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An Empire mahogany quarter striking mantel regulator with dead seconds and perpetual calendar

BOSENSCHEN À PARIS. CIRCA 1800

Details

An Empire mahogany quarter striking mantel regulator with dead seconds and perpetual calendar
Bosenschen à Paris. Circa 1800
The rectangular case with detachable architectural pediment, ebony moulded base with finely cast ormolu palmette mouldings, glazed sides and front with engine-turned mouldings, the white enamel circular Roman and Arabic dial signed Bosenschen à Paris with inner concentric calendar ring, all hands of blued steel, the substantial movement with circular brass plates secured by three back-pinned cylindrical pillars, twin going barrels, the going train with highly unusual dead seconds pinwheel escapement with large diameter delicate associated 'scape wheel mounted on the backplate, the crutchpiece with fine adjustment, well made nine rod gridiron pendulum with knife-edge suspension, the strike train with rack strike on two bells via two hammers
22 in. (56 cm.) high

Special notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium

Lot Essay

Bofenschen was working in Paris from 1780 on the Rue St Honoré. He moved to Boulevard du Temple in 1810. According to Tardy he also worked for Abraham Louis Breguet.

The perpetual calendar work of this clock is drawn from that described by Moinet in his Nouveau Traité Général d'Horlogerie, vol.2, ch.V, pl.XLIV, figs. 8 & 9.
The very unusual escapement to demonstrate seconds from a half seconds pendulum has apparently never been described.

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