c.1839 Exhibition Mystery Portico Clock by Robert-Houdin.
Period French /
Novelty
Inv. #: p162
Maker: Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin (1805-1871)
Circa: 1839
Size: 20.5" high
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An exceptional exhibition mystery portico clock by the legendary horologist and magician Robert-Houdin made for the ‘Exposition des Produits de l’industrie Francaise’ in 1839 that incorporates never before seen horological mysteries that mystified both the public and, more importantly, his fellow horologists. Before this piece was discovered the most complicated known Robert-Houdin clocks were the ‘Series 4’ or ‘triple mystery clocks’. This exhibition piece not only incorporates the mysteries of the ‘Series 4’ but also includes several more making this the rarest and most complicated mystery clock every made by him. No other Robert-Houdin mystery clock has an inverted glass pendulum, concealed linkages between the escapewheel and the movement, two glass columns or the linkage between the rotating glass tube and the dial mechanism.
Case
The well-cast and finished ormolu case has two glass columns that support the dial above and stand on a stepped base with interlocked garlands and a detailed molded edge. It is engraved ‘Inventée et exécutée pr. l’exposition de 1839 ROBERT HOUDIN’ around the escapement. The mark ‘VI’ is found in two places - the base and bottom of the dial support.
Dial
The dial is composed of two glass plates and has a split bezel secured by tiny screws, reverse painted Roman numerals for the hours, very light arrow shaped ormolu hands mounted to finely machined steel motion work and the whole is supported by a y-shaped cast ormolu support on a flat plate that spans the two columns. The hands are mounted with the minute hand on the inside and hour on the outside which is not normal for regular clocks, but typical for Robert-Houdin’s triple mystery clocks.
Movement
The time and strike movement is mounted in the base, wound and set out the back, has countwheel striking on a bell mounted to the back plate and is adapted to incorporate both the escapement and the glass tube. Most of the screws carry touch marks to help identify their position throughout the movement. Both springs are original and the time spring is inscribed with numerous repairers’ names and dates including the original spring maker ‘Berel jeune avril 1839’. The inverted decorative grid-iron pendulum has glass rods and bob, a spring suspension, the fast/slow with micro adjustment and lock nut at the top and a steel wire crutch shaped to be as inconspicuous as possible below. The dead-beat escapement has a finely cut five-spoke escapewheel that is screwed to the collet and horizontally secured by a set screw. It also has steel pin pallets on steel caliper-style arms, a finely threaded depth adjustment, a slip in the pallet collet to adjust the beat and jeweled pivot holes in the two shaped stands. The glass pendulum bob has a small flake/chip on the bottom edge.
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