Dutch Six-Tune Musical Tall Case Clock by H. Engeringh, Circa 1750

An extraordinary Dutch musical tall case clock dating to the mid 1700s, combines elaborate cabinetmaking, sophisticated timekeeping, and an ambitious mechanical musical design. Its stately flame mahogany case features a broken-arch hood, a gracefully shaped serpentine door, and a boldly swelling bombé base, giving the clock both architectural presence and a sense of fluid movement.

The three-train movement incorporates a pinned musical cylinder playing a selection of six tunes. At the hour, or whenever activated on demand, the cylinder directs 23 hammers across a nest of 12 bells, producing a richly orchestrated musical performance rarely encountered in an 18th-century tall case clock. A separate Dutch striking system sounds on two bells.

The arched dial is an impressive work in its own right, combining silvered and brass surfaces with gilt cast spandrels and extensive engraved decoration. In addition to the time, it displays seconds, day, date, and month, together with the signs of the zodiac and phases of the moon—an elaborate presentation reflecting the period’s fascination with astronomy, the calendar, and the measured passage of time.

Signed “H. Engeringh Cz., Dordrecht,” this remarkable clock represents a union of Dutch mechanical ingenuity, musical complexity, and accomplished cabinetmaking.

Restored, One-Year Warranty

Circa 1750