21,850 CHF
Claude François Bailly à Morbier, circa 1770. Very fine and rare fruit wood quarter eight-day going, striking "Comtoise" weight driven long case clock. Fruitwood with elaborately carved roccoco scroll work plinth on four feet mounted with chinera, the sides panelled in reserve, the front with drawers and carved in high relief with three panels, the lover with Marie Medicis paying her astrologer, on the door a group in a salon playing "trie-trac", above, a similar interior with a musical scene, further carved decoration and a horn devil mask on the shallow arched hood. Gilt bronze with Roman numerals and outer Arabic minute ring on enamel cartouches, white enamel centre plate. Brass pierced hands. Cast bronze fret chased with a sun, birds and scrolls. Three train posted frame, the going train with verge escapement. hldependent striking trains for hours and quarters. Striking on three bells. Signed below the dial. Height : 275 cm. In very good condition. Notes Claude François Bailly used to work in Morbier from 1766 to 1774. FERDINAND BERTHOUD 1727-1807 Ferdinand Berthoud, Julien Le Roy and Breguet are the three most famous names in French clockmaking. Berthoud was born at Plancement, commune de Couvet, canton de Neuchâtel, Switzerland, on 19 March 1727. His father, an architect and magistrate of the Val de Travers, had at first destined him for an ecclesiastical career, but as at a very early age he showed interest in mechanical matters, he decided to have him taught
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
1993-11-14