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- A musical Boulle longcase clock signed on the dial Andries Vermeulen Amsterdam, c. 1720. The oak case is unusual in that a Dutch marquetry longcase clock in Boulle technique is rare. Perhaps it was made by a French or German cabinetmaker active in Amsterdam in the first quarter of the seventeenth century. To finish the case the maker used ebony, turtle shell, mother of pearl, pewter and glass. The hood is surmounted by three finials: an Atlas figure flanked by two black natives. The matted brass dial has a silvered chapter ring, pierced hands, two winding holes, a date aperture and a seconds dial, with a high-water? aperture within. There are two circular apertures combined with small rectangular apertures, the left-hand one showing the moon phase and the age of the moon, the right-hand one showing an image of the god of the day, with the day below. The corners are embellished by four-season spandrels. Finally, in the arch is a triangular aperture showing the signs of the zodiac in various bands. The three-train weight-driven movement has anchor escapement and a seconds pendulum, whilst the Dutch striking train indicates the hours and half hours fully on two bells differing in pitch. In addition it plays one of fourteen tunes every hour ?and half hour? on a nest of bells, controlled by seven interchangeable music rolls, all of which have survived.
- Height: 284.5 cm.
- The maker, Andries Vermeulen (c. 1650-1730), originally came from Emmerich. He was known for his musical longcase clocks and other complicated clocks.
- Literature: J. Abeler, Meister der Uhrmacherkunst, Wuppertal, 2010, p. ?; B. Loomes, Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World, London, 2006, p.?; E. Morpurgo, Nederlandse klokken en horlogemakers vanaf 1300, Amsterdam, 1970, p. ?
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