Taking a look back through history, clocks have several interesting connections to objects or living things.
One of the most intriguing relationships between a clock and a living thing is that of timepieces and birds. For hundreds of years, birds have been used as icons, sound effects or design themes for clocks. This blog post will cover the interesting history and connection of birds and timepieces.
As we have covered in previous blog posts by OnlineClock.net, the introduction of automatons into the world would eventually inspire clock makers to connect birds to clocks. In a research publication by North South University, the original moving automaton bird was credited to Ctesibius, the Greek mathematician from Alexandria. His invention of a water-whistle bird creation dated back to the 2nd century BC. This launched the popularity of making water-powered birds that made a whistling sound from the water pressure. They were placed on water clocks, meant to make them look more ornate. However, automatons would not make their appearance in relation with mechanical clocks until much later in time – around the mid-1300s.
According to a research timeline by Stanford University, the first mechanical clocks with birds were seen in Europe. The article explains that the emergence of automatons in the form of people and nativity scenes had already appeared and were placed with large clocks in town squares. Their specific reference to the first one with a bird was a clock at Cluny Abbey near Macon, France in 1340. This clock would chime the hour while an angel opened a door, bowing to the Virgin Mary. While this took place, a white dove meant to be symbolic of the Holy Spirit would swoop down and receive a blessing from the Eternal Father. In response to this blessed event, several other automaton creatures would stick out their tongues and roll their eyes around in praise, then all of the figures would recede back into the clock.
In the same research article by Stanford, it is noted that after the time period in which the first mechanical clock with a bird emerged, a new trend began – roosters started to appear on town clocks. A reference in the article to the clock tower in Niort, France describes a rooster that would emerge at the top of the hour, flapping its wings and crowing. This bird wasn’t the only figure on the clock; there were at least 40 others that played a part in the hourly extravaganza. The rooster clock also had religious symbolic figures from the Bible, as well as symbolic figures representing virtues such as care and servitude.
Town and church clocks were trumped by one of the most famous tower clocks – the Clock of the Three Kings, situated in the Strasbourg Cathedral tower. This particular bird and clock combination was built between 1352-1354. For two centuries that clock would continue to be one of the most well-known timepieces. Sometime between 1540-1574, Isaac and Josias Habrecht restored it, adding more religious and Roman god figures. The end product was a clock with a lively scene, which came to an end while a rooster crowed the entire time. It is believed that the roosters were used as the bird of choice because real-life roosters were already a form of ornithological alarm clock.
In the 1700s, bracket clocks emerged. They were especially popular in France. There were many different styles; designs and intricacy depended on the clockmaker who designed them. Some of these ornate timepieces had birds figurines carved into them. However, there seemed to be an interesting relationship between clocks and birds that had an attention-grabbing call. In addition to the rooster, there was another type of bird with an alerting call – the cuckoo bird. These avian creatures were tied to the famous singing wall cuckoo clocks that were first sold widely after the mid-1700s, as we have referenced in our previous blog post.
Clocks were not the only time-telling devices that had designs with birds. Records of a famous 1719 pocket watch that had intricate carvings of exotic birds, fruits and mythical creatures show that birds even played a part in watch creation. This pocket watch was designed by Sir Thomas Tracy, who was a member of the British House of Lords and born into a noble French family. A recent article from the University of California in Chico talks about a restoration project by the well-known American horologist and CSUC alumni Paul Niess, in which he successfully repaired the timepiece that is now nearly 300 years old. Today that pocket watch is valued at $3 million (!).
The Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia has one of the most intriguing antique mechanical bird clock exhibits – the Peacock Clock. They have had this timepiece on display, which is fully functioning, for the past two centuries, according to their website. James Cox, a London jeweler and goldsmith, was commissioned to build the structure on short-order. He completed the device in the short amount of time requested. After meeting the Duchess of Kingston, Grigory Potiomkin had requested this clock be made for the Empress’s Hermitage. To see this structure in action, view this video taken by a museum visitor.
In the 1800s, there was also another form of clock that could be found with engraved birds – the carriage clock. Both the carriage and bracket clocks only had images of birds; there were no bird sounds or animated creatures added to these clocks. Since their arrival, cuckoo clocks have been the “bird” timepieces of choice for musical designs. However, one interesting singing bird clock from the early 1900s deserves recognition – the Kaiser Bird Cage Alarm Clock. This piece originated in Germany. The clock is especially interesting because time is read by two dials that are inside the bird cage. As seen in the video, this is a very unique bird clock. Many wall clocks, watches, desk clocks and even large exhibit timepieces have been made in the past century. Whether in picture, carving or musical form, they can be seen on clocks from every decade in the past 100 years.
For those who are wondering what a modern version of an animated bird clock might look like, consider this video, in which a modern digital alarm clock is paired with an animated chirping bird with blue lights for eyes.
Nearly everyone is familiar with one of the most popular bird-themed clocks seen on walls today – the Audobon Singing Bird Clock. As seen in this demonstration video, the clock has a different bird and sound to mark each hour. Bird themes are also seen on watches today.
So now that history has caught up to the present, this leaves an interesting question open – why are birds connected to time-telling? Although there are no records dating back to the times of water clocks with bird ornaments to explain why they were chosen, it is believed that their mysterious internal clocks have some influence.
Consider the words in the article “Circadian Rhythms And Sleep” by Bryn Mawr College. It is noted that birds have an internal rhythm similar to that of humans. However, they also have a circannual rhythms. These are the instincts that tell them when it is time to migrate north or south. The rhythms are also affected somewhat by the change in length of days and temperature changes. In addition to this, it is interesting to note that birds also have an internal instinct of direction, allowing them to fly the right way each season.
Roosters, which were introduced to time-telling later, also have an instinct to let out their famous “cock-a-doodle-doo” sound at dawn. Research from the University of California in San Diego states that a rooster crows in the morning when sunlight hits the retina in their eyes. They are able to sense the lightening of the world by the sun even if they’re in a barn where a tiny crack would allow a small bit of light through. Of course their crowing isn’t limited to mornings only; they also do this throughout the day if they feel the need to notify their barnyard neighbors of their “territory.” It is a well-known fact that they have also long been useful as an alarm clock on farms.
Perhaps in the quest for precision in time-telling, the early water clock-makers – and timepiece designers years later – all saw birds as an inspiration.
The symbolism of birds and their time-related instincts stands for what clock designers wanted to achieve in precise time-telling development.
Time has been connected to birds for hundreds of years; it doesn’t appear that this trend, or birds’ instinctive abilities, will change any time soon.
That’s why OnlineClock.net is thoroughly convinced that clocks…are for the birds!
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