Guilmet Automanton Lighthouse Clock and Barometer

An automaton lighthouse compendium by Andre Guilmet dating from circa 1880. This exceptional novelty clock and barometer in the form of a lighthouse the ‘Lamphouse’ housing the clock and barometer, rotates 360 degrees imitating the action of a lighthouse.

The timepiece eight day movement is governed by a high quality platform escapement behind the distinctive two tone Guilmet dial used on many clocks from his industrial and maritime series, with a silvered roman dial nad gilded matted centre with blued steel spear hands. The aneroid Barometer fills the opposite dial with the same two tone dial. Between the two dials are a pair of spirit thermometrs with Celsius Reaumur and Fahrenheit scales. The clock dial is also signed Glauert Buxton, for the jeweller Edward Glauert of Buxton who would have originally retailed this clock. The action of the lighthouse is powered by a seperate clockwork mechanism wound from the base.

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.

43cm H x 16cm W x 16cm D