An Biedermeier period Vienna Regulator. 212065.

Vienna regulators were produced in relatively large numbers between 1800 and 1900. The center for this production was Vienna, Austria. They were exported from there to many European countries and sold very well. As a result, they were copied by numerous competitors and evolved in form. 

The earliest examples were made from 1800 to about 1820. They generally featured straight wooden frames with inlay and satin banding. The sides of the case were glass-paneled. The dials were composed of a single piece of glass and fitted into cast bezels.

The second period was called the “Early Biedermeier” period. This form was produced from about 1820 into the early 1840s. These clocks become simpler in form.

In the late Biedermeier period, the simple cases began incorporating simple columns and light carvings, which may feature curved moldings. Many of the clocks from this period feature two-piece dials separated by a brass ring. The outer bezels are still cast. These clocks were made in the early 1860s.

By 1870, almost all Vienna clock cases were ornately designed, with the exception of the straight Art Nouveau box style. The dials were almost always a two-piece design. Occasionally, the inner section is brass. The latter half of the period seems to have introduced all metal dials as well as spring-driven movements. Weight-driven movements became too expensive to produce and could not compete with the Industrialized methods of Germany.

This example is from the early period, from 1830 to 1835, the early Biedermeier period. The case is veneered in rosewood and retains an older finish. Decorative carvings are located on the upper and lower sections of the door frame and attached to the lower plinths. The one-piece dial is glass and flat. The numerals are in Roman style and are small compared to later versions. The cast brass bezel is heavy and of excellent quality. It is decorated with a bee hive and bee theme. The blued steel hands are of excellent quality and are light in appearance. The movement is constructed in brass. It is weight-powered and designed to run for one week fully wound. The escapement features a deadbeat design. All in all, it is excellent quality.

This case measures approximately 41 inches long, 12 inches wide, and 5 inches deep.

Inventory 212065.