Important French Carriage Clock by Breguet With burr Elm Wood Case

A very elegant burr Elm cased carriage clock made by Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1808 with Grand and Petite sonnerie, alarm, and Robin double-lift escapement.

The going and striking trains are all driven off one barrel instead of the three that would normally be used. The winding hole is revealed by opening the engraved gilt bezel that also accesses the selection levers for quarters/quarters & hours and silence/sonnerie.

The going and striking trains are all driven off one barrel instead of the three that would normally be used. The winding hole is revealed by opening the engraved gilt bezel that also accesses the selection levers for quarters/quarters & hours and silence/sonnerie.

The white enamel dial is signed Breguet above the 6 with blued steel moon hands and Breguet Arabic numerals. The ‘tandem barrel’ has one spring but with a great wheel fitted to the barrel arbor. The winding ratchet is within the wheel so the outer end of the spring drives the barrel and going train and the inner end through the ratchet drives the striking train.

Looking through the glass oval on the top provides a good view of the beautiful Robin double-lift escapement as illustrated on page 320 of George Daniel’s book, ‘The Art of Breguet’. Pressing the repeat button on the top initiates the strike and pulling the brass button winds the alarm.

The bell is located below the movement and the hours are distinguished from the quarters with a lower note. Sliding up the rear wood panel reveals the back plate with the complicated strike mechanism and the alarm barrel.

The base of the movement is signed Breguet and numbered 2354. This clock was delivered to Breguet’s agent in Russia, La Maison de Russie, in 1810 and later sold. Sometime later Tsar Alexander I appointed Breguet’s firm as watchmakers to ‘His Majesty and Imperial Navy’.

The clock has recently been cleaned and serviced by Gerald Marsh, Winchester, England and is perfect working order.

Circa: 1808

Dimensions: 8.5” to top of handle, 5” wide, 3.75” deep