Importantes Montres de Collection

Geneva, Nov 13, 2011

LOT 479

COMMINGES, EMPIRE PORTICO PRECISION CLOCK WITH REGULATOR DIAL AND BAROMETER Comminges, Palais Royal 62 (Paris). Made circa 1825. Very fine, large and impressive, Empire, gilt-bronze, 8-day going, hour and half-hour striking portico clock with center-seconds, visible pin-wheel escapement, regulator dial and gridiron pendulum with aneroid barometer.

CHF 8,500 - 10,500

USD 9,200 - 11,500 / EUR 7,000 - 8,600

Sold: CHF 13,281

C. Massive, gilt bronze, four Corinthian columns supporting a classical entablature, stepped rectangular base mounted with interlaced wreaths, acanthus bezel, block feet. D. Regulator-type, matte silvered, small meantime dial with radial Roman numerals, outer minute track, outer silvered seconds chapter ring with Arabic numerals, the escapement mounted in the center. M. 13 cm., circular gilt-brass, large going barrels for both trains, pin-wheel escapement, 9-rod steel and brass gridiron pendulum with spring suspension, rating nut, large brass bob inset with an aneroid barometer with silvered scale. Dial signed. Dim. 64 x 32 x 18.8 cm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 2*

Very good

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

Good

HANDS Original

Notes

Comminges Recorded by Tardy as working at Palais Royal between 1820 and 1830. The Pin-Wheel Escapement This escapement was particularly popular in France and was invented by Louis Amant in 1741. The teeth of the escape wheel are replaced by pins standing vertically from the plane of the wheel. A swinging pair of levers attached to the pendulum allows the pins to ?escape? one by one; this also impulses the pendulum. The pin-wheel escapement is quite accurate and only needs a small pendulum arc making it suitable for precision clocks. Gridiron Pendulum The rod is composed of separate bars of brass and steel rods having different coefficients of expansion, so that the pendulum has the same length at any temperature. John Harrison used 9 bars of brass and steel when he fi rst introduced the design in 1729. Some gridiron pendulums use fewer rods and different metals.