Collector's Pocket Watches, Wristwatc...

Noga Hilton, Geneva, Apr 12, 2003

LOT 448

Perpetual Calendar Remontoir d'Egalité LyreJean Hoff, Francfort, made for the French market, circa 1790.Exceptionally fine and extremely rare and unusual, month going, center-seconds, single barrel, Dutch hour- and half hour-striking, lyre-shaped table clock with perpetual calendar of unusual construction and 30-minute remontoir.

CHF 60,000 - 80,000

EUR 41,000 - 55,000 / USD 44,000 - 60,000

Sold: CHF 66,700

C. Lyre-shaped gilt wood frame chased with leaves, rosette at the bottom, garlands and tassels at the top, the whole on an oval gilt shaped base, the top surmounted by a sun. D. White enamel ring with upright radial Roman numerals, gold paillon outer minute ring with five-minute/seconds Arabic markers. Gilt skeletonized hands with sunburst tips. Three concentric calendar rings for months with corresponding Zodiac signs, date and days of the weeks with corresponding planets. M. Circular, 15.5 cm, skeletonized brass, large single barrel driving the striking and the remontoir, while also advancing the calendar, pin-wheel escapement, knife-edge suspension, brass pendulum with large ring bob working behind the dial, the top pointing the date, count wheel with double divisions, two bells, calendar driven via three concentric shafts with perpetual transmission controlled by four-uneven-slot wheel, striking the hours on a large bell and on the half-hour striking the hours on a small bell.Signed on dial and movement. Dim. Height 50 cm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3
Movement: 3*
Dial: 3 - 01

Notes

A very special and unusual clock. The combination of a lyre clock with a perpetual calendar is rare, and the addition of remontoir and special striking makes this clock possibly unique. The striking is quite interesting -the hours are struck on a large bell, while on the half hours the hour is repeated, but on a small bell with different pitch, thus showing not only that the half hour has passed, but also which one. Lyre clocks, typically French, were popular during the Louis XVI period. The prsent clock is particularly unusual, however. Another spectacular lyre clock, but of different construction, was presented by Jean II Fol (see lot 447) to the Académie des Sciences in 1788.This clock is based on French design but follows German horological tradition, possibly as requested by a French patron.It is very well-executed clock by a member of a well known German horological family. One of them, George Hoff, probably the brother of Jean, moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania and became the only American horologist making musical clocks. His son continued the tradition.