Bass clef oddity

[John Ruggero]

The following style of secondary bass clef appears throughout the first edition of Beethoven's three piano sonatas op. 10. It's evidently designed to save space, since the secondary clefs are the same size as the primary ones:

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This was a period during which the position of secondary clefs was not yet standardized and one can see them in various odd places. Even on top of bar lines!

[NeeraWM]

Are you referring to the bass clef having the clef to the left and the dots to the right of the barline?

[John Ruggero]

Yes I am, NeeraWM. Have you seen this?

[NeeraWM]

Never seen this before, but it is a brilliant strategic choice from the copyist.
The space taken by clef changes is often cause of uncomfortable situations and being able to use part of the "space before first note in bar" with this would help in tight scenarios.