In the fourteenth century the very first mechanical clocks started to appear. These clocks were very simple did not have faces or hands. The clocks movement were driven by weights and springs. It wasn’t until the early 19th century that clocks started to be mass produced with parts becoming available. Around the 18th century Cuckoo clocks started to appear in southern Germany in the Black Forest region.
The cuckoo is native to the forests of Germany. Common cuckoos are solitary birds more often heard than seen. The familiar and unforgettable 'cuck-oo cuck-oo' call heralds the beginning of spring when they return to Europe from wintering in sub-Saharan Africa and south east Asia. This sparked the creation of the cuckoo clock.
Cuckoo clocks began appearing in Southern Germany in the Black Forest around the middle of the 18th century.
The Black Forest is a region in south-western Germany with a large forest area. Wood carving is a traditional industry in this region. It is thought these craftsmen developed the cuckoo clock industry and are still coming up with new innovative designs and improvement to the inner workings. This has made the cuckoo clock something of an art form in clocks.
The cuckoo clock is typically weight and pendulum driven and strikes on the hour using small bellows and pipes that imitate the call of the common cuckoo in addition to striking a wire gong. As stated above the clocks started to be produced from the 18th century and although you will see variations of the clock the basic design has not changed over the years.
The cuckoo clock design is conventionally carved from wood decorated with leaves and animals with a bird that appears through a door above the face of the clock on the hour. The weights are usually in the shape of a pine cone and made from cast iron
Traditional cuckoo clocks are weight driven and usually quite expensive. The mechanism needs servicing every 5yrs and oiling about every year as a rule of thumb. Modern cuckoo clocks are battery operated and they do not have the nostalgic feel of the traditional clocks but they make great children’s clock with there moving parts and colours. They also have the added benefit of having turn-off button if you wish to silence the clock or some even have sensors that sense when its night time and that de-activates the cuckoo.
Cuckoo clocks have become quite a novelty clock with many clocks not having a cuckoo but some other children character that pops out of the clock on the hour. You will also see cuckoo clocks more than any other clocks in children cartoons and books due to the fun element associated with cuckoo clocks and the many variations of the clock face.
Cuckoo clocks are for everyone – whether you’re a connoisseur of clocks and want the expensive authentic Black forest clocks with advanced mechanical movement, or just a battery operated plastic fun clock which will keep your child amused on the hour, every hour.
There are now several different firms making complete Black Forest cuckoo clocks or parts of it in Germany. The people who make cuckoo clocks are dedicated craftsmen whose products are works of art. Black Forest and Black Forest style-cuckoo clocks are highly sought after in antique stores, retail shops and even on eBay. They can command very expensive prices. Quality usually dictates price and because cuckoo clocks are considered a form of sculpture with elaborate hand carvings they can command hundreds of pounds. Black Forest Cuckoo clocks are recognized all over the world and have come along way from their humble beginnings.
