With 9-inch (23 cm) Roman cartouche dial, two-train movement by Japy Frères et Cie., striking hours and halves on gong, independent eight-air cylinder movement with 2 contra-rotating cylinders, 2 combs of 50 teeth each (complete) with spring-adjusted zithers, brass bedplate signed and dated "E. Flonck, Mars 1898", power-reserve indicator calibrated 10-5-0, side-mounted enameled tune-selector dial and tune change/repeat control activated from underside, in carved Black Forest-style walnut case with turned balustrade and pilasters, wd. 16 ½ x ht. 21 ½ in. (42 x 55 cm), cylinders 8 7/8 in. (22,5 cm), with pendulum and two keys. Good original playing condition. – Literature: for a detailed description of Flonck's musical clock, see article by Johan Goyvaerts and Jean-Marc Lebout in "Musiques Mécaniques Vivantes", No. 84, pp. 23–34. – Little is known of E. Flonck and at present only one other example of his work has been identified, an eleven-air duplex cartel musical box produced in 1899. Flonck was evidently a musician as well as an engineer as he is listed as the composer of the fifth air on the example offered here. – Repertoire: 1. "Johanna Valser", 2. "Mazurka" by Albert (?) Fuchs, 3. "Les Cloches du Monastère" by Louis James Alfred Lefébure-Wely, 4. "Romance Comme à Vingt Ans" by Marie-Auguste Massacrié-Durand, 5. "Polka" by Flonck, 6. "La Marseillaise" by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle, 7. "Carmen" by Georges Bizet and 8. "Valse Odon-Quinn" by Albert (?) Fuchs. – Salient technical features of the movement include the impulse push-button stop/start, a governor with variable wing-surface (which decreases to reduce resistance as the spring unwinds), power-reserve indicator, tune-selector/changer via a stepped horizontal cam, pinned wheel and steel pawl. – Arthur Ord-Hume attributes the first patent of a "duplex" musical box to Alfred Junod in around 1887, with double-cylinder machines by Charles Paillard, Mermod Frères and Ami Rivenc appearing on the market soon afterwards. All shared similar characteristics. Flonck's design, however, is unique. – Musically and technically a fascinating exhibition piece.