The very first clocks of this type were built around 1640 C.E., and were made entirely of wood, including the internal gearing, and mechanisms. For this reason, they were called "wood-beam" clocks. They were first made on on a farm called "Glashof", in the Black Forest region of Germany. Clockmakers progressed in this region, eventually producing "Schilderuhr" clocks by the early 18th century, which had chimes, and minute hands, and were hand painted.

That famous "Cuckoo Sound" is attributed to Franz Anton Ketterer, of Schonwald, Germany. ( Near Triberg circa 1850).  He is the first to add the internal dual bellows to the clock, replacing the normal chime. The idea caught on, and soon other clock makers in the Black Forest region of Germany, did the same. Many improvements were later added: metalic gearvorks for instance.

Production:

Typically, clocks were made on farms, which were "snowed-in" during the winter months. The people had much time on their hands, and the designs became more elaborate, becoming not clocks, but individual colourful works of art.

During the summer months, foot peddlers, traveling from town to town, all over Europe, offered the clocks for sale. Typically, a peddler would carry the clocks using a wooden frame backpack.

The Cuckoo bird, with the automatic opening door, was added in the 19th century.

The Cuckoo clock industry then grew tremendously, starting with almost 700 clockmakers and 600 peddlers in the Black Forest of Germany, in the early 1800's, to what it is today.

But one thing has never changed.... Although some clocks have internal quartz electronic movements, for modern time accuracy....The clocks are still handmade.. No mass production, no robots.... They are still the traditional hand carved, hand painted works of art, that they always were.....