Beschreibung:

A fine French engraved gilt brass carriage clock with push-button repeat and chronometer escapement, Gontard and Bolviller, Paris, circa 1840-50 The eight-day bell striking movement with platform lever chronometer escapement incorporating helical sprung balance beneath yoke-shaped bridge, the backplate stamped with oval BOLLVILLER, A PARIS trademark and numbered W, 414, the rectangular white enamel Roman numeral dial with signature GONTARD ET BOLVILLER A PARIS beneath VI and fine blued steel Breguet style moon hands, the bevel glazed one-piece caddy moulded case with hinged faceted baton and baluster turned engraved carrying handle above large top glass and foliate scroll engraved trails to angles and edges, the rear with intensely engraved door decorated with hatched foliate strapwork and incorporating shutters for the winding and adjustment squares, on conforming cavetto moulded skirt base with recessed sections to angles, 13.5cm (5.25ins) high excluding handle. Bolviller is recorded in Allix, Charles and Bonnert, Peter CARRIAGE CLOCKS, Their history and development (page 432) as working from several addresses in Paris from 1830 until after 1870. Bollviller are known for being relatively early and inventive makers of fine French carriage clocks. Bolviller appears to have entered into partnership with C.P. Gontard in the 1840s as a Brevet was granted to both makers for a lever chronometer escapement in 1848. Gontard went on to show carriage clocks in London 1851 and patent two further related escapements and produce carriage clocks under his name alone.