![]() In one particularly poignant group of figures, the twelve apostles parade before Jesus, who is depicted blessing each in turn. The addition of the moving figures made the religious message of the timepiece and its setting more vivid. First built in 1352-54, it was later reconstructed in 1571-74 and featured several mechanical figures, as well as a calendar, orrery and other astronomical complexities. The Strasbourg astronomical clock located in the Cathédrale Notre-Dame of Strasbourg, Alsace, France, is exemplary of the close ties between the development of the clock and the automaton. In fact, the link between the clock and the automaton is seen as early as 3000 B.C.E., when Egyptian water clocks were equipped with human figurines possessing the ability to strike a bell on the hour. The same highly complex clockwork mechanisms that powered the great timepieces of the 16th and 17th centuries informed the creation of later automata, singing bird boxes and music boxes. The history of musical machines is inextricably linked to the history of clocks. Others opted for safes or other locking boxes that, while less secretive, allowed a high level of security for their precious materials. Many of these hiding places took the form of false bottom drawers, hidden cabinets and cleverly placed hidden door panels. Private individuals sought other means to protect their most important objects, and secret compartments in furniture became an essential way to guard against thieves or nosy individuals. While most people today opt to store their cash, jewelry and other prized valuables in banks or safety-deposit boxes, these services were non-existent before the 19th century. The suspense and challenges associated with concealed drawers and pigeonholes remain part of their lasting allure. Without knowing where to look, one might spend hours flitting their fingers along panels and carved motifs, searching for their mysteries. It is a spring and click device, which releases its cover when the small divider is pulled upwards, to reveal three small drawers.Just like the frustrated police chief in Poe’s tale, uncovering the secrets of antique furniture with secret compartments can be difficult. This nineteenth century writing slope has a secret compartment concealed beneath its ink and nib trays. It’s all about knowing where to look! There are stories of collectors owning items of furniture for several years before discovering secret compartments. Such a section is an inch or two shallower than the pigeonholes and drawers on either side it then pulls out as a unit. ![]() Within a bureau, this might be a small section, a grouping of pigeonholes and small drawers with or without a front. ![]() The most common use of the secret compartment was in desks, or bureaus. It was the Italians who popularized this idea in the late 16 th century and passed it on to the English and Americans. This was not only to deter intruders, but also the prying hands of greedy servants! Secret compartments are evidence of the genius skill cabinet makers possessed. They came in the form of false-bottomed blanket chests, hollow table legs and hidden drawers. Items such as desks, chests and tables, were all adapted to cleverly conceal our ancestor’s possessions, anything from jewellery and cash to important documents such as deeds and wills. Up until this point, people had to make do with concealing their money and valuables within their furniture. Nowadays most of us keep our money in the safety of bank accounts and our valuables in safety deposit boxes, however these only came into existence at the turn of the nineteenth century.
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