Dutch musical longcase clock, Amsterdam, Paulus Bramer

An unusually small musical longcase clock with a walnut case.

Movement.
The movement features a three-quarter calendar and has an eight-day going train with an anchor escapement. The plates are interconnected with five pillars. The rack striking train fully strikes the hours on the large bell and strikes half hours on the small bell.
The clock has a musical train featuring twelve melodies that sound the hours and half hours on 13 bells with 28 hammers. The musical train plays the following melodies:

1.    La  Jalousie                       2.    Rigadoon
3.    De Klappermanmars         4.    Mebliton
5.    Boere  Ballat                     6.    Een  Minuett
7.    De Camizards Mars          8.    De  Waterlance Boere
9.    De  Boonties                   10.    Sarabande Royal
11.    Our  Toomes  Weg        12.    O  Neen  Caat

Dial.
The dial with gilt centre and silvered engraved ring displays the hours in Roman numerals and the minutes in Arabic numerals. The numeral ring is flanked at the corners by gilt bronze openwork. Below the numeral XII is a seconds bit incorporating a date display. Above the numeral VI is a weekday display, and centrally placed within the lunette is a moon phase indicator. Above this, in an arc aligned with the lunette, is a listing of the twelve melodies. Two melodies can be chosen by means of an adjustable hand. To the left and right are two small rings with small dials by means of which the musical train and striking train can be engaged or disengaged. The clock is signed on the numeral ring: Paulus Bramer Amsterdam.

Paulus Bramer (ca.1696-1770), son of Willem Bramer Sr (1660-1734), worked as a clockmaker from approximately 1715 to 1750.  His brothers Gerrit and Willem also became clockmakers.
Paulus Bramer was very productive in his craft: he built not only longcase clocks, but table clocks and pocket watches as well, and made a name for himself with his complex and elaborately worked timepieces.

On 20 August 1750, his son Jurriaan Bramer (Sr) became co-owner of Paulus’s business, and their timepieces were signed Paulus Bramer en Soon (Paulus Bramer and Son) from then on. On 1 May 1775, the shop moved to Kalverstraat, across from the Nieuwezijds Chapel. Paulus’s workshop was located on Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal.

Case.
The front and sides of the case are entirely executed in walnut root veneer. The base has diagonally oriented knees upon ball feet. The central section features a door and an oval lenticle. The door giving access to the dial is flanked by two round pilasters with bronze capitals. Ornamental carvings decorate the sides flanking the movement and the crown of the bonnet. The crown has a carved crest and is topped with three gilt wooden statues: Atlas, flanked by winged buglers.