Lot Essay
A speciality of Le Roy et Fils, bottom-wind clocks were made during the last quarter of the 19th century. Essentially, they have an integral key-less winding system which dispenses with the need for a separate key. The bottom-wind system is particularly ingenious also in that the going trains are wound simultaneously. The system is best explained by Charles Allix: 'In the Le Roy Bottom Winder winding is accomplished by means of a sturdy, permanently fitted turn-key housed in the recessed base. The going and striking trains are wound alternately by turning the key about 45 degrees first in one direction and then the other. The key has a contrate wheel squared onto its arbor. The contrate teeth engage a floating wheel, the axis of which moves in a slot. The floating wheel winds the going train directly through a wheel squared to the barrel arbor; and winds the striking train via an idler pinion to reverse the direction of rotation (both barrels need to be wound in the same direction'. Allix points out also that the inscription Patent No.9501 which is found on all the turn keys does not relate to any British patent or to a French Brevet. See Charles Allix and Peter Bonnert Carriage Clocks Antiques Collectors' Club 1974, pp.219-20. See lot 62 for a further example.