This winder or cranequin was for Prince Elector Augustus I, a member of the ruling elite in the Holy Roman Empire. Augustus, powerful and wealthy, had even the most practical instruments ornately decorated, including this cranequin.
Title: Cranequin with Arms of Elector Augustus I of Saxony
Date Created: c. 1553–73
Physical Dimensions: Rack: 34.4 cm (13 9/16 in.); Crank: 27 cm (10 5/8 in.); Gear housing: 14.2 cm (5 9/16 in.)
Provenance: Richard Zschille (1847-1903), Leipzig, Germany, Frank Gair Macomber (1849-1941), Boston, MA, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH