The Longitude at the Eve of the Third...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 23, 1999

LOT 49

Barraud, Maker to the Royal Navy, 41 Cornhill, London, No. 2736, circa 1850.Very fine, small, rosewood, 56 hour going marine chronometer with power reserve indicator and Lund's middle temperature error compensation.

CHF 25,000 - 30,000

C. Three body rosewood box, with brass stringing and sunk brass handles, all the edges and corners protected by heavy brass inlay, the glazed upper section with hinged lid. Brass bowl and gimballed suspension. D. Silvered with Roman numerals, subsidiary seconds and Up-and-Down scale, applied with gilt bronze Royal shields. Gold "spade" hands.M. Brass full plate with cylindrical pillars secured by screws, the back plate relieved for the barrel, fusee with chain and maintaining power, Earnshaw type spring detent escapement, two-arm balance with a wedge weight, timing screws and one of Lund's patent correcting weight, giving continuous auxiliary compensation. Free sprung blued steel helical balance spring with terminal curves; diamond end-stone.Dial diam. 100 mm.Dim. 18 x 17 x 17 cm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent

Case: 4

Fair

Movement: * 4 - 5
Dial: 4 - 5 - 01

Notes

According to Anthony Randall, in The Time Museum Catalogue of Chronometers, 1991, p. 72, John Richard Lund (1815-1868), Barraud's partner, was granted patent No. 9969 for his middle temperature error compensation on November 25, 1843. The patent was enrolled on May 1st, 1844. The device is fitted to an ordinary bimetallic chronometer balance usually in place of only one of the compensating weights. Its purpose is to remove middle temperature, or secondary error of compensation. This device presets the great advantage that it can be fitted on any regular chronometer compensation balance, but it is expensive and difficult to produce and even more difficult to adjust; it was therefore never adopted by other makers.Barraud. The Barraud family was of Huguenot origin, Philip Barraud, merchant, being listed in the Naturalization Act of 1704. The first watch-maker of the family was Francis-Gabriel (1727-1795), whose two eldest sons Paul-Philip (1752-1820) and John (dates unknown) were working with their father by 1780, although Paul-Philip seems also to have traded independently. After narrowly escaping bankruptcy in 1788, he resumed independent activity and after his father's death he was associated with Geore Jamison and William Howells in an attempt to produce a hybrid version of Mudge's time-keeper. Although this venture failed, Barraud continued the manufacture of chronometers, both box and pocket, and it was for these that he was to become famous. Member of the Clockmakers' Company from 1796 to 1813, he was Master in 1810 and 1811. Of his seven children, Frederick Joseph (1785-1859) and John (1790 - 1840) seem to have been working with him by 1814. Alongside the Barraud's production of chronomeers a range of other clocks and watches were produced, and a major business was the exportation of plain and musical clocks to China and India, a business which was continued by their successors and which eventually led to the establishment of a branch of the firm in Calcutta. In 1838 the chronometer-maker John Richard Lund was taken into partnership, and with the death of the last horological Barraud, Hilton Paul, in 1880, the business reverted entirely to the Lund family. Inventive and adaptabe they maintained the hightraditions of the firm, easily keeping abreast of new developments such as those in electrical horologyand in telegraphy, J.-R. Lund being particularly interested in synchronous horology.Main styles with dates of Barraud/Barraud & Lund:Barraud c. 1750-1779Barraud to c. 1795Barraud Cornhill to c. 1809Barraud Cornhill to c. 1838Barraud & Lund Cornhill to c. 1844Barraud & Lund 41 Cornhill to c. 1860Barraud & Lund 41 Cornhill to c. 1864Barrauds & Lund 41 Cornhill to c. 1880Barrauds & Lund 49 Cornhill to c. 1892Barrauds & Lund 26 Cornhill 1892-1893Barrauds & Lund 14 Bishopsgate St. within 1893-1907Barrauds & Lund 12 Bishopsgate St. within 1907-1910Barrauds & Lund 14 Bishopsgate St. within 1910-1929Literature:- Cedric Jagger, Paul Philip Barraud, London, 1968 & Paul Philip Barraud, the Supplement, Ticehurst, 1979.- Enid Barraud, Barraud, the Story of a Family, London, 1967.Edward John Dent, (1790-1853). Celebrated maker of watches, clocks, chronometers and regulators. After starting life as a tallow chandler, Dent went over to watchmaking. From 1815 to 1829, he was employed by the Vulliamy's and the Barraud's. In 1830 he entered into a partnership with J. R. Arnold. In 1840 he set up on his own account at 33 Cockspur Street, London. He was the builder of "Big Ben", the famous Westminster clock. He made many fine chronometers and watches as well as others of a highcommercial grade. The firm as E. Dent & Co. Ltd. survived at 41 Pall Mall, London until relatively recently.