31570C.MYS
J.F. HOUDIN. A VERY RARE TABLE CLOCK WITH AUTOMATON MAGICIAN ON TOP. THE CLOCK NUMBERED 4925 AND THE AUTOMATA MOVEMENT SIGNED E. ROBERT-HOUDIN. CIRCA 1840.

Just how many of these clocks were made is not known but judging by the very small number (we can recall only three) which have come onto the market in the last 30 - 40 years or been illustrated in the various publications, it is unlikely to be more than ten or so. One of very close design to this is in the Museum of Time Measurement, Beyer, Switzerland. This is illustrated in AMystery, Novelty & Fantasy Clocks@ ⁽ⁱ⁾ Another, signed on the case L. Hennert and on the movement by Japy Freres No. 669, came up for sale in auction a few years ago. These clocks are discussed in Chapuis & Droz ⁽ⁱⁱ⁾ and a different version with the clock mounted on top was illustrated in Heuer & Maurice ⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾ .

A Chinese magician sits at the table and either every four hours, or at will, nods his head and then raises in turn both his right and left hands which are holding inverted covers and surprises the audience by revealing various objects, such as dice and cakes. The order of these items is constantly changing and so one item does not automatically follow another.

The clock movement mounted below the magician has silk suspension and countwheel strike on a bell. It is numbered 4925.

The automata movement is of fine quality. It is set off every four hours or at will and is hidden behind the magician’s table.