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'The writing hand' is a mechanical instrument created by Friedrich von Knauss in 1764.

The mechanism of the clockwork moves a hand which dips the pen into the inkstand and writes the phrase "Huic Domui Deus / Nec metas rerum / Nec tempora ponat" ["May God not impose ends or deadlines on this house"] on a small card. On the silver-coating on the mechanism are the words "Pro patria". The instrument is dedicated by the craftsman Friedrich von Knauss to the House of Lorraine, which ruled at that time in Tuscany.

The object is housed in Room 10 of the Museo Galileo in Florence (inventory no. 3195). It is made of copper and silver and measures 680mm x 1000mm.