Johann Baptist Beha is without question one of the most famous cuckoo clockmakers to have ever lived. The innovations that he brought to the cuckoo clock without question shaped the cuckoo clock into the clock that is recognized today.

Although his innovations are many, possibly the most significant innovation he brought was being the first in the Black Forest to integrate the cuckoo movement into an enclosed case.  Before this time the cuckoo was only being produced with a lacquered shield.

Although this small and simple Beidermeier cuckoo with alabaster comumns looks unassuming. This clock is so histrionically significant because it was made by Johann Baptist Beha in 1842, when he was just 27 years old, it is one of the earliest known examples of a cased cuckoo clock. If fact there is just one other known surviving example of a cased cuckoo clock from this period, and it resides in the Cuckooland Museum in the UK.

This clock is also documented in the book Beha Uhren by Wilhelm Schneider. It is shown in the first page of the Beha chapter next to the only other known example, and it historic significance is discussed in detail.

Its history is equally exciting. The clock was first discovered by the author in the early 1980′s. A blurry photo was sent from the United States to Germany. After this initial contact the owner of the clock and its owner vanished and it was lost. Even though the photo was of very poor quality, its historical significance made it worthy to be included in the publication. The photo of this identical clock first taken in the early 1980′s is featured in the book.

With great fortune I recently purcahsed a large collection of over 20 Black Forest clocks. To my excitement this Beha, that has been “missing” for decades was apart of this collection… and now it has a permanent home here.

We are always interested in purchasing cuckoo clocks. Especially early clocks made by Johann Baptist Beha during the 1840′s and 1850′s.

I just returned from purchasing a large collection of Black Forest clocks. There are 23 wonderful pieces that were acquired in a single transaction. Over a dozen of them were published in Rick Ortenburger’s book, Black Forest Clocks, back in 1991. Over the next few days we will share a few of the clocks from this collection on our blog. While several of the pieces will be added to our private collection we do not have the space to keep everything, so clocks will be made available.

This is a beautiful trumpeter clock made by Gordian Hettich Sohn in Furtwangen Germany C. 1890. The clock plays a bugle call of 3 notes on two horn, once for each hour.

The case is fantastic. A very unusual motif. Our favorite detail is the small snail that is incorporated into the motif at the bottom of the clock.

This identical clock was featured in Rick Ortenburger’s book, Black Forest Clocks on page 228. The author dedicated a full page to this clock in the trumpeter clock chapter.

We have taken several photos of the clock and a video of the clock in action.

We located this beautiful Emilian Wehrle model #8 trumpeter clock in Amsterdam. Its a wonderful example of Emilian’s work fro 1880. The case is fantastic with full columns, a round top, and exquisite carvings. After striking the hour the clock plays a complex musical tune on 6 zinc horns. As the tune plays the large double doors open and the trumpeter figures step out onto the balcony.

The condition of this piece is fantastic. One of the cleanest we have found. The clock retains the retailers label of Ed Schirrmann in Paris. Schirrman was a retailer that specialized in Black Forest clocks, importing many wonderful pieces into France.

My book, Rare and Unusual Black Forest Clocks, is the most comprehensive text in any language dedicated to Emilian Wehrle and his musical clocks.

I am always looking to purchase trumpeter clocks in any condition. If you have a clock you would like me to consider please contact me at justin@blackforestclocks.org

At the moment I have a pair of rare Beha model 932 monk clocks sitting on my coffee table. It it amazing to have both of these rare pieces together.

The clock on the right is in my private collection. In addition to the traditional features found on a Beha monk clock (8- day time, hour strike with cuckoo call, Angelus strike with monk automata)… It also has a rare cuckoo or quail complication which allows you to choose between a cuckoo or a quail call. There were only two Beha monk clocks ever made with this complication according to the Beha records… and it is the only known surviving example.

The clock on the left is a traditional model 932. The condition of this piece is fantastic. One of the nicest known surviving examples. The color contacts on the case is beautiful.

I recently located the second clock in England, and it has already been sold to a new home. I will be personally delivering the clock to California shortly.

I am always interested in purchasing cuckoo clocks with monk complications. If you have an example in any condition please contact me. My book, Rare and Unusual Black Forest Clocks, also provides a detailed overview of the clocks made by Johann Baptist Beha during the 19th century. Author signed copies can be ordered directly through our website.

This new acquisition arrived to us today from England. It had been in the same collection for nearly 50 years.

These rare miniature clock peddlers are some of the most desirable examples of Black Forest miniatures and are aggressively perused by advanced collectors.

This example was made circa 1855. He is hand formed out of sheet zinc and rests on a zinc base.It retains all of its original paint, is in fantastic condition.The detail work is just fantastic. On his chest is a small working timepiece.

For those looking to learn more about these rarities our book, Rare and Unusual Black Forest Clocks covers these clocks in detail.

We are always looking to purchase examples of Black Forest clock peddlers for our collection and for our clients. If you have an example that is made from sheet tin (not cast) please contact me at justin@blackforestclocks.org

This is a beautiful Black Forest clock. It is a great example of traditional cottage clockmaking before the factories and mass production changed the industry forever.

This lacquered shield clock is rare because it is equipped with a three train movement that has a quarter-hour strike complication on 4 bells.

The clock is signed: ANDREAS ECHLE IN SCHÖNWALD. Andreas Etchel (1801-1850) is known to have made a few other similar clocks with four bells.

The clock is in beautiful original condition. We have included several photos of the clock and a video showing the movement with the shield removed.

If you are interested in learning more about rare and unusual Black Forest Clocks, please check out our new book. Our book, Rare and Unusual Black Forest Clocks, is the most comprehensive text on the subject in English, and has a whole chapter dedicated to the complex striking clocks.

