Prague Astronomical Clock

[laikkis]

Bessler write:

"Eventually I came to Prague, and began as early as my first night
there to think of the Primum Mobile. For the vision of the
roasting-spit would not leave my mind. I thought it might be
possible, on mechanical principles, to devise a better machine,
and shut myself up to study the matter."


http://www.praguealacarte.com/orloj/orlojLoader.html

[daxwc]

Laikkis
Great link! Nice to see the clock in motion and I am very sure Bessler saw the clock and was interested as he in the least repaired watches.
I noticed something awhile back in my research, that is the clock looks very much like Bessler’s header at the very top. At first I thought it was the insides of a watch, but the Prague clock face also looks like it and there is a little something for Grimer too.

[Fletcher]

dax .. I think laikkis has changed the link ?

Where did you get the pic of the prague headstone, & is it genuine ? - Offyreus 1680 - 1745, with a rotary device looking like a clock innard or something at the very top ? - could be well worth a closer look ?

[rlortie]

Fletcher,

I am sure some one will correct me if I am wrong: I remember this picture coming up a few years ago. IIRC It is not a headstone but the 'header' or key block over a doorway on a building.

It is in an album with the text, I just cannot remember who posted it.

Ralph

[daxwc]

Hmm...The link works for me?

Yes, its not a headstone. Its in forums files somewhere, Ill look for it.

[John Collins]

I took a photo of this same portrait. It is on a building above a doorway in Karlshafen where Bessler lived after leaving Kassel. Its next door to the antiquarian bookshop where I bought my copy of Das Tri.

JC

[docfeelsgood]

JC ;

do you have a picture of Johannes house that you could post ??

Thanks , "Doc."

[AB Hammer]

laikkis

The link worked for me as well. Thanks for posting the link.

[Fletcher]

Yes, I remembered having seen it here before - obviously it was made as a tribute to Bessler but the question remains - who commissioned it ? - did Bessler design & carve it himself & leave someone else instructions to fill in the date of death ? - & was it erected in his lifetime of after ?

IMO, the top portion deserves closer inspection & may be some sort of clue he arranged to leave behind ? - then again perhaps not, depending on its origin & purpose !? - but it does seem to be almost a coat of arms [a bass type relief], left in place on a building in a town of importance to Bessler, to stand for all time as a reminder of the man.

The link works fine, it's just not the one I went to yesterday when I had a quick look & I can't seem to get to the clock photo's from it.

[daxwc]

Here is some great pictures of the clock.

http://www.prague.net/gallery/astronomical-clock/

[daxwc]

Maybe a comparison will spark someones imagination.

Thanks to Bill and his MT's
http://www.orffyre.com/mt.html
(sorry, no offence with the manipulation I hope)

[John Collins]

JC ;

do you have a picture of Johannes house that you could post ??

Sorry docfeelsgood, I did not see your question. I'll try and dig up what I've got. There is a picture of the remains of his windmill on the second page of my web site.

JC

[John Collins]

Here are two pics which show the 'portrait' of Bessler. I assume that it was placed on his house after his death. Notice the presence of the same instruments as appeared in the second portrait.

JC[/img]

[path_finder]

If you are traveling in this area:
http://www.hugenottenmuseum.de/museum/museumspfad.php
Click on the 'eleven' circle.
Some interesting comments on his 'charlatanism', project of school and the pipe organ he built in the adjacent chapel.

The shot of the Bessler stone portrait can be seen here (bottom part of the URL):
http://www.besslerrad.de/html/body_biographie.html
Many thanks to the webmaster of 'www.besslerrad.de' for these interesting details.

[DrWhat]

I believe the "portrait" of Bessler above the door is quite recent, say mid last century (1950s) or later. Just a feeling I keep having. Not based on any proof