21,275 CHF
Berthoud Frères, No. 172, made circa 1822, sold to Monsieur Delaval à Marseille, rue de Paradis No. 53, for 1,800 Francs. Rare marine deck watch, made in Louis Berthoud’s work-shop after his death, under the direction of Henri Motel. Triple-body mahogany deck watch type box. Brass case enforme de tabatière secured inside the mahogany box. Silvered regulator type, with small Roman chapter forhours, subsidiary seconds below, outer minute ring on theborder of the bezel. Blued steel Breguet hands. Frostedand gilt, full plate, fully jeweled, with conical pillars securedby nuts with washers, mainspring by Vincent, dated. Fuseewith chain, maintaining power, pivoted detent escapement,three-arm compensation balance with three wedged weightsand timing screws, free sprung blued steel helical balancespring. Signed on the dial, back-plate and box.Dial diam. 80 mm. Notes Although it was made after the death of Louis Berthoud, under the direction of his pupil Henri Motel, the movement of this chronometer is identical to that produced by the eminent maker as early as 1800. This chronometer is mentioned by J.-C. Sabrier in “La Longitude en mer à l’heure de Louis Berthoud et de Henri Motel”, Antiquorum Editions, Geneva, 1993, p. 184. This chronometer was previously in the Léon Leroy Collection, as attested by the paper label inside the cover.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2005-05-15
