Dating back to around 1730, cuckooclocks have been produced in the Black Forest – Schwarzwald – area of Germany ever since. This was the result of almost 100 years of cuckoo clock making in this area which started in the mid 17th Century. There has been much discussion as to whom it was who actually built the first cuckoo clock, but Franz Anton Ketterer has been given the accolade of being the first cuckooclock maker.
Anton Schneider have produced quality cuckooclocks since 1848 in the heart of the Black Forest in Germany – the home of the cuckooclock. The Anton Schneider cuckooclock workshop is situated in Schonach, a beautiful tourist area in both winter and summer.
All the cuckooclocks are hand carved by traditional methods using “regula” mechanical movements also produced in the local area to the workshop. Anton Schneider and Sons are now into their 6th generation of Schneiders, producing high quality cuckoo clocks by skilled craftsmen and women many of whom have been producing cuckoo clocks with the company for generations. The company, not only renowned for the accuracy of their cuckoo clocks, is also well known for creative unusual nature of the cuckooclocks they produce.
Their variety of cuckooclocks numbers over 300 from the basic one day to the highly decorative and colourful 8 day cuckooclocks with dancers and music. These eight day cuckooclocks often feature animated figures – often beer drinkers - or animals as well as moving water wheels and other, often humorous elements. Many of the designs are traditional but modern elements are frequently incorporated into the cuckooclocks.
