34,500 CHF
Breguet No. 4861, Horloge Marine à deux barillets, petit modèle, sold to Sa Majesté Louis Philippe on31 October 1839, for 2260 Francs.Rare and unusual Marine chronometer of Royal provenance with double gimbals. Double body with visible mortise and tenon joints, a massive brass swan-neck handle with lion paw brackets on the top of the box. Double brass gimbals, the outer with conventional locking, the inner locking lever now lacking. Frosted and silvered with small eccentric Roman chapter for hours with outer Arabic minute ring, symmetrical subsidiary seconds below. Blued-steel "spade" hands. Brass half plate, spotted finished with two barrels separately wound, the springs signed by Vincent anddated 1829, navette-shaped detachable platform with spring detent escapement, bimetallic two-arm balance with poising and timing screws, free-sprung polished helical balance spring with adjustable stud.Signed and numbered on the dial.Accompanied by Breguet Certificate No. 4120.Dial diam. 90 mm. Notes Provenance: Formerly in the L. Leroy Collection, this chronometer is not only of considerable interest as a result of its having been made for the King of the French, Louis-Philippe, but also on account of its construction.The form of the box is more in the style of a travelling bottle or toilet cabinet, with its visible joints and single carrying handle, and the double gimbals are, if not unique, a most unusual addition. Clearly the box was a special order and therefore made for the
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
1999-10-23