This is a beautiful carved shelf cuckoo clock. Although we have owned it for several years, the restoration was just completed and we are excited to be able to add it into our collection.

The clock is heavily carved and features a farm motif. All the carvings are done in full relief and are of the highest quality. The case of the clock and all carvings are done in solid walnut. The case is carved to look like a barn with full shingling all the way around. The case being constructed out of solid walnut vs a veneer allowed the carver to carved the case before the carvings were applied giving this piece an extra depth of detail. This is a similar design to our Emilian Wehrle shelf trumpeter clock.

The clock features a farm motif with various farm implements scattered around the barn, a rooster and hen are perched on the thatched roof. The cuckoo appears behind the set of double doors in the barn.

The clock uses a robust brass plate movement with a single fusee with deliver an 8-day running duration. The clock was made by the firm Fürderer Jaegler & Cie.

This model was also offered by the Beha firm and is shown as a model 577 in their catalog. The accompanied price book lists this model at 100 marks (factory price)… making it the most expensive carved cuckoo in the whole Beha catalog. The clock is large, heavy, and the amount of carving labor made this a very expensive cuckoo clock. Today it is one of the most desirable carved motifs for a cuckoo clock, and is very difficult to find.

This clock was offered to us through our website by a family in Sweden. We are always interested in adding high quality cuckoo clocks to our collection and buy them from all over the world. Please contact us if you have anything that may be of interest.

We wanted to share a project that we currently have underway.

This is a magnificent trumpeter clock made by Emilian Wehrle. The case is heavily carved with a romantic motif, and all animals are in full relief. The case measures 43″ in height and the clock is 25″ across the base.

The clock is shown in the Emilian Wehrle catalog as a model #25. This clock had a factory price of 300 Marks in 1880. This example plays two tunes on four horns. (This catalog has been reproduced in our new book, Rare and Unusual Black Forest Clocks)

The carving restoration was just completed this past week and the clock is being shown before the new carvings are stained to match the original finish.

We will update everyone with the progress. We will have the clock finished by this Summer.

*** WE ARE ALWAYS INTERESTED IN BUYING TRUMPETER CLOCKS, IN ANY CONDITION. IF YOU HAVE A TRUMPETER CLOCK YOU WOULD CONSIDER SELLING PLEASE CONTACT US***

A few months ago we shared a new acquisition. This post is an update on the progress. Here you can see the clock with the case restoration completed, and a new set of bone hands installed (thank you Roy at bonehands.com). Cosmetically the clock is now perfect.

In the next few months we will finished the mechanical restoration of the movement, then update our website once again with the completed clock.

As a recap this is a very rare clock made by Johann Baptist Beha of Eisenbach, Germany. The clock is in a model 932 Gothic case. The triple fusee movement provides time, strike/cuckoo, and Angelus complications. At 6:00 AM, 12:00 Noon, and 6:00 PM the double doors open in the base of the cathedral and the monk pulls the rope as the Angelus is called. All Beha 932 monk clocks are very rare and desirable, however, this one is extra special. This clock contains an additional complication called a cuckoo or quail. With a lever on the side of the movement the call can be alternated between a cuckoo call or a quail call. The movement uses the same bird, but has an extra pipe. (see the last picture showing the side of the case).

The Beha records show that only two monk clocks were made with this complication (Thank you Wilhelm Schneider), and this is the only known surviving example.

We are always looking to add rare and unusual Black Forest clocks to our collection. Please contact us at justin@blackforestclocks.org if you have something you would like us to consider.

This is a recent find that came to us through our website, and it is the first acquisition of 2013.

The clock is being shown in unrestored condition, as it came to us, and we will update this site with the clock after the restoration. We anticipate it to be finished by this summer.

This cuckoo clock from its outward appearance looks to be a nice, but common Beha in a Bahnhäusle style case (seen as a model 124 in the firms catalogs). The case is decorated with nice inlay work and is in very good original condition.

On further inspection the clock has a spring powered woodplate movement, giving the clock a running duration of 50 hours. A nice variation over the much more common weight driven examples.

What really makes this piece special is the clock is also musical. While generally speaking, finding a music box in a wall hanging cuckoo clock is not uncommon, however, this is a complication that was rarely used by the Beha firm.

After the cuckoo calls the hour the clock movement activates a separate music box that plays one of four airs. The activation is done off a series of pins on the clocks count wheel. This exact same mechanism for activating the music is seen on the large shelf cuckoo clocks made by the firm with 8-day movements.

In all our years collecting , and in our research, we had never seen another Beha cuckoo clock with music in a wall hanging case. This included any collection private or public or publication.

We contacted Wilhelm Schenider who is an expert on the Beha firm, and has access to the Beha factory production records. He was able to confirm (and graciously provided us the information) that Beha only made TWO musical cuckoo clocks with the combination of a 50-hour movement in a wall hanging case. He was also able to provide us information about the date the clock was first sold by the factory, the price it sold for, and the country it was originally exported to.

This new insight confirms why we had never seen or heard of another, and it has given us a greater appreciation for this special cuckoo clock. While the large shelf cuckoo clocks with music boxes were much more expensive when new, the rarity of this piece makes it a special find and an important addition to our collection.

We have included a group of photographs of the clock dismantled and a short video showing one of the tunes on the music box.

We are always looking to add unusual cuckoo clocks to our collection. If you have a clock you would consider selling please contact us at justin@blackforestclocks.org. We pay top dollar for clocks needed for our collection.

If you are interested in learning more about these “special” Black Forest Clocks, our new book, Rare and Unusual Clocks, provides a detailed road map for collectors both novice and advanced.