Beschreibung:

An exceptionally rare and very fine early 18th century French ormolu travelling clock with choice of balance or pendulum controlLe Bon, Paris The tete de poupee style gilt bronze case surmounted by a bud finial on a pierced panel backed in red silk to allow for the sound of the bell to escape, over the finely modelled head of Helios wearing his crown, the waisted sides cast with lozenges and centred by a pair of male and female Classical profile busts, on a gadrooned base and button feet; the rear panel is plain brass, and has a door hinged at the top and locking catches, the lower part of the back engraved with a subsidiary dial titled Carosse and Repos (Carriage and Rest). The one-piece 4 inch white enamel dial with outer Arabic five-minute numerals encircling a minute band, bold Roman numerals and an inner track for quarters, with good, blued steel hands, protected by a curved glass within a cast bezel and set above the applied signature plaque LEBON. The twin spring barrel movement with large plates filling the rear of the case, signed across the centre in a gentle upward curve to echo the travel of the pendulum Le Bon AParis, mounted above a subsidiary pair of plates supporting the chain fusee to the going train which terminates in a verge escapement set below a pierced and engraved bridge cock supporting the large brass sprung balance with impulse pin to its edge. The clock can be switched to a pendulum-driven clock by selecting Repos - this brings into play a series of connected pivoted levers that lower the silk-suspended pendulum with open crutch which ingeniously engages with the impulse pin on the periphery of the balance wheel. The strike dictated via solid engraved numbered countwheel acting on the bell above. Ticking and striking. 27.5cms (10.75ins) high.