"How it Works" A rare look into a Emilian Wehrle Singing Bird Clock

A Emilian Wehrle Singing Bird Clock is without question one of the hardest of all Wehrle's clocks to locate.

Because of this... there is little information out there regarding these pieces.

After posting on the singing bird clock, we have had several emails with people asking how it works...

We are always happy to share clocks in our collection with anyone who has an interest.

Below is a 4 minute video which gives a brief overview of the inner workings, and a look at the movement being put into action.

We hope this gives you a better understanding of the clock.



If you have a musical clock made by Emilian Wehrle (Trumpeter, Flute, Rooster or Singing Bird) that needs restoration, we are always happy to help with tips on restoation, or tuning of your clock. If we can not help you, we can always send you in the direction of someone who can.

Best,

Justin

A Rare Emilian Wehrle Singing Bird Clock C.1875

This next piece is a fantastic Singing Bird Clock made in Furtwangen C.1875. This example in in a wonderful Neo-Classical style case. The case is a Dark Walnut, with Ebony trim and gold accents.

The movement in this clock is a very robust brass plate three train movement, the largest Emilian Wehrle made. This movement is 8 day time, strike on the hour, bird song, and automation.

Perched in an arch way on the top of the case is a large songbird, with animation to the head, beak and tail.

On the hour the bird comes alive, followed by the strike on a large gong.

The Singing bird clock is one of the hardest of all Emilian Wehrle's clocks to find. In fact you can count all known examples worldwide on your two hands.

We are very lucky to have captured two beautiful examples in our collection. Our other example is a carved wall model and is featured below on our site.

This clock was purchased through our website. We are always looking to add unique Black Forest Clocks to our private collection. If you have a clock you believe would be of interest please contact me directly at madeinfurtwangen@yahoo.com. If you know where a fantastic clock is, that you do not own... we will pay finders fees for any clock purchased through a referral.

Emilian Wehrle Singing Bird Clock

This next Clock in the collection is a C. 1874 Singing Bird Clock (Singvogeluhr) made by Emilian Wehrle of Furtwangen.
The fully feathered bird is 6.5 inches from beak to tail. It is fully automated in his beak, head, and tail. Perched on the top of the clock on a carved vase of fruit and leaves it is clearly visible and looks alive.

The carvings on this clock are all done in Walnut, and the style of the case is very unique.

This clock utilizes a robust brass plate movement, with large double pumping bellow system mounted above the clock works (very similar to his Trumpeter and Flute Clocks.)

The clock movement generates it own air pressure... and by opening and closing a valve... air in moved through a large flute with a plunger.

A cam wheel on the back operates the valve and the plunger to reproduce the sound of the song bird... while controlling the bird and the Automation. The Beak runs in perfect sequence with the large song bird looks and sounds alive!

This clock is featured in Emilian Wehrles 1874 Catalog as No. 1 (see illustration). It has a cost of 180 Marks in 1874. Just to put this into perspective a very nice Beha cuckoo could be had for 25 marks.




Very few of these Singing Bird Clocks were made, even fewer survived. Making them almost impossible to locate today.

I am not aware of a museum worldwide that has a example of a Em. Wehrle Singing Bird Clock, although there are a few in private collections.

This unique clock was also published in the 2008 edition of Schwarzwalduhren, by Berthold Schaaf (The authoritative text on Black Forest Clocks, and available through amazon.de and all German Booksellers)