A Early Rope Drive Shield Cuckoo

The Next piece in the collection is a more primitive style of cuckoo clock.
Before the cuckoo bird was placed inside a case, cuckoo clocks were made in a more primitive style. This shield cuckoo, is a great example of a early Black Forest cuckoo clock. This cuckoo was made in the first quarter of the 19th C.

The movement has both wood plates and wood arbors. This movement also predates the use of chains, and is rope drive.

The whole cuckoo perch mechanism is also made from wood, this movement was a transition piece from the earlier wood wheel cuckoo movements made prior to 1800.
Note the early style bird, and bellow pipes located on the top of the movement.
This example shown is in original condition and has not been restored…dust and all.
Around 1845 the first cuckoo movement was put into a case, and the modern cuckoo clock was born.