The Longitude at the Eve of the Third...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 23, 1999

LOT 495

Laurent à Paris, circa 1794, the enamels attributable to the Coteau workshop.Very fine grillotte red marble, gilt bronze and enamel, eight day going, hour and half hour striking, moon phase, astronomical, skeleton, decimal and duo-decimal clock with centre seconds and complete Republican calendar.

CHF 180,000 - 220,000

C. Rectangular grillotte red marble base standing on four feet and inlaid with friezes of gilt bronze foliage. The movement is supported by a semi-circular arched frame applied with a blue enamel panel decorated with gold stars and suns and standing on four pilasters with further paillonné décoration over a blue enamel ground. D. White enamel chapter ring with Arabic numerals, outer calendar ring and inner days of the decade. Subsidiary phase of the moon at the top. Gilt brass pierced and engravd interlaced hands. Small subsidiary dial under the arch for decimal hours and minutes, Republican and Gregorian months.M. Brass, circular, with going barrels both for the going and the striking trains, pin-wheel escapement set on the back plate, plain gilt brass three-arm balance, flat balance spring. Striking on a bell with count wheel on the back plate.Signed on a cartouche above the dial.Dim. 48 x 29 x 13 cm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: * 3
Dial: 3 - 01

Notes

Decimal clocks, with full Republican calendar are very rare, because, if the Republican calendar had been in use for14 years, from September 22, 1792 to September 22, 1806, the Decimal time, established on September 22, 1792, as well, was abolished only three years later.Joseph Coteau (1740-1801) was the most eminent French enameller from the 18th century.