A TRIBUTE TO PRECISION AND COMPLICATE...

Hotel Nogalhilton Geneve, Nov 11, 2001

LOT 59

Precision TimekeeperBerthoud Frères, No. 215, circa 1818.Rare marine chronometer en forme de tabatière made in Louis Berthoud's workshop after his death, under the direction of Henri Motel.

CHF 13,000 - 18,000

USD 8,000 - 11,000

Sold: CHF 21,850

C. Two-body mahogany box with slide on the lid over the glazed observation aperture. Brass gimbal with a leaded bowl lined with velvet. Brass case en forme de tabatière. D. Silvered regulator type, with small Roman chapter for hours, subsidiary seconds below, outer Arabic minute ring on the border of the bezel. Blued steel Breguet hands. M. Frosted and gilt, full plate, fully jeweled, with conical pillars secured by nuts with washers. Fusee with chain, maintaining power, Louis Berthoud type pivoed detent escapement, three-arm compensation balance, with three wedged weights and timing screws, blued steel conical balance spring.Signed on the dial, the back plate and the dial rim. Dial diam. 80 mm.


LOADING IMAGES
Click to full view
Image
Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3 - 5 - 6*
Dial: 3 - 5 - 6 - 01

Notes

Although it was made after Louis Berthoud's death, this chronometer is identical to that produced in his workshop as early as 1800.This chronometer illustrated in detail by J.-C. Sabrier in "La Longitude en mer à l'heure de Louis Berthoud et de Henri Motel", Antiquorum Editions, Geneva, 1993, pp. 307, 308, 309.Berthoud Frères.Louis Berthoud had two sons: One, Jean-Louis-Simon-Henri, usually called Louis like his father, was born at Argenteuil 7 October 1793 and died at Argenteuil on 15 April 1880. On 17 April 1819 he married Thérèse Joly, daughter of a watch-case maker. The other, Charles-Auguste, born at Argenteuil 17 November 1798, died on 15 February 1876. He married Henriette-Pauline Joly, the second daughter of the watch-case maker, on 26 January 1822.When Berthoud died suddenly on 18 September 1813, his widow appealed to Motel to run the workshop and complete the training of her two sons. Following the departure of Motel, the family workshop continued making marine watches in the same tradition under the trade name of Berthoud Frères. The two brothers divided the work between them. The elder, Louis looked after the retail outlet in Paris, and Charles-Auguste directed the workshop at Argenteuil. The chronometers produced by their manufactureere noticed at the exhibition of 1819. At the exhibitions of 1823 and 1827 the jury awarded them the Silver Medal. Jean-Louis-Simon-Henri, Berthoud abandoned chronometry to devote himself to the retail business. Charles-Auguste continued making chronometers, retaining the same caliber.