An attractive Dutch Arts & Crafts mantel clock by J.C. Stoffels for ‘Onder den Sint Maarten’, circa 1903

Description

Arts & Crafts

This clock was made in the Amsterdam School style, a movement in applied arts and architecture that evolved in the 1890s and which was inspired by the English Arts & Crafts movement. This movement was a reaction on poorly designed, mass-produced objects of low quality. In addition, the movement also protested the poor working conditions of laborers who were forced to perform monotonous tasks. This resulted in objects designed primarily for functionality, in which the construction was allowed to be visible. Craftsmanship and skill were paramount in production, and the makers played a significant role. The artistry and prestige of the master craftsman in the Middle Ages served as a source of inspiration. Johannes Cornelis Stoffels (1878–1952) played an important role as a designer of metal objects for the Amsterdam School but always stood in the shadow of contemporaries such as Berlage, Eisenloeffel, and van der Hoef. This is because he designed for major firms such as Amstelhoek, Onder den Sint Maarten, and Stokvis and not under his own name. This clock, which he designed for the company “Onder den Sint Maarten,” displays typical characteristics of the Amsterdam School. The influence of medieval art is clearly visible in the numerals on the dial and the skillfully engraved ornaments embellished with red stones. In addition, the visible rivets on the front reveal the construction, which was crafted with great attention to detail. Stoffels’s class and craftsmanship are evident in the design, which is much more than just a clock—it is also an Arts & Crafts object d’art.

Arabic numerals

The champlevé copper dial has stylized Arabic numerals and rivets serving as five-minute marks. The uniquely shaped hands are made of brass. Finely engraved ornaments are set around the dial, each containing a small red stone.

Rosette

The French movement is driven by two mainsprings and is of eight dayp duration. It is regulated by anchor escapement in combination with a pendulum which has a beautifully engraved rosette on the pendulum bob. The clock strikes the half-hours on a bell by means of a counthweel.

Onder den Sint Maarten

The brass case has a cushion-shaped top and engraved ornaments on the sides. The back door bears the mark of “Onder den Sint Maarten,” where Stoffels worked between 1903 and 1906. The entire clock is supported by four ringed columns mounted on a rectangular base plate that is also decorated with a rosette containing a red stone.