Lot 279

Martin Zoller in Augsburg, Height 500 mm, circa 1600
An important monstrance clock of museum quality, with quarter hour / hour strike, calendar, alarm and moon phase indication
Case: brass and copper, firegilt, engraved and chased, rear bell. Dial: silvered, polychrome champlevé inlays, central hunting scene, radial Roman numerals, central date indication with Arabic numerals , aperture for polychrome enamelled moon phase and moon age, gilt bezel with Arabic numerals, auxiliary silvered Roman alarm chapter ring with central brass alarm disc, moulded gilt brass hands. Movm.: hexagonal brass full plate movement, firegilt, signed: ''Martin Zoller Augsburg'', keywind system, moulded pillars with octagonal nuts, verge escapement, brass train, chain/fusee for going train, fixed barrel for quarter strike, applied pierced ornamental covers with foliate scrolls, iron rim foliot. In the base auxiliary rectangular brass movement with solid pillars and opened barrel für hour strike. Second auxiliary round brass movement with moulded pillars and open barrel for alarm with bell in the top of the case.
The hexagonal firegilt copper base is embossed and decorated with chased rocaille decoration and strap work. A central moulded column with coaxial release rod for changing from quarter to hour striking carries the hexagonal centre piece. Its back is facet-glazed, stepped and florally engraved. Above is the cube-shaped case, open-worked and lavishly engraved with rocaille decorations, entwined leaves, flowers and birds. A Madonna finial on the top is framed by a balustrade.
The eminent clockmaker of Augsburg Martin Zoller is mentioned in ''Watchmakers'' by E.H. Baillie of 1929 and Juergen Abeler, "Meister der Uhrmacherkunst", 2nd edition Wuppertal 2010, p. 619. According to Abeler, Martin Zoller lived from 1590 until 1633. Martin Zoller probably did his master's examination in about 1590 and was still living after 1633, as we know that Matthaeus Holl, a son of Elias Holl, was an apprentice to Martin Zoller until July 1638. In all probability Zoller was a member of the Great Council of the City of Augsburg in 1649. Furthermore, some table clocks made by Martin Zoller still exist, all of them must have been made about 1640.
Provenance:
- Dr. Bodong Collection, Frankfurt
- Auction sale Hans W. Lange in Berlin, Dr. Bodong Collection, Frankfurt a. M., June 1938
- Alfred Leiter Collection, Germany
- Auction sale Dr. Crott Auctioneers, Mannheim, Sale 77, Lot 731, 2008
- Renowned private collection in Wisconsin, USA
"Collection Dr. Bodong"
For many years this monstrance clock was part of the Dr. Bodong collection. After his death Hans W. Lange sold the clock in an auction in Berlin on June 14th and 15th, 1938 (lot 552); it was kept in a bank safe deposit box until 1972. The estimate was 2500 Reichsmark.
The history of monstrance clocks
Most monstrance clocks were ordered by high members of the clergy and are therefore always unique pieces of great value. A draft of the design had to be made; more requirements included hour and quarter hour strike, alarm, verge escapement, and many other indications. Apprentices usually had no money and often indebted themselves heavily for their masterpiece, especially since the making of a unique piece also required the appropriate special tools. Since such a clock quite easily cost the equivalent of four times the annual salary of a senior civil servant at the time, wealthy buyers were extremely sought-after.

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