HENRI MOTEL, NO 107; CIRCA 1830

Details

A French mahogany two-day marine chronometer
Henri Motel, No 107; Circa 1830
The frosted silvered dial signed and numbered Henri Motel hger de la Marine Rle N 107, Roman hour numerals, blued steel Breguet hour and minute hands, subsidary seconds dial (at VI) with blued steel hand, external winding square in bowl (at III), 18,000 count train, the pillar plate with substantial brass cock carrying fusee with Harrison's maintaining power and finger stop-work, barrel and centre wheel, inscribed N 107 Hri Motel Hger De la Marine Rle, on the opposite side of the pillar plate three short brass conical pillars supporting sub-frame assembly carrying the remainder of the train and fifteen tooth escape wheel the tip of each drilled through at differing heights, Motel pivoted detent with jewelled locking stone, mounted above this sub-frame assembly and with conical grey-steel finish pillars, two brass bridges the upper one carrying an adjustable balance spring stud and small bridge with gold capped top balance pivot jewel, Motel four-armed bimetallic balance, the impulse jewel with steel protection strip, blued steel conical balance spring without terminal curves, brass drum bowl with sliding cover to external winding, start/stop mechanism (at VI) operated by female square in handle of winding key (numbered 107), in a gimballed green velvet-lined outer bowl, the knurled locking arm assembly locking the bowl and gimbal ring, plain two-tier mahogany box, the top with sliding cover and inset brass diamond-form plaque inscribed N 107.
78 mm. dial diam., box 160 x 160 x 135 mm.

Literature

Jean-Claude Sabrier, La Longitude en Mer à l'heure de Louis Berthoud et Henri Motel, Antiquorum, 1993

Lot Essay

Jean-Francois Henri Motel, 1786-1859 was Louis Berthoud's (1754-1813) star pupil. His father was a tavern keeper and farmer in Margny-les-Compiegne. Having studied in the École des Arts et Métiers at Chalons he was 'selected' to go to Paris to work, at the expense of the Government, at Louis Berthoud's workshops. He had just finished his apprenticeship in 1813 when one month later Louis Berthoud suddenly died. Motel stayed at the workshop and continued the work overseeing the finishing of incomplete marine chronometers and watches which were to be purchased by the Ministry of the Marine.
In 1823 Motel was given the highest accolade and made Horloger de la Marine. He had left the Berthoud workshop by 1817 and did some occasional contract work for Breguet whilst the Ministry of the Marine sent him chronometers for repair. By 1821 he was in full production making his own chronometers that were being purchased by the Marine.
His grande marines were sold for around 2,400 francs with the deck watches or petite marines selling for about 1,500 francs.
In the present chronometer it is understood that the mainspring is signed and dated "Vincent Juin 1830 No 107". It is also interesting to note in Motel's work books, (Jean-Claude Sabrier op. cit), that Motel did indeed receive his springs from a M. Vincent at a cost of 8 francs

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