Important Watches, Wristwatches and C...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Apr 18, 1998

LOT 428

Chefdriie a Paris, rue Martin No. 40, circa 1793. Fine and rare white and blue Turquin marbles, duodecimal and decimal, hour and half-hour striking clock.

CHF 18,000 - 22,000

C. Rectangular white marble base on four gilt- bronze feet, the front and side panels applied with gilt-bronze foliate frieze, the movement fitted on the pyramidal structure set on four paw-feet, surmounted with a white marble ball, the front face applied with giltbronze musical trophy and foliage decoration and enhanced with a wedgwood medallion, gilt-bronze bezel. D. White enamel with Breguet numerals and outer ring for duo-decimal hours and minutes, inner red Roman numerals and Arabic ring for decimal time. Gilt-brass pierced and engraved Louis XVI hands, blued-steel "arrow" hand for decimal time. M. Brass circular with going barrels both for the going and the striking trains, anchor escapement, short pendulum with silk suspension. Striking on a bell with count wheel on the back plate. Signed on the dial. Dim. 54 x 26 x 13


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Grading System
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: *2

Very good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 29-51

Lacking elements

Partially reprinted

Notes

The Decimal time and the Republican calendar were established by the Convention on 5 October 1793, but if the Republican Calendar was in use in France until 1st January 1806, the decimal time, which was not obligatory until 22 September 1794, was never been fully accepted by the population and clue to the difficulty of putting it into practice, it was abrogated on 7 April 1795. Therefore, if several watches and clocks, showing the Republican calendar were produced, only very few were made with the Decimal time.