Extremely Rare French Patinaed Bronze Two-Handled Glass Dial Mystery Clock

Circa 1900. Sculptor Victorin Subatier. The patinated bronze case, signed 'Vict. Subatier'. Beveled, star-shaped glass dial, engraved gilt Arabic numerals, steel counter weighted hands. Base with 'Stella Mysteriosa' cast into the front and stars to each side. 8-day time only movement, lever escapement, regulated from below and controls the hands via a linkage that runs up the interior of the statue.

Note: Robert-Houdin, the acknowledged inventor and creator of the glass dial mystery clocks, began supplying shops with his pieces around 1838. In the beginning his pieces only had a single hand, but as time progressed the pieces became more complicated using both minute and hour hands. This innovation required minute motion-work, but also greatly added to the mystery. Although he died in 1871 his remarkable designs were so captivating that several makers continued to produce similar pieces into the 20th century With all the two handed mystery clocks the power must travel through a linkage system to a central glass above and finally to the hands via minute