Exceptional Horological Works of Art

Geneva, Oct 19, 2002

LOT 49

Pierre Jaquet Droz, A la Chaux-de-Fonds, circa 1770. Extremely fine and rare, red tortoiseshell veneered and ormolu eight day-going, hour and half-hour striking and hour-repeating musical bracket clock with eight tunes playing on the hour or on demand.

CHF 90,000 - 110,000

EUR 60,000 - 70,000

C. Rectangular, tortoiseshell veneered brass mounted with gilt bronze vine branch applied on the canted corners, rocaille feet, the pediment with pine-cone finials and surmounted by a fine gilt bronze branch of foliage and flowers, the side panel with gilt brass frets, and external bronze handles, left panel with tune indicator, right panel with repeating cord. D. White enamel with radial Roman numerals and outer Arabic minute ring. Gilt brass Louis XV hands. The gilt brass dial plate with applied gilt bronze foliage scrolls beneath the dial, below six o?clock aperture for music/silence. M. Brass, rectangular, with cylindrical pillars, fusee with chain, verge escapement, half seconds-beating pendulum with silk suspension. Striking train with fusee and chain, the count wheel on the back plate. Striking and repeating on a bell, the pull-cord repeating train with rack and levers on the back plate. Musical movement: brass, set below the going train, double fusee and double chain, wooden cylinder with brass pins, bellows with twelve pewter pipes, fly governor with two adjustable blades. A disc on the left side panel allows the tune selection. Signed on the movement, the mainspring signed G. Langin, known to be the spring maker of the Jaquet Droz workshop. Dim. 84 x 44 x 26 cm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3 - 01

Notes

Only two other clock of this type are known to exist, one in a Swiss private collection, the other in the Musée International d'Horlogerie in La Chaux-de-Fonds). The clock is exceptionally well-made, the double barrel and double fusee arrangement for the music assuring long duration. The heavy compacted brass movement is typical of Jaquet-Droz, the case is also exceptionally well made. During this period Jaquet-Droz was the only one in Switzerland making complicated musical clocks.