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HENRI MOTEL NO. 212, CIRCA 1836
Details
A Louis Philippe mahogany Two-Day marine chronometer
Henri Motel No. 212, circa 1836
The frosted silvered dial signed and numbered Hri Motel hger de la Marine Rle No. 212, Roman hour numerals, blued steel Breguet hour and minute hands, subsidiary seconds dial (at VI) with blued steel hand, Earnshaw escapement with 18000 count train, the pillar-plate numbered 212 with substantial brass cock carrying fusee, barrel and centre wheel pivot inscribed No. 212 Hri Motel hger de la Marine Rle, the fusee with Harrison's maintaining power and finger stop-work and bevelled gear wheel for external winding assembly, on the opposite side of pillar-plate to the fusee and barrel, three brass conical pillars supporting a sub-frame assembly numbered 212 carrying the remainder of the train with fifteen tooth 'scape wheel with "drilled through" teeth, Motel pivoted detent with jewelled locking stone, mounted above this sub-frame assembly with conical "grey-steel" pillars, two brass bridges, the uppermost carrying an adjustable balance spring stud and small cock with gold capped top balance pivot jewel, Motel four-armed cut bi-metallic balance, the impulse jewel with inset steel protection assembly, blued steel conical balance spring, the balance fitted with externally operated stop/start assembly (at VI), brass drum-shaped bowl with sliding cover inscribed Remontoir to external winding square (at III) and with two small holes drilled though the side (at VI) towards the movement one inscribed M, the other A through which a pusher can be inserted to operate the balance stop/start mechanism, contained in gimballed green velvet-lined outer bowl with underside locking system securing the bowl and gimbal, plain two-tier mahogany box, the top with sliding cover to viewing port and inset brass bezel and diamond brass plaque inscribed No. 212 the bottom section with double action lock.
82 mm dial diam., Box 160 x 160 x 132 mm (2)
Henri Motel No. 212, circa 1836
The frosted silvered dial signed and numbered Hri Motel hger de la Marine Rle No. 212, Roman hour numerals, blued steel Breguet hour and minute hands, subsidiary seconds dial (at VI) with blued steel hand, Earnshaw escapement with 18000 count train, the pillar-plate numbered 212 with substantial brass cock carrying fusee, barrel and centre wheel pivot inscribed No. 212 Hri Motel hger de la Marine Rle, the fusee with Harrison's maintaining power and finger stop-work and bevelled gear wheel for external winding assembly, on the opposite side of pillar-plate to the fusee and barrel, three brass conical pillars supporting a sub-frame assembly numbered 212 carrying the remainder of the train with fifteen tooth 'scape wheel with "drilled through" teeth, Motel pivoted detent with jewelled locking stone, mounted above this sub-frame assembly with conical "grey-steel" pillars, two brass bridges, the uppermost carrying an adjustable balance spring stud and small cock with gold capped top balance pivot jewel, Motel four-armed cut bi-metallic balance, the impulse jewel with inset steel protection assembly, blued steel conical balance spring, the balance fitted with externally operated stop/start assembly (at VI), brass drum-shaped bowl with sliding cover inscribed Remontoir to external winding square (at III) and with two small holes drilled though the side (at VI) towards the movement one inscribed M, the other A through which a pusher can be inserted to operate the balance stop/start mechanism, contained in gimballed green velvet-lined outer bowl with underside locking system securing the bowl and gimbal, plain two-tier mahogany box, the top with sliding cover to viewing port and inset brass bezel and diamond brass plaque inscribed No. 212 the bottom section with double action lock.
82 mm dial diam., Box 160 x 160 x 132 mm (2)
Literature
Jean-Claude Sabrier, La Longitude en mer a L'heure de Louis Berthoud et Henri Motel, records that No. 212 was sold to the Depot de la Marine for 2.400 francs, 16 June 1840
The method of operating the balance STOP/START assembly by inserting a pin or pusher in one or other of the two holes described above is entirely different from the usual square headed assembly projecting vertically from the bowl. No pins are supplied. The winding key, however, is numbered 95 and has the small female square hole usually fitted by Motel to operate the STOP/START mechanism. It is assumed that this is possibly a replacement.
The method of operating the balance STOP/START assembly by inserting a pin or pusher in one or other of the two holes described above is entirely different from the usual square headed assembly projecting vertically from the bowl. No pins are supplied. The winding key, however, is numbered 95 and has the small female square hole usually fitted by Motel to operate the STOP/START mechanism. It is assumed that this is possibly a replacement.