Important Modern and Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, Mar 27, 2011

LOT 7

Cleret ? The Golden Harbor Musical Automaton Clock A. Cleret à Paris, No. 7869. Made circa 1840. Very fine and rare, musical, gilt-bronze, bronze and inlaid rosewood, 8-day going, hour and half-hour striking table clock with rocking ship automaton and playing six tunes in sequence at will. Accompanied by a glass shade.

C. Gilt-bronze in the form of a rocky outcrop above a harbour surmounted and flanked by fortifications and buildings, bronze palm tree and two cannons to the side, the harbor walls above rocky outcrop, fabric "sea" where the ship rides the waves driven by a separate movement to the music, polished rosewood base containing the musical movement inlaid with mythical sea monsters and buildings, pull-levers to start the automaton and the music. D. Silvered with radial Roman numerals, outer minute track. Steel Breguet hands. M. 80 mm., gilt brass, going barrels for both trains, anchor escapement, silk suspension, brass bob pendulum with steel rod, outside countwheel striking on a bell. Musical Movement: large brass pinned cylinder playing with 82 tuned steel teeth on a single comb, massive spring barrel, fly governor. Independent automaton movement mounted above with large going barrel, three-wheel train and fly governor. Clock movement signed A. Cleret, Paris. Automation movement inscribed "Breveté Pidaine Aine". Dim. 56 x 42 x 25.5 cm.