c.1810 French Burr Elm Complicated Travel Clock by Breguet et Fils, 2354. SOLD
Carriage /
French
Inv. #: P303
Maker: Breguet et Fils, 2354.
Circa: 1810
Size: 8.5” to top of handle, 5” wide, 3.75” deep
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A very elegant burr Elm cased carriage clock made by Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1810 with Grand and Petite sonnerie, alarm, and Robin double-lift escapement
Case
A rectangular burr elm veneered case with sliding back door, glazed aperture on the top beneath the folding handle and ormolu bezel with "water-leaf' decoration.
Dial
The white porcelain dial has Arabic Breguet-syle numbers, steel-cut hands and is signed Breguet.
Movement
The exceptional 8-day movement has a tandem wind, so it utilizes a barrel with gears at both ends to run the two trains. The winding ratchet is within the wheel so the outer end of the spring drives the barrel and going train and the inner end through the ratchet drives the striking train. The wind and strike selection levers are located under the bezel. The balance platform is mounted with a Breguet version of the Robin detent-lever escapement with jeweled pallets, a 15 toothed escape wheel, a plain brass three-arm balance and a flat balance spring with the regulator. The grand-sonnerie strike-work and the alarm are planted on the backplate and the bell is mounted below. The base of the movement is signed Breguet et Fils, 2354. One of the buttons on top of the case is pulled to load the alarm and the other is pressed for the repeat.
Ref: This clock was in the Antiquorum Sale: Important Watches, Wristwatches and Clocks | Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, 18th October 1997
In the Antiquorum sale the images of lot 22 and lot 26 are reversed. The description is correct, but the image is of a mahogany example.
For a discussion of Breguet's version of this escapement see: George Daniel’s book, <em>‘The Art of Breguet’.</em>, pgs 317-320.
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