Lot 20
An interesting late 18th century French gilt brass travel clock with rotating annular calendar dials Beckers, Invenit et Fecit
29 November 2023, 14:00 GMT
London, New Bond Street£2,000 - £3,000
Looking for a similar item?
Our Clocks specialists can help you find a similar item at an auction or via a private sale.
Find your local specialistAsk about this lot
An interesting late 18th century French gilt brass travel clock with rotating annular calendar dials
Beckers, Invenit et Fecit
The case surmounted by a shaped facetted handle above the large escapement observation window and four knurled urn finials, the sides and rear door glazed (the latter in a dark blue panel), the arched dialplate set with a sunburst mask and foliate swags over further floral mounts and the enamel signature plaque Beckers Invenit et Fecit, raised on knurled toupie feet. The Roman and Arabic dial with elaborately pierced brass hands within a beaded bezel, set below silvered French day and date rings above XII. The large rectangular movement with chain fusee to the going train which now terminates in a later English lever platform with monometallic steel balance (vacant holes in the plates suggest an earlier escapement), the striking train with spring barrel and rack striking on a bell mounted horizontally below the base, the backplate stamped Beckers A Paris along the bottom edge. 26cms (10ins) high
The case surmounted by a shaped facetted handle above the large escapement observation window and four knurled urn finials, the sides and rear door glazed (the latter in a dark blue panel), the arched dialplate set with a sunburst mask and foliate swags over further floral mounts and the enamel signature plaque Beckers Invenit et Fecit, raised on knurled toupie feet. The Roman and Arabic dial with elaborately pierced brass hands within a beaded bezel, set below silvered French day and date rings above XII. The large rectangular movement with chain fusee to the going train which now terminates in a later English lever platform with monometallic steel balance (vacant holes in the plates suggest an earlier escapement), the striking train with spring barrel and rack striking on a bell mounted horizontally below the base, the backplate stamped Beckers A Paris along the bottom edge. 26cms (10ins) high
Footnotes
An identical case also signed by Beckers and noted as 'invented and made by' him was sold in these rooms 14th July 2022 lot 5, hammer price of £3,200. Another example in the same sale, lot 46, was signed for Thiery, Paris and sold for £4,500. Interestingly, both of these examples used only spring barrels and had anchor or tic-tac escapements, neither had a fusee. Others still are known with balance wheel escapements; vacant holes in the plates suggest that Beckers would offer the choice of balance or pendulum control.
Additional information
Bid now on these items
