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Vienna regulator clocks
Origins and Early Development (1790-1800)
The Vienna regulator was created about the turn of the 19th century. The earliest dating to about 1790.
The famous Viennese regulators were born at the end of the 18th century. These are high-precision clocks because of their long pendulum and a recoil-free anchor-type escapement known as the Graham escapement.
Vienna regulators stand as some of the most precise and elegant wall clocks ever produced. Originating in Austria during the late 18th century, these timepieces became the gold standard for accuracy and craftsmanship. These clocks quickly gained a reputation for accuracy, making them a preferred choice for scientific and governmental use.
Historical Context
The demand for accurate timekeeping was driven by the scientific community from 1550 onward. Leading clockmakers emigrated to Vienna in the second half of the sixteenth century, though there wasn't significant growth in Viennese makers until the end of the Thirty Years War in 1648.
The Austrian Marie Antoinette became the wife of Louis XVI, which influenced the Austrian clockmakers who modeled their creations on French clocks. The dials are smaller and Arabic numerals replace Roman numerals. Many Swiss and French immigrant clockmakers opened workshops in Vienna. They produced for a wealthy clientele watches, travel clocks, and astronomical clocks in the French style with gold and silver ornated cases.
The Name "Vienna Regulator"
Because of the Vienna Clockmakers Corporation's strict rules, the name Vienna Regulator was applied only to those manufactured within the city's limits. That is why the major German 19th-century manufacturers of regulator clocks were never authorized to use the name Vienna Regulator in their catalog, although Vienna-made regulators inspired their forms.
The Empire Period (1800-1835)
At this time Austria was aligned with France, and Napoleon had declared himself Emperor of the Roman Catholic Empire. The Empire style architecture and furnishings were in style. Architecture displayed straight sided structures with pointed "roofs" (Dach). The laterndluhr and dachluhr style Vienna regulators are generally considered to be from the Empire period, although dachluhrs were made well into the biedermeier period.
Early Design Characteristics
The earliest Vienna Regulators were literally three boxes stacked on each other--a large square on a narrower rectangle, on a larger square. These are the Laterndluhr clocks from the Empire period.
The clocks made before 1850 tended to be simpler than the clocks produced later. The lines of the clocks were finer, casework was narrower, and in general the clocks were more rectilinear than the later, often very ornate styles.
The Biedermeier Period (1835-1848)
After the defeat of Napoleon, the middle class (bourgeoisie) started replacing the aristocracy in the civil service and Vienna settled into the Biedermeier period (1835-1848) where the bourgeoisie tried to imitate the traits of the aristocracy. The biedermeier period was a time of oppression and censorship. The Austrian Emperor decided that outside influences such as from France were detrimental to the country (and Monarchy). There were no outstanding Viennese writers during this period, and Vienna focused its creativity in the arts, including music, and craftsmanship.
The shape of the Laterndluhr was simplified in the Biedermeier period such that the clock resembled more of a square stacked on a rectangle.
The Golden Age (1800-1850)
The first half of the 19th century marked the golden age of Vienna regulators. Master clockmakers in Vienna and other Austrian cities perfected their designs, creating movements capable of keeping near-perfect time for weeks on end. The craftsmanship from this era still impresses modern horologists and is considered the peak of Vienna regulator production.
Construction and Technical Features
Power System
The movement of the Vienna Regulator clock was powered by weights suspended on cables or cords. The weights (up to three) were typically wound up once a week, providing the necessary power for the clock to run accurately. While the majority of these clocks were designed to operate as 8-day runners, some were specifically engineered to run for 30 days and longer.
Case Materials and Design
The cases, made of various types of wood such as walnut, oak, or mahogany, were often finely crafted with decorative inlays, carvings, or veneers. The clocks featured a white enamel or porcelain dial, usually adorned with Roman numerals and ornate hands.
As many of the wood veneers used were from outside Europe, materials were often hard to get and expensive. This may explain the considerable use of faux wood graining on many of the clocks.
