A FINE GERMAN RENAISSANCE GILT COPPER, STEEL AND BRASS ALARM TABLE CLOCK WITH AUTOMATON STAMPED WITH MAKER'S INITIALS A.S. POSSIBLY FOR ABRAHAN SCHTER, AUGSBERG, CIRCA 1580The substantial posted steel movement with brass fees and pinned flanged caps for the steel-walled spring barrels, the back-wound going train now with verge escapement regulated by short bob pendulum swinging in-front of the dial, the strike train of single-arbor warnless type with nag's head lifting, shaped cam overlift and sounding via a vertically pivoted hammer the hours on a bell positioned within the domed superstructure above, the alarm with open coil-spring set beneath verge crownwheel for the vertical hammer arbor sounding on the hour bell and released via interconnected sprung detents positioned both behind the dial and directly beneath the bell, the balter-alarm alarm pivot bar engraved with pendant drapery around a cartouche containing initials A S over pineapple town mark for Augsberg, the gilt copper dial with central alarm setting disc within an applied Roman numeral chapter ring incorporating squat wheatear half hour markers over lower section relief decorated with fruit inhabited strapwork, the architectural case with crescent-capped obelisk finial to a circular open-work balter gallery containing polychrome painted wood figure of an acrobat who pivots back-and-forth along with the action of the hour hammer, set on top of a domed cupola decorated with alternating bands of matted and burnished gilt fish-scale tiles and incorporating arch-pierced gallery between moulded collars to lower edge and flanked by conforming obelisk finials applied onto foliate scroll engraved platforms to angles, withplex moulded cornice and square section architectural pillars to angles decorating with engraved guilloche scrolls to shafts, the side panels further repose decorated with fruiting foliage within strapwork, the rear conforming but with applied rosette-centred strike indication dial and pair of winding holes, on elaborate canted base decorated in high relief with alternating panels of foliate strapwork incorporating acanth bordered cartouches at the angles, onpressed bun feet.39.5cm (15.5ins) high, 19.5cm (7.75ins) square.Research undertaken by Jurgen Abeler notes several clockmakers with initials 'A.S.' working in Germany throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, however he only one, Abraham Scter is recorded by him as working in Augsberg at the time the current lot was made.When considering the potential date of the current lot a cursory survey of dated German Renaissance table clock movements made during the second half of the 16th century reveals that the e of brass within the mechanism became more widespread as the century progressed. Initially brass was employed jt for the fees, spring barrel walls, then also for the movement pivot plates, and finally (by around 1600-20) for the wheelwork as well. With this in mind the current movement (ing