An important exhibition dedicated to tower clocks opened on 29 August in Almé (Bergamo), open until 20 September.
Fifty exhibits, all in working order, mostly from the collection of the curators, brothers Ivano and Mauro Sonzogni, restorers and watchmakers.
The exhibition found a perfect home in the old church of San Giovanni Battista, now used as a cultural space. Enthusiasts were able to admire tower clocks from the 16th to the 20th century, mostly of Italian origin, including the famous Terrile, Miroglio, Frassoni, Solari to name but a few of the best-known names in industrial watchmaking, along with many vintage pieces.
A beautiful reconstruction of the internal structure of a tower clock, complete with the transmission of motion from the mechanism to the dials (called 'quadrature' in jargon) and the operation of the bells, by the Sonzogni brothers, provides an understanding of how a tower clock works. Also beautiful are two central Italian clocks, characterised by the giant partition.
Also on display were various tools and equipment that once formed the watchmaker's indispensable kit.
Insiders did not fail to notice the presence of rare pieces of great Bergamasque watchmaking: the Casari, Castiglioni, Paganini and Gritti's Opus Miraguli are virtually unobtainable on the antiques market.
The Sonzogni brothers' passion did not come from nowhere: as early as the middle of the 18th century, Pietro Sonzogno, their ancestor, practised the art of watchmaking in Sussia, a mountain hamlet of San Pellegrino Terme. Their watchmaking business, based in Almè at Viale Papa Giovanni 15, is now in its third generation, having been preceded by their father Antonio and grandfather Battista. In their shop they are assisted by their indefatigable mother, a fervent supporter of Mauro and Ivano's love of large-scale watchmaking.
Photo 1: The Almé tower clock exhibition was held in the former church of San Giovanni Battista. The influx of visitors, whether curious, interested or experts in the field, was remarkable.
Photo 2: Mauro and Ivano Sonzogni, collectors and restorers, and organisers of the exhibition. The Sonzogni family's watchmaking tradition dates back to the mid-18th century. In the picture, they proudly display perhaps the most prestigious piece in terms of age and rarity in the exhibition: a 16th century clock still complete with its original foliot.
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