The Altdeutsch Style (Mid-Late 19th Century)
The hallmark of the Alt Deutsch clocks is their use of Corinthian Columns on the doors. Typically these are full columns with fluting, though the Austrians, and the German factory of Lenzkirch used some broken columns with hanging finials. Pendulums are zinc-backed in the earlier clocks and steel backed in the later. Nearly all pendulum rods are made of wood, though some elaborate metal rods were seen later on. While the dial bezels were typically spun brass, the dials were porcelain, brass or a combination with a porcelain chapter ring and a brass dial center. Dial centers were often engraved or embossed--often with matching weights and pendulums. These clocks typically have very elaborate hands.
The Baroque Revival Style (Second Baroque)
The Baroque, or more correctly Second Baroque style clocks reflect the highly ornate styles of the Baroque period (1550 to 1700). Generally, if a clock has Corinthian columns it is Alt Deutsch, if it has asymmetrical carvings on the headpiece and tail it is a Baroque piece.
German Mass Production (Mid-1800s Onward)
By the mid-1800's, demand for Vienna regulators spread beyond Austria. Germany, especially the Black Forest region, began producing regulators in greater quantities. While still high quality, mass production made these clocks more affordable and accessible. Even with increased production, most movements from this period maintained exceptional accuracy compared to other wall clocks of the time.
The Definition Debate
In the purest sense, a Vienna Regulator would be weight-driven clocks made in Vienna, Austria. Less strict would be clocks made in other parts of Austria. Less than that would be weight-driven German wall clocks. Most collectors don't apply the definition in its purest sense.
The true Viennas had cases that were often even more slender, more filigrane and not as heavy in appearance compared to the later German ones. Biedermeier, Late Biedermeier and Transitional were the styles found most. The Germans mostly had the Historismus or Gründerzeit ("Alt-Deutsch") case styles.
Early 20th Century and Decline
The early 20th century saw Vienna regulators adapt to new design trends. Cases grew simpler again, reflecting the Art Nouveau and early Art Deco movements.
Spring-Driven "Springers"
The later spring driven VRs ("springers") with RA pendulums are even further removed from the originals and were quite cheap clocks many of which were of questionable quality. Of course there are always exceptions. The quality clocks are almost always weight driven but some of the genuine Vienna made clocks were spring driven or had a weight for the time and springs for the strike/chime.
Major Manufacturers
Important German manufacturers who produced Vienna-style regulators (though technically not authorized to use the "Vienna Regulator" name) included:
- Lenzkirch - One of the most prestigious German makers
- Gustav Becker - Highly regarded for quality
- Various Black Forest factories
Legacy and Collecting Today
True Vienna regulators are weight-driven pendulum clocks made in Austria or southern Germany between the late 1700s and early 1900s. Unlike many clocks from that time, these were not mass-produced.
Dating Vienna Regulators
If you're unsure when your Vienna regulator was made, look for these clues: Case style: Clean Biedermeier lines suggest early 1800's; ornate carving points to mid- to late-1800's. Movement type: One-month, weight-driven movements are usually older than spring-driven designs. Maker's mark: Stamps or engravings on the movement plate can narrow down the production decade. Dial and hands: Early examples use porcelain dials; later versions often have painted metal.
Collector Categories
During the 19th century, the Vienna Regulator clock underwent several design changes. The earlier models, known as "Vienna Regulators of the Biedermeier period," were characterized by a simpler and more classical style. Later models, influenced by the emerging Victorian and Rococo revival styles, featured more elaborate ornamentation and decorative elements.
Cultural Significance
Owning complicated clocks bestowed prestige on their owners, even though the clocks were not accurate initially (before regulators).
Vienna regulators represented not just timekeeping instruments but also status symbols and examples of refined craftsmanship. They served in government offices, scientific institutions, railway stations, and affluent homes throughout the 19th century.
Vienna regulator clocks remain highly collectible today, with authentic Austrian-made examples from the Biedermeier period being particularly prized. They represent a pinnacle of mechanical precision and elegant design, bridging the gap between pure functionality and decorative art.
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