Bidspirit auction | Charles Elkan Signed Burl Wood

Charles Elkan Signed Burl Wood Desk Clock and Barometer Set - A vertical desk instrument set featuring a battery-powered quartz clock and an aneroid barometer, both set into a single monolith of figured burl wood. The wood block retains a natural, irregular topography at the top, characterized by uneven growth forms and deep, darkened fissures. The front surface has been refined to a smooth, polished finish, showcasing intricate, swirling grain patterns and varied golden-brown tones typical of hardwood burl. The base of the wood block is marked with the signed name Charles Elkan. Both instruments are set within circular, polished gold-tone metal bezels that project from the front face of the wood. The upper clock dial is cream-colored with black Arabic numerals for hours, a printed minute track, and black hands including a sweeping second hand. It is marked with the word QUARTZ at the center. The lower barometer dial is similarly colored with multiple scales: the outer track measures kilopascals (kPa), while the inner tracks measure inches of mercury (inHg). This dial features several weather icons—a rain cloud, a partial sun with cloud, and a full sun—and bears markings for the 28 to 31 inHg range. Central to the barometer is a stylized black hand and a secondary adjustable gold-tone pointer. The reverse of the burl wood block contains two recessed circular openings for access to the internal mechanisms of each instrument. Within one of these openings, an original paper document from Timeless Treasures of Silverton, Oregon, is stored. A corresponding label for ”Charles Elkan Timeless Treasures” on the reverse of this document specifies that the clock uses an AG 13 1.5V battery. Height: 8.75 inches.