SoA Catalogue of Drawings and Museum Objects: Zech's clock

Society of Antiquaries of London Catalogue of Drawings and Museum Objects

Society of Antiquaries of London, 2005. https://doi.org/10.5284/1000409. How to cite using this DOI

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Society of Antiquaries of London (2005) Society of Antiquaries of London Catalogue of Drawings and Museum Objects [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1000409

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Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) are persistent identifiers which can be used to consistently and accurately reference digital objects and/or content. The DOIs provide a way for the ADS resources to be cited in a similar fashion to traditional scholarly materials. More information on DOIs at the ADS can be found on our help page.

Citing this DOI

The updated Crossref DOI Display guidelines recommend that DOIs should be displayed in the following format:

https://doi.org/10.5284/1000409

Sample Citation for this DOI

Society of Antiquaries of London (2005) Society of Antiquaries of London Catalogue of Drawings and Museum Objects [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1000409

Gallery - detail

LDSAL 131

Zech's clock

Images: click for enlargement	LDSAL 131 At the centre of the clock face forming the pivot of the hand are engraved the arms of Poland impaling Visconti under a crown. Around the body of the clock, three sets of arms are engraved in circles: those of Poland (a snake devouring a person) under a crown, Lithuania (a knight on horseback), and Visconti (a spread eagle) also under a crown. All are flanked by foliage decoration. On the underside are stamped four representations of the arms of Bona Sforza (Sfortia), daughter of Giov. Galeazzo Duke of Milan, great-granddaughter of Philip Visconti, the last Duke of his race. [DOWNLOAD] right-click and save link LDSAL 131 At the centre of the clock face forming the pivot of the hand are engraved the arms of Poland impaling Visconti under a crown. Around the body of the clock, three sets of arms are engraved in circles: those of Poland (a snake devouring a person) under a crown, Lithuania (a knight on horseback), and Visconti (a spread eagle) also under a crown. All are flanked by foliage decoration. On the underside are stamped four representations of the arms of Bona Sforza (Sfortia), daughter of Giov. Galeazzo Duke of Milan, great-granddaughter of Philip Visconti, the last Duke of his race. [DOWNLOAD] right-click and save link LDSAL 131 At the centre of the clock face forming the pivot of the hand are engraved the arms of Poland impaling Visconti under a crown. Around the body of the clock, three sets of arms are engraved in circles: those of Poland (a snake devouring a person) under a crown, Lithuania (a knight on horseback), and Visconti (a spread eagle) also under a crown. All are flanked by foliage decoration. On the underside are stamped four representations of the arms of Bona Sforza (Sfortia), daughter of Giov. Galeazzo Duke of Milan, great-granddaughter of Philip Visconti, the last Duke of his race. [DOWNLOAD] right-click and save link LDSAL 131 At the centre of the clock face forming the pivot of the hand are engraved the arms of Poland impaling Visconti under a crown. Around the body of the clock, three sets of arms are engraved in circles: those of Poland (a snake devouring a person) under a crown, Lithuania (a knight on horseback), and Visconti (a spread eagle) also under a crown. All are flanked by foliage decoration. On the underside are stamped four representations of the arms of Bona Sforza (Sfortia), daughter of Giov. Galeazzo Duke of Milan, great-granddaughter of Philip Visconti, the last Duke of his race. [DOWNLOAD] right-click and save link LDSAL 131 At the centre of the clock face forming the pivot of the hand are engraved the arms of Poland impaling Visconti under a crown. Around the body of the clock, three sets of arms are engraved in circles: those of Poland (a snake devouring a person) under a crown, Lithuania (a knight on horseback), and Visconti (a spread eagle) also under a crown. All are flanked by foliage decoration. On the underside are stamped four representations of the arms of Bona Sforza (Sfortia), daughter of Giov. Galeazzo Duke of Milan, great-granddaughter of Philip Visconti, the last Duke of his race. [DOWNLOAD] right-click and save link
Object number	LDSAL 131
