Double Side Umbrella Musical Automata

The skeletonized movement gives an inside look at the ingenuity and incomparable skill of the Chinese clockmakers. The complex eight-day fusee movement is a marvel of engineering and design, operating two separate dials, the quarter hour strike on two bells, strike on the hour, brass pinned cylinder musical movement, and activation of the multi-function automata mechanism.

A palm leaf umbrella opens and closes to reveal a two-tiered carousel of revolving multi-colored figures and spinning glass rods in the center that resemble a fountain.

The individual dials contain separate automaton scenes with a variety of moving figures and spiral glass rods resembling rain.

The intricate linkage and gearing of this vast array of functions was a monumental task of invention and construction. The execution is a testament to these remarkable Chinese clockmakers.

Elaborate clocks of this type were often placed in the middle of a table, making multiple dials desirable. The Chinese fashion was to have dials with different decorative work on opposite sides, adding to the complexity.