Important Watches, Wristwatches and C...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Apr 18, 1998

LOT 144

Mathieu Planchon, Paris, No. 1477, circa 1895. Very fine and unique, one month going, expanding fan clock.

CHF 30,000 - 40,000

Sold: CHF 34,500

C. The fan "a la brisee" is made of thirteen ivory light sticks linked by a blue silk ribbon with gilt decoration and painted with a scene depicting Ulysse and Diomedes, discovering Achilles, dressed as a maiden, between the daughters of Lycomedes. It is pivoted as an ordinary folding fan and applied on a velvet covered strut. Each of the sticks, is painted with an Arabic hour chapter. The time is shown by a serpent shaped index on the first stick on the left, whilst the fan unfolds stick by stick and flies back when fully developed, driven through the pivot by the movement, fitted on the back of the strut, in a giltbrass box with hinged back door. M. Large brass rectangular, with cylindrical pillars and large going barrel, pointed tooth lateral lever escapement with bimetallic balance and Breguet balance spring. Mechanism on the back plate, driving the development and folding back of the fan by means of a cam, a spring loaded lever and rack and pinion. Signed on the back door and back plate of the movement. Dim. of the strut: 24 x 39 x 15 cm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 4

Fair
Movement: *2

Very good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 21

Period

Notes

The hours are shown from 6 in the morning to (3 in the evening and then the fan folds back to show the hours from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., chapter 12 for noon and midnight being painted on the central stick. This fan was described and illustrated by Planchon himself, first in La iVdaoe, Tome II, 1895 and in his book: L'horloge, son histoire sdtroshec(ire, pittoresgoce et artistique, Paris 1898 and 1923, pages 174 and 175. Its description in English also appeared in Harmswo th London Magazine in 1901. It appears to have inspired Karl Faberge for the very fine timepiece designed as a casket in the Ilbert Collection at the British Museum, the front face applied with a fan of this type, and based on the same principle More recently described by Bertha de Vane Green in: A Collector Guide to Farms over the ages, this fan clock was described with the kind assistance of Mrs. Maryse Volct, faun expert in Geneva.