The ever loveable cuckoo clocks is at the heart of our imaginations. Its creative carvings, tweeting and dancing birds, and laughable songs delight many a generation. Even in todays era of sleek and plain styling everyone loves the cuckoo clock!
The cuckoo clock as it is generally thought of is a descendant of Black Forest designs. The Black Forest is a region in Germany that is rich in culture and skills of days gone by. Thats right the cuckoo clock was popularized in Germany not Switzerland as many Americans falsely believe. But even the Black Forest designs were descendants of earlier versions of this charming clock. It seems that people have always had a desire for humor and whimsy!
Singing clocks like the cuckoo clock have been dated to as far back as the sixteen hundreds. Some versions are even believed to have been built prior to these! Sadly over time they have been lost or destroyed leaving only some drawings behind. The earliest versions of the cuckoo clock were a simple design to help keep costs low. They were flat paneled with painted dials and two small doors for the bird to crow from. As time went on and cost came down they were detailed more and more to resemble Victorian period furnishings. This is the most commonly thought of style today.
As mentioned before the Swiss were prevalent in the cuckoo trade. They made a finely detailed clock that many people still look for today. They were among the first to design their clocks to resemble the cottages of their homeland. The Germans actually thought this was such a great idea that they copied it in their designs. Another innovation that the Swiss brought to the cuckoo clock was the addition of musical boxes. I am sure the sweet melodies of these clocks brought joy to many homes!
Modern cuckoo clocks are of course a far less hand built and quality product for the most part. Alas they have almost been exclusively delegated to the ranks of tourist traps. They are still as quirky as ever though and can now be bought at cheap prices and with a much greater variety then times of past. Indeed if you are looking for an individual statement nothing will bring greater character and individuality then a Cuckoo Clock!
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