Cuckoo Clock - 8-Day Swiss Style Farmhouse - August Schwer

Cuckoo Clock of the Year Award Winner - 2016

8-Day Black Forest Cuckoo Clock

• Movements: Two beer drinkers, woodchopper, spinning dancers
• Detailing: Unique hand-cut back plate
• Night shut off: Automatic - Exclusively from Fehrenbach's !!!
• Music: Featuring 2 separate, alternating songs on each hour
• Songs: Edelweiss and The Happy Wanderer
• Additional features: Premium 5-year warranty
• Size (cm): 160 x 70 x 36
• Size (inches): 63 x 27.6 x 14.2

This complex and unique cuckoo clock is the first place Black Forest Clock of the Year Award winner for 2016. The award is given out by the Black Forest Clock Association and is voted upon by the public. To win first place is a coveted title within the industry and is a mark of artistry and craftsmanship. In addition to its attention to fine details, this clock also possess an impressive back plate, which is an uncommon design element. The back plate is cut in such a way as to accentuate the clock’s length without overpowering its shape or composition. The woodgrain visible in its dark stain compliments the cuckoo clock’s rustic style. A few small carvings of green pine trees and forest elements are set at its base to provide a delightful splash of color.

The clock maker’s talents are showcased by the shear amount of figurines and accents that make up the scene that plays out across the clock’s case. Starting from the far right facing the clock are a pair of horses; a young foal and his mother. They are placed in dramatic poses in a paddock surrounded by brown pine trees of differing sizes. The horses are painted a light tan with white manes and tails which makes them easily viewable amongst the darker trees. Green forest bracken and white stones lead the eye towards a young boy in traditional German garb perched atop a large bundle of straw. He plays an accordion as he whiles away the afternoon surrounded by his barnyard friends. Set all around him are small tree stumps, pebbles, stones, green moss and logs; all of which provide texture and color without overpowering the scene. He is joined in his revelry by a pair of grey rabbits and a tan cat that seems more interested in the boy’s song than in a rabbit supper.

To the cat’s left are two moving beer drinkers. They sit at a light, exposed-wood table with matching chairs enjoying beer after beer as the boy plays his song. The table is set atop white gravel which accentuates both the table and the drinker’s coloring. A pair of chickens, a rooster and a hen, peck for food in front of the drinkers. Colorful stones that match to their feathers are strewn about in order to mimic a small garden. A woodpile nearby is evidence that despite their current condition, the two men have at least done some work for the day. Beside the men is an artfully constructed, shingled doghouse. Before it, the farm’s protector stands at attention – a wonderfully carved and painted German Shepherd dog. The moss, bracken and gravel, which by this point have become even more colorful, surround and continue past him. Yet another bunny rabbit, this time colored a light tan hides motionless amongst a pile of rough-hewn logs – he knows that the vigilant dog will be less forgiving than the lazy cat to intruders.

Various farming implements such as a traditional Black Forest water pump and a wood cart make up the middle of the scene. They serve to guide the eye towards the clock’s next moving element – a hardworking woodchopper. As with the other farm dwellers, he is traditionally dressed as he works surrounded by his tools. There is a wood bench with a small circular saw, a sledge containing a pile of cut logs as well as stacks of lumber that are evidence of his good work ethic. The rustic forest details of stones, moss and logs are finally culminated in a stand of brown pine trees that mimic the trees on the other side. To further balance the clock, the carvers have elected to place a cow pen behind the trees. Two large German dairy cows shamble about in their enclosure, seeing no particular reason to do anything more than to stay cool under the shade of the pine trees. They are painted in light colors that are similar, but not exactly the same as the horses.

The clock case itself is done in a dark, rustic stain with visible woodgrain. This feature gives the clock a dark background to play out on and ensures that no small element is missed. A variety of rustic textures are worked into the wood used for the construction of the case, creating an eye-catching design. Various farming elements in lighter tones are placed around the clock’s face such as saws, ladders, buckets and sheaves of wheat. The clock has three balconies, upon one of which a young boy stands gazing out over the scene below. Above him on the topmost balcony are a series of colorfully painted dancers that will twirl and spin as the music plays. This clock also possesses a hand-shingled roof and an impressive bell tower set at its peak.

#7.9500.01.P