1805 This is the "Genie" and is a moving eye clock made in Germany, stamped Oswald. The position of the eyes determine the time. For example the time here is about 8 minutes to 3.
Side view of the clock, this is a 30 hour movement. The hands and the earrings are removable.
Close up of the back. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THESE CLOCKS: Rolling
eye clocks - first patented in 1926 by the J. Oswald Company of Germany with
early models carved of wood and cast from metal after World War II. "The
exact origin and age of these clocks is not easy to determine. We know that they
came from Germany, but very few details are available in writing, due to the
destruction of records during WWII. For this reason we have to rely on bits and
pieces of information gleaned from many sources to come up with some sort of
history of these novelty items. Most were made by the Oswald company in the
Freiburg area which is in the Black Forest area of Germany. We say most, because
we have three rolling eye clocks that we cannot, with certainty, attribute to
Oswald. However, a personal friend has a wooden rolling eye clock marked
"U.S. Patent 1926 Made in Germany." So, if patents were effective in
those days, it is reasonable to assume that Oswald may have made our
"unmarked" ones as well."
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