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Apart from the maker, Honore Pons, thats it afaik. Lovely example.
Picked up this French bell chime clock at an antiques fair today. I believe it to be late 19th century but are there any experts on this fine forum who can be more precise or know anything about the maker?
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Apart from the maker, Honore Pons, thats it afaik. Lovely example.
Stunning condition if 120+ years old.
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What you have is a "four glass" clock aka crystal regulator. Most of these clocks strike on a gong but yours strikes on a bell and I would estimate a date of ca. 1870. The visible escapement is a Brocot escapement and the pallets should be D section rubies. (I can't quite see what is there from your photograph). If they are any other material they are replacements. The regulation is by the tiny square above the XII on the dial which operates by a ninety degree gear "chops" which slide up and down the suspension and thus varying the effective length of the pendulum. (Visible in your second pic.). They are nominally eight day clocks, (although my example runs for nearly a fortnight) and with careful setting up they are very precise. Do not bend the crutch when setting in beat as a) you will break the pallet arbour pivot and b) you do not need to do so as there is a friction mechanism which allow the anchor to move independently of the arbour. Just level the clock, move the pendulum to one side and release. The beat should then be correct.
Be very careful not to bend the tips of the escape wheel as they are exceedingly fragile.
One other thing, I suspect that the hands are later replacements.
Further reading: http://clocksmagazine.com/clock-info...ass-clocks.htm
Last edited by Plastic_Magpie; 22nd April 2018 at 15:57.
Great info, thanks. I’ve done a bit of digging and there are two stamps on the movement, HP & Co and S Marti & Cie. A search online suggests that Marti could have made the movement and HP & Co cased it. The Marti stamp also states “Medaille de Bronze” which would date it to sometime between 1860 and 1900, when they won the gold medal.
It’s certainly a beautiful clock and the chime is amazing. The only trouble I’m having is finding somewhere suitable, and completely flat, to keep it ticking away. I found one place which I thought was ideal, and kept it ticking nicely, until she who must be the complete bane of my life disagreed and moved it!
Absolute cracking piece!!!!
Lovely dial, excellent addition to anyone's home.
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