The Longitude at the Eve of the Third...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 23, 1999

LOT 42

Delépine Jeune, (27, rue Coquillière), Paris, compteur pour observation made for the Exposition des produits de l'industrie française en 1844, the second of the instruments mentioned by the Jury Central for the attribution of the Silver Medal.Very fine and large silver watch with early split-centre seconds recorder.

CHF 25,000 - 30,000

C. Four body, massive, "forme quatre baguettes", by Jules Frédéric Favre (Master mark), engine-turned. Hinged silver cuvette. D. Frosted silver eccentric with Roman numerals, outer Arabic centre seconds ring on border of the bezel. Blued steel Breguet hands.M. 21''', gilt brass, bar calibre with going barrel,15 jewels, counterpoised lateral lever escapement, cut bimetallic balance, Breguet balance spring. Early split-seconds recorder operated by means of a single pull-twist piston through the pendant.Signed on the dial and cuvette.Diam. 55 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 4 - 15
Movement: * 4 - 5
Dial: 4 - 6

Notes

This compteur pour observation is mentioned in the report made by the Jury Central of the Exposition des produits de l'industrie Française in 1844, together with the pocket chronometer above, in order to justify the awarded Silver Medal. The mechanism of this recorder is very similar to that invented by Winnerl in 1838, but improved for a centre seconds application. The two seconds hands are set in motion by means of the pull-twit piston through the pendant, one of them can be stopped at will bydepressing the same button and catches up the other one left in motion, once released by the same device. This mechanism was described in the Bulletin de la Société d'encouragement pour l'Industrie Nationale, 1843, pp. 195 and 196, pl. 893.Photocopies of the relevant document will be supplied to the buyer of this lot.Exposition des produits de l'industrie Française en 1844Rapport du Jury CentralM. Delépine, à Paris, rue Coquillière, 27.Nous terminerons la nomenclature des noms des horlogers qui cette année ont exposé des pièces de haute horlogerie, par celui deM. Delépine.Un chronomètre de poche bien exécuté, ainsi qu'un ingénieux compteur pour observation, attestent l'habileté de cet horloger dans la pratique de l'art qu'il exerce depuis longtemps pour le compte d'autrui; aujourd'hui, M. Delépine se présente directement.Le jury le juge très digne d'une médaille d'argent.