Windmill Automatons. Windmills have been in existence since the Medieval times and they have often been incorporated into the design of automatons. They sometimes form part of a scene but they have also been made as standalone clocks.
Below are some examples and price guides of windmill automatons including a pocket watch with a rural scene and a German diorama.
An exceptional, fine and rare 18K gold key wind open face automaton pocket watch with enamel, seed pearl and diamond decoration
Date: Circa 1870
Movement: Gilt full plate fusee verge, 3-arm brass balance
Dial: White, black Roman numerals, black outer minute track, winding aperture at 8, gilt hands
Case: Seed pearl set polychrome enamel scene to back depicting a winged putti with an arrow and laurel wreath and a second putti with an injured foot either side of an ornate urn, concealed automaton scene to cuvette with automaton couple moving on a seesaw with the male reaching stone set hanging fruit, in the foreground a finely engraved dog and two sheep rest, in the background an enamel pastoral scene beside a watermill with stone set automaton sails, winding aperture near the fruit tree
Size: 56mm
Weight: 131,00g
Sold for €63,375 inc. premium at Bonham’s in 2022
An industrial automaton windmill clock, late 20th century, after a design of Guilmet, the silvered and gilt brass case in the form of a windmill, the partially-silvered clock face with a Roman numeral dial, underneath a silvered barometer dial, with two spirit thermometers on either side, the door concealing the keyhole for the automaton mechanism, on a circular black slate base, 45cm high
Sold for £2,100 at Sworders Fine Art Auctioneers in 2022
A LATE 19TH CENTURY MUSICAL DIORAMA AUTOMATON CLOCK UNDER DOME having a rotating windmill and waterwheel, the enamel dial with Roman numerals fronting an eight-day spring-driven movement under a glass oval dome on gilt moulded plinth (30cm high, 42cm wide.)
Sold for £1,050 at Hutchinson Scott Auctioneers in 2021
A 20th century musical diorama with automata, the scene contained in a gilt, composition ornamented frame and featuring two sailing ships near a cliff lined coastline, with cottage and windmill on a bluff above the cliffs, and background with painted sky, clouds, and birds, the ships rocking and windmill sails turning accompanied by a two tune cylinder music box when activated by a button at the right side of the frame
Sold for US$275 at Schmitt Horan & Co. in 2021
ERZGEBIRGE MUSICAL VILLAGE CRANK AUTOMATON
Very beautiful 1900s German Crank Musical Train and Village. Wonderful German diorama of Train going there the Mountains with a Village and Windmill. Very nice details and colors. Looks all original. Turn the crank and music works.
Sold for US$1,600 at Milestone Auctions in 2021
