Important Collectors’ Watches, Pocket...

Geneva, Oct 14, 2007

LOT 384

?Eight-Tune Organ Clock? Swiss, probably Jaquet Droz. Made circa 1770. Very fine and extremely rare, polychrome painted wood and gilt bronze, 8-day going musical table clock with hour and quarter-hour striking, fifteen-pipe organ playing a selection of seven tunes on the hour or at will.

C. Wood, painted with flower sprigs and garlands, broken-arch pediment and bell-top with fringed gilt bronze edging, gilt bronze balustrade and finials, urn top finial, naturalistic rococo mounts, hinged side doors with sound paterae sound frets, hinged gilt bronze handles, rococo scroll and flower feet, glazed front and back doors. D. White enamel, convex, radial Roman numerals, outer dot minute divisions and Arabic five-minute numerals, gilt painted mask decorated with painted en grisaille foliate scrollwork and a female profile, aperture for the tune selection lever. Pierced and engraved gilt brass hands. M. 14.5 x 13.5 cm., gilt brass, four pillar, spring barrels for the going and striking trains, verge escapement, brass bob pendulum with silk suspension, striking with two hammers on two bells mounted above the movement, strikework on the backplate, Neuchateloise external locking plate. Organ: Massive gilt brass, fusee and chain driving the wooden pinned cylinder, fusee and wire for the rectangular bellows, fly governor with two adjustable blades, 15 pipes playing a selection of seven tunes, pull cord release in the side, lever for play/silent above. Dim. 85 x 44 x 32 cm.