Details
IMPORTANT ART DECO ROCK CRYSTAL, DIAMOND AND BLACK ONYX MYSTERY CLOCK
The rectangular shaped rock crystal encasing a white enamel and gold frame and Roman numeral chapter ring, with rose-cut diamond inner ring and hands, on a black onyx base with gold bead trimming (back of rock crystal case chipped), in a leather fitted case, circa 1920--5¼ x 3½ x 2 in.
Signed by Cartier, No. 870
Maurice Couet learned the basics of fine clockmaking while working in his father's workshop in Evreux. After a tenure with Prévost in Paris, he opened his own workshop and, beginning in 1911, supplied imaginative clocks exclusively for Cartier. His first inventions were the planet or comet clocks, followed in 1913 by the first mystery clock, known as Model A. Couet, familiar with Robert-Houdin's pendules mystérieuses from the nineteenth century, devised a clock whose hands seemed to float in space but were, in actuality, set onto two rotating crystal discs with toothed metal rims that were propelled by gears in the clock case. The first Model A was sold to J.P. Morgan, Jr. in 1913. There was a six year hiatus in production, most likely due to the war, according to Hans Nadelhoffer in "Cartier Jewelers Extraordinary," page 252. Among some of the most notable post-war clocks he made was one given to Queen Mary in 1924 and one presented to Joseph Stalin by General Charles de Gaulle and Gaston Palewski in 1945.
For similar clocks see:
"The Art of Cartier," Musee du Petit Palais, 1989-1900, p. 149.
Jader Barracca, Giampiero Negretti and Franco Nencini, "Les Temps de Cartier, Milan, p. 99.
"The Cartier Museum at the Goldsmiths' Hall, 1988, London, pl. 18.
Hans Nadelhoffer, "Cartier Jewelers Extraordinary, New York, 1984, pl. 60.
"Retrospective Louis Cartier Masterworks of Art Deco," Los Angeles County Museum, 1982-1983, pl. 15.
"Retrospective Louis Cartier 101 Years of the Jeweler's Art," Cartier, New York, 1976, pl.99
"Jewellery by Cartier," Christie's Geneva, May 21, 1992, #751.
"Magnificent Jewels," Christie's Geneva, May 19, 1994, #277.
The rectangular shaped rock crystal encasing a white enamel and gold frame and Roman numeral chapter ring, with rose-cut diamond inner ring and hands, on a black onyx base with gold bead trimming (back of rock crystal case chipped), in a leather fitted case, circa 1920--5¼ x 3½ x 2 in.
Signed by Cartier, No. 870
Maurice Couet learned the basics of fine clockmaking while working in his father's workshop in Evreux. After a tenure with Prévost in Paris, he opened his own workshop and, beginning in 1911, supplied imaginative clocks exclusively for Cartier. His first inventions were the planet or comet clocks, followed in 1913 by the first mystery clock, known as Model A. Couet, familiar with Robert-Houdin's pendules mystérieuses from the nineteenth century, devised a clock whose hands seemed to float in space but were, in actuality, set onto two rotating crystal discs with toothed metal rims that were propelled by gears in the clock case. The first Model A was sold to J.P. Morgan, Jr. in 1913. There was a six year hiatus in production, most likely due to the war, according to Hans Nadelhoffer in "Cartier Jewelers Extraordinary," page 252. Among some of the most notable post-war clocks he made was one given to Queen Mary in 1924 and one presented to Joseph Stalin by General Charles de Gaulle and Gaston Palewski in 1945.
For similar clocks see:
"The Art of Cartier," Musee du Petit Palais, 1989-1900, p. 149.
Jader Barracca, Giampiero Negretti and Franco Nencini, "Les Temps de Cartier, Milan, p. 99.
"The Cartier Museum at the Goldsmiths' Hall, 1988, London, pl. 18.
Hans Nadelhoffer, "Cartier Jewelers Extraordinary, New York, 1984, pl. 60.
"Retrospective Louis Cartier Masterworks of Art Deco," Los Angeles County Museum, 1982-1983, pl. 15.
"Retrospective Louis Cartier 101 Years of the Jeweler's Art," Cartier, New York, 1976, pl.99
"Jewellery by Cartier," Christie's Geneva, May 21, 1992, #751.
"Magnificent Jewels," Christie's Geneva, May 19, 1994, #277.