Beschreibung:

A fine and rare North Italian ebonised architectural table timepiece with silent-pull quarter-repeat on two bells Gio Pietro Callin, Genoa, circa 1680 The rectangular movement with four baluster turned pillars pinned through the backplate signed Gio Petro Callin AGenoua to the lower margin, the going train with spring barrel and verge escapement regulated by short pendulum with silk suspension and cycloidal cheeks, the early Knibb type silent-pull quarter-repeat train striking the hours and quarters on demand only via twin vertical hammer arbors sounding on a graduated pair of bells mounted within the pediment of the case, the 8 by 7 inch faded salmon silk covered iron dial applied with silvered Roman numeral chapter ring with tied asterisk half hour markers and Arabic five minutes within the outer minute track, the angles applied with foliate scroll pierced chased gilt brass spandrels with the lower two continuing down further to flank a cartouche cast as en entwined pair of serpents enclosing silvered signature plate engraved Gio Petro Callin AGenoua , the finely detailed Baroque case with open arch pediment centred with a small panel upstand capped with triangular tympanum flanked by scroll-carved infill over breakfronted lintel with plain frieze and tight cornice mouldings, the front with rectangular door applied with raised mouldings to the glazed dial aperture flanked by generous hipped carved sides scrolls, the conforming breakfronted base incorporating key drawer and deep cavetto moulded skirt, on six bun feet, 52cm (20.5ins) high. A Pietro Calim is recorded in Baillie, G.H. Watchmakers & Clockmakers of the World as 'German Keeper of clock on Palazzo delle Compere' 1677-85; although little else appears to be known of Callin a few clocks signed by him are known including; An ivory inlaid ebonised night clock with fine painted dial depicting chronos and death passing the hours, offered in this sale as the previous lot. An impressive ebonised tall alter clock with allegorical dial painted by Giovanni Battista Gaulli, The Poldi Collection, Milan. An ebonised night clock with dial painted with a Saint at prayer, Cambi, Genova, 18th November 2014, lot 136. In addition to these another night clock probably from the same workshop but signed 'Giovanni Carlo Calin' (also with fine painted dial depicting chronos and death passing the hours) was offered at Christies, New York THE ABBOTT GUGGENHEIM COLLECTION , 27th January 2015, lot 118. Finally a further ebonised table timepiece of noticeably similar design to the current lot (and with almost identical dial) but signed 'Giovanni Battista Batta Callin' is illustrated in Tardy LA PENDULE FRANCAIS. 3'eme Partie, Provinces et Etranger on page 417. The movement of the current lot closely resembles that of an early French 'Pendule Religieuse' but with the additional provision of a 'silent-pull' quarter repeat mechanism. The positioning of the going train between the plates and the design of movement pillars can be directly compared to an hour-striking movement by Nicholas Hanet dating to around 1675 illustrated in Plomp, Reinier Early French Pendulum Clocks, 1658-1700 pages 66-7 Figs. 115-7. Both the movement by Hanet and that of the current lot are arranged with the strike/repeat trains offset to the right to allow room for vertical planting of the going train to the centre. In addition to having offset strike trains both movements also share essentially the same configuration of double-footed backcock (fitted with cycloidal cheeks) and similar crown wheel top cock casting (each incorporating pallet arbor front pivot). From these details it would be logical to suggest that the current lot was made around the same time (or marginally later) as the clock by Hanet, and that the maker was clearly strongly influenced by contemporary French practice. The 'French influence' within the current lot is not confined to the movement as the use of fabric-covered iron for the dial plate incorporati