Uniquely lacking decoration on its clock face, this clock was owned by Rachel and Heinrich Stieff (Steeves). When they relocated in 1763, the clock was brought with them to Canada all the way from Germany, an impressive journey for a simple cuckoo clock of the time. In fact, this clock represents one of the earliest models of the cuckoo clock known today. There is no cabinet surrounding the clockwork of this mold, which is also a characteristic of this popular design, and unfortunately, its bells and cuckoo bird have been lost to time. 

This style of cuckoo clock was first developed in the Black Forest (Schwarzwald) region of Germany around 1730. The first models comprised of wooden toothed wheels and stones as weights, as can be seen with this artefact. Due to subsequent technological advances during the 19th century, the wooden gears were eventually replaced by more accurate metallic clockworks. Typical of clocks produced in this region, most were decorated with a Black Forest scene, and on the hour, a cuckoo bird would appear out the door and a bell would sound.