An early French one piece carriage clock in an engraved case with large glass panels. The eight day movement striking the hours and the halves on a steel bell. with A crisp white enamel roman dial and Breguet style blued steel moon hands. The movement is regulated by an unusual escapement.
The club toothed straight line lever escapement of the platform with a circular subframe, is similar to those first employed by Bolviller. It is planted deeply into the movement of the clock in order to accomodate the height of the sub-frame and balance bridge. The brass and steal bimetallic balance is “cut’ in order to compensate for temperature variations the wedge shaped brass blocks and timing screws show the influence of Thomas Earnshaw’s chronometer escapements, indeed the balance has a helical spring. This type of escapement was developed in Paris in the 1840’s and fell out of favour for more cost effective platforms by the 1850’s. Similar excamples by Bolviller, Jules and Auguste are illustrated in “Carriage Clocks, Their history and development “ by Charles Allix and Peter Bennert (p72). Other indications that this clock is an early example can been seen in the high position of the the spring barrel, the pin wheel striking system and the style of the case, suggesting a dat between 1840-1850.
The Mottu family of clock makers originated in Geneva Switzerland before emigrating to London and then Paris in the 18th Century, active between 1780 and the mid nineteenth century they were renowned for making high quality watches and clocks.
This clock will be overhauled before delivery and comes with our two year guarantee.
17cm H (with handle) x 10cm W x 8cm deep.
An early French one piece carriage clock in an engraved case with large glass panels. The eight day movement striking the hours and the halves on a steel bell. with A crisp white enamel roman dial and Breguet style blued steel moon hands. The movement is regulated by an unusual escapement.
The club toothed straight line lever escapement of the platform with a circular subframe, is similar to those first employed by Bolviller. It is planted deeply into the movement of the clock in order to accomodate the height of the sub-frame and balance bridge. The brass and steal bimetallic balance is “cut’ in order to compensate for temperature variations the wedge shaped brass blocks and timing screws show the influence of Thomas Earnshaw’s chronometer escapements, indeed the balance has a helical spring. This type of escapement was developed in Paris in the 1840’s and fell out of favour for more cost effective platforms by the 1850’s. Similar excamples by Bolviller, Jules and Auguste are illustrated in “Carriage Clocks, Their history and development “ by Charles Allix and Peter Bennert (p72). Other indications that this clock is an early example can been seen in the high position of the the spring barrel, the pin wheel striking system and the style of the case, suggesting a dat between 1840-1850.
The Mottu family of clock makers originated in Geneva Switzerland before emigrating to London and then Paris in the 18th Century, active between 1780 and the mid nineteenth century they were renowned for making high quality watches and clocks.
This clock will be overhauled before delivery and comes with our two year guarantee.
17cm H (with handle) x 10cm W x 8cm deep.
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