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A fine Napoleon III rosewood and ormolu-mounted astronomical longcase regulator with equation of time and observatory strike

HENRI ROBERT, PARIS. CIRCA 1850

Details

A fine Napoleon III rosewood and ormolu-mounted astronomical longcase regulator with equation of time and observatory strike
Henri Robert, Paris. Circa 1850
The case of architectonic design with detachable broken architectural pediment with brass-lined panels to the frieze, central large rosewood urn finial with ormolu gadroon mouldings and embellished with ormolu floral garlands, carved wood volute supports to the arched glazed sides, the front dominated by fluted pilasters with ormolu Ionic capitals with berried swags, spring catch at the side for the moulded glazed arched front door, the 28.5 cm. diam. dial with annular white enamel Roman chapter ring, the finely matted gilt centre signed Robert A Paris, power reserve sector (by XI) with curved white enamel scale (0 to 15) with blued steel pointer, winding hole by II and smaller solar cam adjuster by IIII, ormolu foliate pierced and chased hour and counterpoised solar minute hand, pierced blued steel mean time hand and blued steel counterpoised sweep centre seconds, pendulum regulation square above XII, the four pillar movement with deadbeat escapement with fine adjustment to the crutchpiece, the massive steel and zinc grid-iron pendulum suspended from a large gilt-brass regulation block on the backboard, the anchor arbor with a steel arm extending to a two-pinned wheel with subsidiary weight system and trip release to activate the hammer striking every second on a bell above the plates, the solar time with brass kidney wheel behind the annular silvered calendar ring with ormolu sunburst and blued steel pointer beneath the main chapter ring, the backplate signed Robert À Paris, the entire movement supported on two ormolu arms of a massive gilt-metal block secured with steel bolts to the rosewood backboard with rear compartment for the brass-cased weight with overhead pulley-wind
7 ft. 10 in. (238 cm.) high

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium, which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

Henri Robert, 1795-1874, studied under both Abraham Louis Breguet and Louis Frédérique Perrelet before setting up in the Rue de Valois in 1832. He was joined by his son Henri in 1867 when it is noted in Tardy that he experimented with astronomical clocks and watches. Seconds striking clocks were devised to aid astronomical observation when in order to chart the passing of a particular stellar body one could observe the star and still accurately record the time.

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