Lot Essay
Provision has been made for stop/start work both in the top surface of the bezel (at VI) and in side of the dial-plate. None of this is extant.
HENRI MOTEL, NO. 138, CIRCA 1835
Details
A French mahogany two-day marine chronometer
Henri Motel, No. 138, circa 1835
The frosted silver dial signed and numbered Hri Motel. Hger de la Marine Rle N 138 DÉPÔT DE LA MARINE, Roman hour numerals, blued steel Breguet hour and minute hands, subsidiary seconds dial (at VI) with blued steel hand, Earnshaw escapement with 18,000 'quick train', the pillar-plate with substantial brass cock inscribed N 138 HRI. MOTEL. HGER DE LA MARINE RLE and carrying fusee, barrel and centre wheel pivot, the fusee with Harrison's maintaining power and square with finger stop-work and bevelled gear for external winding through top of the bowl (at III), to the opposite side of the above assembly three brass cylindrical pillars supporting three-level sub-frame assembly carring fifteen tooth escapewheel with drilled through tips, Motel pivoted spring detent with jewelled locking stone, mounted above the sub-frame assembly with conical grey-steel finish pillars a brass plate with hollow centre above which is mounted Motel four-arm cut bimetallic balance each with shaped heat compensation weights and white metal mean time screws, conical blued steel balance spring, above this a top-plate with hollow centre carrying top balance spring stud and balance top pivot jewel with hemi-spherical gold cap, brass drum bowl with sliding cover to external winding square, contained in gimballed green velvet lined outer bowl from the centre of the bottom projects a convex brass assembly which, via a knurled locking arm control in the box locks the bowl and gimbal, two-tier plain Continental box, the top with sliding cover to viewing port inset with brass diamond shaped plaque inscribed N 138, brass Motel tipsy key numbered 154
80 mm. dial diam., 160 mm. wide box
Henri Motel, No. 138, circa 1835
The frosted silver dial signed and numbered Hri Motel. Hger de la Marine Rle N 138 DÉPÔT DE LA MARINE, Roman hour numerals, blued steel Breguet hour and minute hands, subsidiary seconds dial (at VI) with blued steel hand, Earnshaw escapement with 18,000 'quick train', the pillar-plate with substantial brass cock inscribed N 138 HRI. MOTEL. HGER DE LA MARINE RLE and carrying fusee, barrel and centre wheel pivot, the fusee with Harrison's maintaining power and square with finger stop-work and bevelled gear for external winding through top of the bowl (at III), to the opposite side of the above assembly three brass cylindrical pillars supporting three-level sub-frame assembly carring fifteen tooth escapewheel with drilled through tips, Motel pivoted spring detent with jewelled locking stone, mounted above the sub-frame assembly with conical grey-steel finish pillars a brass plate with hollow centre above which is mounted Motel four-arm cut bimetallic balance each with shaped heat compensation weights and white metal mean time screws, conical blued steel balance spring, above this a top-plate with hollow centre carrying top balance spring stud and balance top pivot jewel with hemi-spherical gold cap, brass drum bowl with sliding cover to external winding square, contained in gimballed green velvet lined outer bowl from the centre of the bottom projects a convex brass assembly which, via a knurled locking arm control in the box locks the bowl and gimbal, two-tier plain Continental box, the top with sliding cover to viewing port inset with brass diamond shaped plaque inscribed N 138, brass Motel tipsy key numbered 154
80 mm. dial diam., 160 mm. wide box
Literature
Jean-Claude Sabrier, La Longitude en mer à l'heure de Louis Berthoud et Henri Motel, pp. 664 records that No 138 was cleaned 28 May 1837 and sent to the Depot de la Marine at Toulon.