Guilmet Automaton Windmill Clock and Barometer

A novelty automaton clock compendium by Andre Guilmet in the form of a windmill. The Silver plated and gilded case houses an eight day timepiece with a platform escapement an aneroid barometer and two thermometers with Celsius Reaumur and Fahrenheit scales. The silver plated sales are powered by a seperate mechanis, that is wound via the gilded door at the base of the windmill.

The clock dial has the disinctive two tone silvered roman chapter ring and gilded matted centre usd by Guilmet and the blued steel hands. This model is documented in ‘Mystery, Novelty & Fantasy Clocks’ By Derek Roberts 1999, Fig 22-28(B).

André Romain Philéas Guilmet was an obsessive inventor who took out many patents for designs, both horological and others. It was Guilmet who in 1868, in collaboration with Edouard Meyer, first placed a driving chain on a bicycle, set below the seat to drive the rear wheels, and so produced the first bicycle powered in the method that is standard on all machines.

Guilmet is recorded as not just an horologer, but also a bijoutier (jeweller) and doreur (gilder). Under the entry for Doreurs in the 1861 almanach he is described thus: horologer, bijouterie, orfeverie argentes de la maison Christolfe, Fbg-St. Martin, 103 et 108; an horologer, jeweller and silversmith supplying the well-known Parisian jewellers and silversmiths, the Maison Christolfe; The additional entry under Horologers describing him as a clockmaker only. Guilmet was an active member of the Chambre Syndicale, along with A.H. Rodanet, Paul Garnier and other well-known horologists. (Derek Roberts).

This is an automaton clock of the highest calibre.

This clock comes with our two year guarantee.

46cm H x 28.5 cm W x 19m D