With the beginning of the 19th century, roughly during the period from 1790-1835, the talented Viennese Master Clockmakers, in co-operation with the master carpenters, developed the famous Viennese Laterndluhr clocks. Laterndl-Uhr means Small Lantern clock. These were noted for elegant proportions and the best of artistic execution. The clock boxes are narrow, straight-lined, shallow in depth and built from very fine wood. The wood was in short supply due to the numerous wars in Europe, so many times this and other goods had to be imported. Usually for the production of the cases mahogany wood was used. Starting from approximately 1920 domestic cherry and walnut wood was used. Very little wood was used. Glass was used, partly as an economical measure and also to offer the clockwork protection, and to offer a view of the mechanics. Flat glass was manufactured in Vienna. Much of the metal for the clockworks was imported from the Netherlands. The works of the Laterndluhr clocks are so ingeniously and precisely designed that there was running accuracy of approx. +/- 1 minute per month.
