Exceptional Horological Works of Art

Geneva, Oct 19, 2002

LOT 52

Brosse à Bordeaux (France), circa 1840. Very rare, highly unusual, fine gilt brass and marble table regulator with escapement à coup perdu, overhanging pendulum and highly unusual power system.

CHF 100,000 - 150,000

EUR 65,000 - 100,000

C. Carrara marble base of six molded rectangular pieces, separated by gilt brass, four fluted columns with twisted finials, four steel rod frame finished with white marble top with four torch finials at the corners and one larger one at the top, the bottom of the frame fitted with gilt brass structure holding two pear-shaped weights. D. Silvered, champlevé Roman numerals, outer minute track, subsidiary seconds at the top. Unusual "Cardinal stick" and "poker" blued steel hands. M. Brass, two weights wound by a chain and system of pulleys and cords, five-wheel train, chronometer escapement, ruby impulse pallet, overhanging mercury pendulum, spring suspension. Signed on the dial. Diam. Height 125 cm, width 50 cm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3 - 21 - 01

Notes

Brosse à Bordeaux. In 1817, he worked in Allée de Tourny, in 1819 on Rue de l?Esprit des Lois, and from 1821 to 1834 on Rue des Fossés de l?Intendance. This very interesting and unusual French watchmaker and clockmaker is known for making a number of unusual clocks and watches. One of his clocks is known to have a stationary pendulum and swinging case, in another the power is supplied by an outer steel cross bow put into tension by two chains wound on a drum set on the center wheel. Many years later American clocks used this system. Brosse made some precision watches with spring detent escapement (see Antiquorum, April 21, 1990, lot 397) which are quite different from the norm adopted by most of his peers. There are three of his marine chronometers known (one at the Musée des Arts et Métiers, the others sold by Anti-quorum, April 12, 1997, lot 231 and the next lot of this sale). In 1844, he won a Silver Medal at the Exposition des Produits de l?Industrie Française for an unusual clock with constant force escapement. Brosse was a highly talented mechanic; all his surviving clocks and watches prove this. Five of them are in the Musée des Arts et Métiers. They all show a very individual and sometimes unique approach. Brosse apparently had a very inquisitive mind which made it easy for him to come up with innovative ideas and equally easy to implement them in a clock or a watch (see Antiquorum: April 21, 1990, lot 397; April 12, 1997, lot 231 and November 11, 2001, lot 52, a + b). The Musée des Arts et Métiers in Paris has the largest collection of Brosse?s work (5 pieces). This collection features mostly regulators, all different and with highly unusual and sophisticated escapements, including different forms of detent escapements for clocks and constant force escapement. The collection also includes a marine chronometer. Two pocket chronometers, two slim watches with experimental cylinder escapement, and three other clocks (including this lot and the next one) are known to exist in private collections . One of the highly unusual clocks so characteristic of Brosse?s work. At the 1844 Exposition des Produits de l?Industrie Française, the Jury, which awarded Brosse a Silver Medal, noted a clock by him with overhanging mercury pendulum "giving impulse by the bob", similarly to our clock.