Christian Ernst Kleemeyer, clock maker to the Berlin court, was the son of a master carpenter. Kleemeyer was renowned above all for his automatic instruments. It was reported that his "Musical clocks are distinguished by their beautiful tones and proper scaling" [Flötenuhren sich in Richtigkeit der Mensur und schönen Ton vorteilhaft auszeichnen"]. According to an advertisement of 1786 Kleemeyer built and sold a number of models which played melodies of differing lengths. He offered "musical and concert clocks" that were either lacquered or painted in goldleaf, with or without sculptured ornaments. The presence or absence of these features depended on the means of the client. The most expensive models were fitted with "pedestals, and attached with mirrors framed in mahogany and ornamented in goldleaf." The musical clock here is one of Kleemeyer's more expensive models. It is thought that the piece was a gift from Friedrich Wilhelm II to his court architect. The clock's barrel organ plays works from Antonio Salieri's opera of 1788 "Axur re d'Oremus." Thus the barrel organ's cylinder must have been prepared shortly after the opera was composed.
