Maltese ‘Tal-Lira’ Clocks have become highly sought after, by both local and foreign collectors of antiques. The origin of the ‘Tal-Lira’ clock is clouded by many stories of popular folk with varying versions as colourful as the clocks. The Maltese clock has for centuries embellished the walls of aristocratic halls and courts, where it even found itself in various depictions of Antoine Favray’s exquisite interiors.
Through the years, ReCoop has conserved and restored many prime examples of Maltese clocks of superb quality boasting of rich craftsmanship and skill. However, a recent project of ours, did stand out from the rest. A black ‘Tal-Lira’ clock adorned with golden gilt floral motifs bearing the coat of arms pertaining to Grandmaster Marc’Antonio Zondadari. A white ribbon sash, containing the inscription “Presa del Sole d’Oro d’Algeri fatta nel coman.da del N.S.G. Anno 1721”, meanders its way around Zondadari’s coat of arms. But what does this inscription mean exactly? On the 20th of April 1721, a brave commander by the name of Fra Adriano de Langon went on to capture an Algerian vessel called the Sole d’Oro, just off the coast of Oran, in Algeria.
Chroniclers recount an hour-long naval confrontation between de Langon’s crew and the Algerian vessel, when eventually the latter gave in. A romanticised painting of the intense battle between the vessels can be seen depicted on the face of the clock’s central dial. In essence, this Maltese ‘Tal-Lira’ clock served as a memento of Langon’s naval triumph and it could’ve very well been adorning the walls of one of the protagonists responsible for the capture of the Sole D’Oro.
