FRENCH MINIATURE TRAVELLING CLOCK Leautier AParis Ca. 1780

M&R103

MINIATURE TRAVELLING CLOCK
Signed: Leautier AParis
Circa 1780
France

Movement
The movement of this miniature clock has going, striking and alarm trains. The going train has a vertical cylinder escapement. The striking controlled by a count wheel indicates the hours fully and the half-hours with a single stroke on a bell. The movement is wound from the back.

Dial
The circular white enamelled dial has a Roman chapter ring with Arabic five-minute and minute divisions. The time is indicated by a pair of pierced and chased brass hands. The blued-steel alarm hand indicates the alarm time on the chapter ring. The maker has signed the dial: Leautier AParis.

Case
The front of the firegilt-brass case is engraved depicting floral motifs in the corners, whilst the maker has signed the clock in the bottom corners: Rue de Baune. The dial is protected by a convex glass set in a gilt-brass bezel. Above the dial is a subdial with a blued-steel hand to regulate the going train. The sides are completely covered by facetted glass, so that the movement can be seen almost entirely. The back cover has three asymmetrical situated winding holes for the three trains. The top of the clock is surmounted by the bell with an oval-ring shaped carrying handle and four turned finials on the corners. The clock rests on four shaped feet.

Duration: 1 week

Height 10.5 cm.
Width 5.5 cm.
Depth 6.5 cm.

Literature
Tardy, Dictionnaire des Horlogers Français, Paris, 1971, p. 353.

The maker
Paul Leautier was active as a clockmaker in Paris from 1769-71 on the Rue des Fosses St-Germain, Rue de la comedie Franciase and 1778-90 on the Rue de Beaune. He became clockmaster in 1767.