Nursery Rhyme Wall Clock
Germany: c. 1930s
Enamel or porcelain on metal
9.5 inches square, 3 inches deep
$1,400

Charming hanging wall clock, square with rounded edges, the clock face decorated with six illustrations and six title blocks of traditional nursery rhymes and a fairy tale. The pictures are simple black line drawings filled in with a simple but bright color scheme of blue, ochre, green and red. The central dial is numbered 1 to 12, the 8-day movement clockworks are located in cylindrical case attached to the back of the clock face, with metal hanging loop. The clock is driven by winding with a key in the clock face and engaging the swinging pendulum.

Illustrated are:

A Frog he would a wooing go
Jack be Nimble Jack be Quick
Tom Tom the Piper's Son
The Old With who rode a Broom
Little Red Riding Hood
To Market To Market To buy a fat Pig

This is one of a few different examples of nursery rhyme clocks produced in Germany in the second quarter of the 20th century. They are fairly uncommon and considered very collectable, and would make nice decoration for a child's bedroom or a family room.

Condition: Generally very good with the usual overall light toning and wear. Clock mechanism has been cleaned and is operational, though sometimes the pendulum stops swinging after an hour or two, for reasons unknown. Sold as a decorative wall hanging rather than as a time piece to be relied upon.