Name 1
MERCURY PENDULUM CLOCK
Name 2
/
ID number
002.374.Idrija
Manager / Administrator
Idrija Mercury Heritage Management Center, Bazoviška 2, SI-5280 Idrija
Ownership
Public
Owner
Republic of Slovenia
Local / Original ID Number
/
Type of Object
Daily life
Description
Short description
The clock is in the shape of a church tabernacle. The outer lines are soft. Decor and design are typical for the late Baroque. The dial is completely on top and it is round. The outer circle is made of red marble. Both are integrated in the dark stained wooden cylinder which contains the mechanical elements. The cylinder is positioned on a pedestal, which is equally curved on the left and the right side and is decorated with round marble tiles. Under the pedestal, there is a square and glass middle part in which the brass mercury pendulum is visible. On the left and the right side of the glass door, there is marble decoration in the shape of Greek pillars. The outer sides of the middle part are rounded in such a way that the lines are bulbously passed over from the narrow upper part to the wider bottom part. Both described elements are placed on square pedestal with sharped lines, decorated with marble element in the shape of a lower fundamental part of a pillar. The latter element is positioned just under the aforementioned pillars in ancient form.
Measures
Length 38.5 cm, width 15 cm, height 48.5 cm; weight approx. 20 kg.
Materials
Plastic, rubber, glass, mercury, metal.
Dating
2nd half of 18th Century.
Author / Producer
Manufacturer information is not known.
Picture attachments
Original use
The mercury pendulum clock was privately used for time displaying.
Present use
The mercury pendulum clock is being preserved, secured and presented as an important monument of Idrija mining heritage with exceptional universal values. It is a part of the CUDHg Smelting Collection. Visitors can view it within the permanent museum display “From Ore to Mercury Drops” in the Smelting Plant Hg. It is part of the presentation which represents the versatile use of mercury in science, engineering, industry, medicine, culture and everyday life. Within the mentioned exhibition the object is placed in the density segment and it presents the usefulness of mercury for technical devices.
Original location
Location information is not known.
Present location
Hg Smelting Plant (From Ore to Mercury Drops), Arkova 50, SI-5280 Idrija
STATE OF CONSERVATION
History of conservation:
The mercury pendulum clock is well preserved. Additional interventions are not necessary. Security of the premise is taken care off.
Present state
good
Necessary activities:
Regular seasonal maintenance.
DOCUMENTATION
Addresses / collections / links etc. where further in-depth information is accessible:
- CUDHg Inventory Book.
Submitted
Mestni muzej Idrija
Submitted by
Miha Kosmač
Date Submitted
16. 3. 2018
Date Edited
Never