Cuckoo Clock - 8-Day Chalet featuring Men Playing Cards - Schneider

Cuckoo Clock of the Year Award Winner - 2014

Also available with wooden weights:

Add carved wooden weights for +$229

8-Day Chalet Black Forest Cuckoo Clock

• Movements: Beer drinkers, moving card players, turning waterwheel, spinning dancers
• Night shut off: Automatic 
• Music: Featuring 2 separate, alternating songs on each hour
• Songs: Edelweiss and The Happy Wanderer
• Additional features: Slide pendulum with wooden stem
• Size: (cm) 47.5 x 56 x 25.5
• Size: (inches): 18.75H x 22W x 10D
  

This impressive cuckoo clock is the first place Black Forest Cuckoo Clock of the Year Award winner for 2014. 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. This cuckoo clock’s meticulous attention to detail makes it easy to see why it was chosen for this high honor. The theme for this clock is that of a large tavern house, complete with all of the activities to be enjoyed therein. There are card players, beer drinkers, dancers and the all-important German barmaid that oversees it all.

Beginning from the far left hand side facing the clock is the tavern’s resident dog. He is colored a light brown that matches the rest of the scene. Behind him is a raised porch. Here a group of men can be seen enjoying a spirited game of cards at a large round table. They are dressed in traditional German lederhosen with bright white shirts and green hats. To their right is the barmaid. She is dressed in a dirndl with a pink skirt, a black and red top and a white blouse. She rules her tavern with an iron fist, as is evidenced by the large, heavy beer mugs she carries easily in her mighty hands. On the right hand side of the dial, two German men sit drinking beer at a rustic table. They are seated on high back wooden chairs and are similarly dressed as the card players. On the far corner of the tavern is a large waterwheel. The tips of the blades are painted blue; an example of this clock’s attention to small details. There is also a water sluice with a blue painted interior that provides the power to the wheel. Above the cuckoo clock’s dial and directly beneath the cuckoo door are colorful dancers that will twirl and spin as the music plays.

What truly makes this clock special are the many small details that have been added to create a unique composition. The base plate of the clock has an interesting series of triangular shaped cutouts, with slightly darker wood visible from underneath. On either end of the clock are intricate wooden fences. There is a long, grey gravel pathway that extends through the majority of the scene. Beneath the card players are two colorful flower boxes that frame a large wooden bench. The bench sits upon a small patch of bright green grass, as do the beer drinkers at their table. The case of the clock is finished in various colors of brown stain, with wooden boards that run both vertically and horizontally in order to compliment the composition. Light, exposed wooden timbers set in angled patterns provide a delightful contrast.

There are no less than seven windows, each with carefully cutout panes, carved curtains, light wood frames and colorful flower boxes. Gingerbread is used extensively as well. The entire upper balcony is cut into fine shapes, as is the detailing under the right hand set of windows on the first floor. The clock is finally finished with a hand shingled roof. On the left is a large dormer; while on the right is an interestingly shaped bell tower. From its thoughtfully placed figurines to its scrupulous attention to even the smallest detail, this clock is a true masterpiece.

#8TMT 3170/9