Although the clock in place today dates to the 19th century, fragments of earlier clocks are kept in the Strasbourg Museum for Decorative Arts, including the 14th-century gilded rooster, which is considered the oldest preserved automaton in the world.Īs clockmakers of the 17th and 18th centuries invented increasingly more complex clockwork mechanisms, they turned their attention to other challenges in the form of automata, bird boxes and music boxes. In one particularly poignant group of figures, the twelve apostles parade before Jesus, who is depicted blessing each in turn. The addition of the moving figures made the religious message of the timepiece and its setting more vivid. First built in 1352-54, it was later reconstructed in 1571-74 and featured several mechanical figures, as well as a calendar, orrery and other astronomical complexities. The Strasbourg astronomical clock located in the Cathédrale Notre-Dame of Strasbourg, Alsace, France, is exemplary of the close ties between the development of the clock and the automaton. In fact, the link between the clock and the automaton is seen as early as 3000 B.C.E., when Egyptian water clocks were equipped with human figurines possessing the ability to strike a bell on the hour. The same highly complex clockwork mechanisms that powered the great timepieces of the 16th and 17th centuries informed the creation of later automata, singing bird boxes and music boxes. The history of musical machines is inextricably linked to the history of clocks. Others opted for safes or other locking boxes that, while less secretive, allowed a high level of security for their precious materials.
Many of these hiding places took the form of false bottom drawers, hidden cabinets and cleverly placed hidden door panels. Private individuals sought other means to protect their most important objects, and secret compartments in furniture became an essential way to guard against thieves or nosy individuals. While most people today opt to store their cash, jewelry and other prized valuables in banks or safety-deposit boxes, these services were non-existent before the 19th century. The suspense and challenges associated with concealed drawers and pigeonholes remain part of their lasting allure. Without knowing where to look, one might spend hours flitting their fingers along panels and carved motifs, searching for their mysteries.
Just like the frustrated police chief in Poe’s tale, uncovering the secrets of antique furniture with secret compartments can be difficult.
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