Amsterdam musical longcase clock, Gerrit Bramer

Movement
The movement features a full calendar and has an eight-day going train with an anchor escapement. The plates are interconnected by 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 sounds the hours and half hours on 12 bells with 20 hammers. The musical train plays the following melodies:

1. L’Cadrillie
2. De Allemande
3. Mars van Ps Eugenius
4. Wilhelm.s V. Nassouwe
5. Ons Katryntje
6. Mars van Marlbourg
7. De Rigadon
8. Menuet
9. Cotillion
10. Menuet
11. Vivat dan Oranje
12. De Merliton

Dial
The dial with gilt centre and silvered engraved ring displays the hours in Roman numerals and the minutes in Arabic numerals. At the bottom corners, the numeral ring is flanked by floral gilt bronze spandrels. Below the numeral XII is a seconds bit incorporating a date display. Next to the numerals IIII and VIII are fan-shaped apertures for the month and weekday indicators. 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 played. Two melodies can be chosen by means of an adjustable hand. In the upper left and right corners of the numeral ring are two small rings with dials by means of which the musical train and striking train can be engaged or disengaged. The clock is signed on the numeral ring: Gerrit Bramer Amsterdam.

Case
The case is entirely executed in burr walnut veneer. The base stands on ball feet and features chamfered corners that extend all the way up to the hood, as well as fine carvings at the top and bottom. The door giving access to the dial is flanked by free-standing pillars. The arched hood features a handsome crest in the form of an open shell, surrounded by elaborate scrollwork arranged in three tiers. The whole is crowned by three giltwood figures representing Atlas flanked by two winged trumpeters.

Gerrit Bramer
Gerrit Bramer (1684 – 1770) was a clockmaker from Zwolle who set up shop on Rokin in Amsterdam, near Vijgendam street (which no longer exists). As an immigrant to Amsterdam, he was also known as Gerrit van Swol (Gerrit of Zwolle). Born in Zwolle in 1684 as the son of clockmaker Willem Bramer Senior, he married Florentina Sobel in 1712. It is likely that he settled in Amsterdam shortly before his marriage, opening a combined shop, workshop and coffee house (according to an advertisement from 1740) east of the Beurs (Exchange) on Rokin. Another advertisement tells us that he moved to a new location on Rokin in 1741, relocating again in 1760, this time to Kalverstraat, along with his son Willem Jan Bramer. Gerrit initially worked with his father, Willem Bramer Senior, who died in 1765. Gerrit himself was buried in the old Lutheran church on 6 January 1770, after which his son Willem continued the business alone.

Amsterdam musical longcase clock, Gerrit Bramer

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