaceGoes (The Netherlands)
Year ca. 1770
Object number1076
Object categorymechanical instruments with bells, timepieces with musical movements
Object nametimepiece with bells, table clock
DescriptionThe clock displays minutes, hours, the date, the moon phase and whether the clock is set to strike and play or not. The back plate is ornately engraved, and there may be room on the cylinder for more melodies than were actually programmed. It is possible that more melodies were planned to be added after the clock was sold.
Accompanying textsThe musical movement has a brass cylinder and 9 bells with 17 hammers, and contains two melodies on one revolution.
Abraham Tappy, or Tappij, was born in the Swiss canton of Vaud in 1735 and then worked as a clockmaker in London and Zeeland, where he died in September 1773. His son, also named Abraham (1768-1811), was a clockmaker as well.
Two places are mentioned in the signature: "Met preveligie tot Veer en Goes." In other words, Tappy had the right to sell his clocks in these two places.
In 1772, Tappy senior organized a lottery, which was not unusual for clockmakers at that time. The grand prize was a "playing table horology" worth 550 guilders, and the lottery tickets were 12 guilders each. The lottery eventually netted Tappy 3600. This clock may very well have been the prize clock.
Abraham Tappy, or Tappij, was born in the Swiss canton of Vaud in 1735 and then worked as a clockmaker in London and Zeeland, where he died in September 1773. His son, also named Abraham (1768-1811), was a clockmaker as well.
Two places are mentioned in the signature: "Met preveligie tot Veer en Goes." In other words, Tappy had the right to sell his clocks in these two places.
In 1772, Tappy senior organized a lottery, which was not unusual for clockmakers at that time. The grand prize was a "playing table horology" worth 550 guilders, and the lottery tickets were 12 guilders each. The lottery eventually netted Tappy 3600. This clock may very well have been the prize clock.
Dimensions
geheel height: 61 cm
geheel width: 40 cm
geheel depth: 27 cm
cilinder length: 7.8 cm
cilinder diameter: 5.5 cm
geheel width: 40 cm
geheel depth: 27 cm
cilinder length: 7.8 cm
cilinder diameter: 5.5 cm