Wednesday, March 04, 2009

A Wehrle Timepiece: "Rare As Rooster's Teeth"

This next clock in the collection is a Emilian Wehrle Rooster clock. Also known as a "Hahnen-Uhr".
The Wehrle Rooster awakes on the hour, or on demand...with three loud distinct calls.

Cock-A-Doodle-Doo!!!

While Emilian Wehrle was not the inventor of the Rooster clock... he was the first to perfect it. He invented an apparatus that mimics the call of the Rooster without the use of air or horns. Instead Wehrle used a serrated wheel that rides a small metal reed...

This friction at variable pressures and speeds creates a correct Rooster call. Emilian Wehrle was issued a patent in 1884 for his design (Apparat Fur Schallerzeugung #32141). Production started shortly after this date. Because of their high cost, and the loud and obnoxious call of the Rooster every hour they were never a success. By Emilian Wehrles death in 1896 very few were made, and even fewer have survived. The Rooster clock is one of the Rarest clocks ever produced by Wehrle...and are almost impossible to find today. We are honored to have one in our collection.
The example shown here is one of the nicest known. The only other example known in the States, is a small 30 hour wall clock, in a simple case.

This Rooster is a fancy cased shelf clock, with a matching bracket. This clock will run for 8 days. This clock was retailed by Camerer, Kuss & Co. in England, and has there lable on the back board.


Best,

Justin

1 comment:

  1. These are the kind of antique clocks that i get so amused of. The rooster is simply adorable. Great find.

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