Important Collectors’ Wristwatches Po...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Apr 22, 1995

LOT 162

The highly complicate planetary dock of Monsieur Pouvillon Paul Pouvillon, Masterpiece made between 1930 and 1939. Highly complicate astronomical weight driven skeleton planetary dock.

CHF 0 - 0

Sold: CHF 226,250

C. Black painted base containing the weight and the pendulum. The structure divided in three cages, secured on two polished columns. D. 48 chapter rings and dials and apertures, giving the position of the sun, the moon and other plants, hours minutes and seconds, the dates, days of the week, the months and the years, the seasons, signs of the zodiac, the golden number, the mobil feasts (including the date of Easter), time-zones, the equinoxes etc... The first wheel of the 12 wheel and pinion equinox train revolves in 23 sidereal hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds, the last one, showing the movement of the hearth's axis makes its own revolution in 25'806 years. The solar time with sun-and-planet gearing is displayed by a miniature mystery dock at the top of a glass tube, constructed in the manner Robert-Houdin's most elaborate creation, Sun-rise and Sun-set times are given together with the length of days and nights, a map of the sky, for the northern hemisphere, drawn on a glass disc, gives the position of the different constellations. M. End-less rope weight driven going train with Graham type pin-wheel dead beat escapement, wooden rod seconds beating pendulum with spring suspension. Endless rope weight driven striking train with count wheel, striking o a bell. Signed on the base. In very good condition. Dim. 147 x 56 x 47 cm.


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Begun in 1930, this outstanding dock of more than 1500 hand made pieces, was exhibited for the fist time in 1939, but in 1948, Paul Pouvillon was still improving its mechanism with additional dials. It is described by Bernard Miclet in the bulletin of A.N.C.A.H.A. No. 43 Summer 1985. A copy of the article is coming with the dock which can be considered as the most complicated known to exist. Paul Pouvillon was Born in Nogent-sur-Oise on 24 January 1878, after his apprenticeship he undertook the "Tour de France", from Dieppe to Pau, working withl4 different masters. In 1896 he was awarded with a bronze medal at the exhibition of Besançon and in 1902 settled in Nogent as clock-maker. He was awarded a silver medal in Paris in 1939 for his planetary dock, with the title of "Meilleur Ouvrier de France". "Chevalier de l'Ordre National du Travail" in 1943, he is awarded with the "Palmes Academiques in 1947 and made "Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur" on 9 August 1948. He died on 9 August 1969. Planetary at the top: Revolving above an horizontal dial giving the date of mobile feasts: Easter, Cendres, Mi- Carème, Trinité, Assention, Rameaux, Pentecôte, Fête Dieu etc..., taking in account the relative variation of the position of the Zodiac signs resulting of the Equinoxes precession (within 2000 years, the Equinox is 30° slow and the Zodiac signs are one step fast according to position of the sun in the constellations. Front face: Main dial with 5 hands for hours minute and seconds of the legal time, hours and minutes of the local time. The solar time is displayed by the miniature glass mystery dock above, with behind it, a small chapter ring for the leap-year cycle. Left side : Three dial at the top for the months, the seasons and the signs of the zodiac. Chapter ring below with two sectors, for sun-rise and sun-set time with visual indication of the length of night and day. Six small chapters below for Ecclésisatical Compuct: Epacte, Golden Number, Solar cycle, Domenical lettre, Indiction and and week-day for the next 1st of January. Central aperture for the date of Easter. Right side: Three small dials at the top for the days of theweek, the symbol of their planets, the third giving the position of the sun above the horizon. Lunar calendar below with revolving moon showing its phases. 24 pour chapter ring below with inner annual calendar ring for months and dates and a map of the sky, for the northern hemisphere, drawn on a glass dise, revolving once a year, giving the position of the different constellations.