Georg Adam Scheid Silver & Enamel Miniature Portico Desk Clock - Vienna c.1900

Georg Adam Scheid Silver & Enamel Miniature Portico Desk Clock, Vienna A rare and highly collectable miniature portico desk clock by Georg Adam Scheid (G.A.S.), Vienna, dating to circa 1900. Crafted in .900 silver and richly decorated with translucent red enamel, this elegant architectural clock is executed in the classical portico form. The stepped and moulded polished white onyx base is mounted with an ornate cast silver appliqué to the front. Rising above is a rectangular silver platform supported by four slender silver columns with red enamel decoration, each finished with plain classical capitals and bases. The arched silver case is decorated with matching red enamel panels, creating a harmonious contrast with the polished silver. Suspended beneath the case is an attractive cast silver floral garland, framing the white enamel dial with black Arabic numerals. The clock houses a miniature 24 hour mechanical key wind movement, a type commonly found in high-quality pocket watches of the period. At the time of cataloguing, the movement is in good working order and keeps reasonably good time. The clock is in very good overall condition. The enamel displays only a few minute surface marks consistent with age, with no cracks, losses, or significant damage. As I am not a professional clockmaker or horologist, the movement is offered as working when tested by me but without guarantee. Buyers intending to use the clock regularly rather than display it are advised to have the movement professionally serviced. Maker: Georg Adam Scheid (G.A.S.), Vienna Date: Circa 1900 Materials: .900 silver, red enamel, polished white onyx Movement: Mechanical 24-hour key-wind Dimensions: Height 12.5 cm; Width 6.4 cm; Depth 4 cm About Georg Adam Scheid Georg Adam Scheid (1838–1921) was one of Austria's most distinguished goldsmiths, silversmiths, and jewellers. Based in Vienna, his firm achieved international acclaim during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries for producing luxury silverware, jewellery, and decorative objects of exceptional quality. Scheid's workshops were celebrated for their refined craftsmanship and designs influenced by the Neo-Renaissance and emerging Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) movements. Today, objects bearing the G.A.S. mark are highly regarded by collectors and regularly appear in leading international auction houses.