Museum piece
The open brass case is supported by slender columns and topped with a wide overhanging roof. Beneath the glass dome, the dial, movement and torsion pendulum can be seen from every side. The gold-coloured dial has a sunburst texture and is framed by a light-coloured ring with black Arabic numerals. Deep red, originally lacquered brass elements add touches of colour.
The idea for the anniversary clock goes back to Johann Anton Harder. Together with the clockmaker Lorenz Jehlin, he applied for a patent for a design with a torsion pendulum. The German Imperial Patent No. 2437 was filed on 16 September 1877.
Inside is a mechanical anniversary clock movement with a torsion pendulum. The pendulum rotates slowly around its vertical axis; this energy-efficient design allows a long interval between windings.
Manufacturer
Triberg · Black Forest – Baden-Württemberg · Germany
August Schatz took over a clockmaking workshop in Triberg in 1881 and began producing regulator clocks. The company soon turned its attention to anniversary clocks as well. In 1884, it became Jahresuhren-Fabrik AG; later it was known as Jahresuhren-Fabrik GmbH Aug. Schatz & Söhne. In addition to anniversary clocks, the factory made wall clocks, kitchen clocks, cuckoo clocks and travel alarm clocks, exporting its products in large quantities.
The company became internationally renowned for its mechanical anniversary clocks with slowly rotating torsion pendulums. These so-called 400-day clocks needed winding only about once a year. From the 1950s onwards, mechanical movements came under increasing pressure as battery-powered movements emerged. The company in Triberg filed for bankruptcy in 1986. Its historical records, including manufacturing documents, patents and factory books, are now preserved in the Baden-Württemberg Business Archives.