Antiquorum in Love, Impotant Horology...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Nov 16, 1997

LOT 30

A.B. (Achille Brocot), No. 310, French, circa 1890. Very fine and highly unusual four coloured bronze, hour and half hour striking and repeating carriage clock.

CHF 15,000 - 20,000

USD 10,000 - 14,000

Sold: CHF 26,450

C. Gilt and oxidised bronze, "Anglaise riche " , the fluted columns with oxidised acanthus leaf decoration, glazed on the top and back door, the bronze side panels chased in high relief and four colours with scenes of Shakespearean Tragedies. D. White enamel with Roman numerals. Blued steel decorated en suite with Roman numerals on a gilt chapter ring. Blued-steel "fuseaux" hands. The dial plate decoration matching that of the side panels. M. Brass, rectangular with going barrels both on the going and the striking train, platform with lateral lever escapement, cut bimetallic balance, blued-steel flat balance spring. Striking and repeating on a gong with button on the top. Signed with the Trade Mark "A.B" within a star. Dim. 16 x 11 x 9.5 cm., excluding the handle.

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Image

Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent

Case: 2

Very good

Movement: 2

Very good

Dial: 2-51

Very good

Partially reprinted

Notes

"Shakespe et 1'Amour" The elaborate case is derived from "Anglaise Riche" the top and bottom are multi-tired and are developed into block feet at the four corners. The fluted columns at the four corners have floral decoration to their centres - the same decoration features at the centre of the handle. The left hand panel is from "Romeo and Juliet" and shows Romeo climbing down the rope ladder after his night with Juliet. The right hand panel which has finely detailed buildings in the background is taken from "Othello" Act I, Scene III, when Othello is addressing the Duke. The lower half of the panel surrounding the dial is the wooing scene from "Henry V", Act V, Scene II. The upper half of the dial panel shows a beautifully detailed street scene with flags flying and a couple walking, which is certainly drawn from "The Merry Wives of Windsor"; It seems extremely likely that this fascinating clock must have been a special commission, possibly for one of the well known Shakespearean actors or producers of that time, depicting as it does various scenes from his plays, using many different castings, predominantly gold, silver, copper and bronze, in high relief. The detail is superb and such clocks must have been extremely time consuming and expensive to produce. We gratefully acknowledge M. Derek Roberts who kindly made the researches to identify the Shakespearean scenes chased on this clock.