Iconographic description	At the centre of the clock face forming the pivot of the hand are engraved the arms of Poland impaling Visconti under a crown. Around the body of the clock, three sets of arms are engraved in circles: those of Poland (a snake devouring a person) under a crown, Lithuania (a knight on horseback), and Visconti (a spread eagle) also under a crown. All are flanked by foliage decoration. On the underside are stamped four representations of the arms of Bona Sforza (Sfortia), daughter of Giov. Galeazzo Duke of Milan, great-granddaughter of Philip Visconti, the last Duke of his race.
Description	An astronomical clock of gilt brass in the form of a circular flat box. The upper face is the dial graduated in twenty-four divisions, in the centre of which appear the arms of Poland and Visconti. The body of the clock is covered with engraved decoration. The last image shows the spirial working section, which is the oldest know type of this design in Britain.
Comments	The clock probably belonged to the King of Poland, Sigismund I, who married Bona Sforza in 1518. The clock may well have been made for her. The Hon. Daines Barrington commented in his observations on clocks, written in 1788, that: "Mr Peckitt, an ingenious apothecary, of Compton Street, Soho, hath shewn me an astronomical clock which belonged to the late Mr Ferguson, and which still continues to go. The workmanship on the outside is elegant, and it appears to have been made by a German in 1525". Henry Peckitt considered it to be the oldest clock in England. The Society of Antiquaries possesses a wooden stand for this clock.
Creator	Zech, Jacob
Creator role	Manufacturer
Creation date	16th century
Material	Brass
Measurements	Diameter (mm) : 247 Height (mm) : 127
Inscription	Type:	Miscellaneous
	Script:	Engraved
	Location:	Top
	Text:	A+BONVM T+MALVM G+MALVM C+MEDIVM L+MALVM V+MEDIVM L+BONVM S+MEDIVM S+BONVM C+MALVM A+BONVM P+MEDIVM
	Note:	The inscription is engraved in a circle around the clock face below the engraved symbols of the zodiac.
Inscription	Type:	Miscellaneous
	Script:	Engraved
	Location:	Top
	Text:	C A P T A T G
	Note:	Inscription forms part of a circle inside, and concentric, to the outer edge of the clock face.
Inscription	Type:	Numbering
	Script:	Engraved
	Location:	Top
	Language:	Latin
	Text:	I II III IIII V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII I II III IIII V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII
	Note:	Roman numerals engraved in a circle around the outer edge of the clock face.
Inscription	Type:	Information/Description
	Script:	Engraved
	Text:	DAMAN. ZALT. 1.5.2.5. IAR. DA. MACHT. MICH. IACOB. ZECH. ZV. PRAG. IST. BAR.
	Note:	The inscription is engraved on the barrel inside the clock.
Inscription	Type:	Numbering
	Script:	Engraved
	Location:	Top
	Language:	Arabic
	Text:	5 10 15 20 25 30 5 10 15 20 25 30 5 10 15 20 25 30 5 10 15 20 25 30 5 10 15 20 25 30 5 10 15 20 25 30 5 10 15 20 25 30 5 10 15 20 25 30 5 10 15 20 25 30 5 10 15 20 25 30
	Note:	Arabic numerals engraved in an incomplete circle inside, and concentric to, the outer edge of the clock face.
Inscription	Type:	Numbering
	Location:	Top
	Language:	Arabic
	Text:	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
	Note:	Arabic numerals engraved in a circle inside and concentric to the outer edge of the clock face.
Inscription	Type:	Miscellaneous
	Script:	Engraved
	Location:	Top
	Note:	Inscription consists of six characters which form part of a circle inside, and concentric to, the outer edge of the clock face. Possibly in Greek script.
Association	Associated person:	Peckitt, Henry
	Association type:	Bequest
	Date:	1808 19th century
	Note:	Bequeathed to the Society of Antiquaries, and came into their possession on 19th May 1808.
Association	Associated person:	Ferguson, James
	Association type:	Previous Owner
	Note:	Henry Peckitt purchased the clock at the sale of the effects of James Ferguson, the mathematician.
Association	Association type:	Previous Owner
Association	Associated person:	Sigismund I
Association	Association type:	Previous Owner
Bibliography	Daines Barrington. 1779. Observations on the earliest Introduction of Clocks. Archaeologia, vol. v, 424. H Otto, 'The Famous Fusee Clock of Jacob Zech', Horological Journal (1931): 176-8. Smyth, W. H. 1849. Description of an astrological clock, belonging to the Society of Antiquaries of London. Archaeologia, Vol. 33. 8-35. Society of Antiquaries, Minutes, vol. xxxi, 513.
Related object (SAL)	Utensils and Furniture 50 16th-century clock face engraved with the zodiac : Similar/Related Subject
Subject	Astronomical Instruments Brass Clocks Eagles Escutcheons (Coats of Arms) Heraldic Motifs Horse Trappings Knights Shields (Motifs) Snakes Timepieces Zodiac Symbols
People/Corporate Bodies	Daines Barrington Ferguson, James Galeazzo, Giovanni Peckitt, Henry Sforza, Bona Sigismund I Visconti, Philip Zech, Jacob
Place	Bohemia Czech Republic Europe Lithuania Poland Prague Stredoceský
Date	1525 16th century
Collection	Museum Collection
Category	Heraldry Metalwork Museum Object