Jacques Duduict A Bloys

Jacques Duduict A Bloys, circa 1640. A fine and rare silver pendant watch. Double body, entirely decorated with tapering flutes, the pattern continuing over the bezel. Ring supporting the glass retained by claves. Loose ring pendant. Hinged silver plate located by four lugs and entirely engraved with elabora te summer flowers in low relief on a hatched ground. Applied gilt chapter-ring with Roman hour numerals and half hour divisions. Single florally engraved gilt hand. Circular gilt full plate with turned balluster pillars, gut fusee, three wheel train with verge escapement and plain two-arm steel balance without spring. Irregular pierced and florally engraved balance cock secured by a pin, ratchet wheel set up cock en suite with blued-steel wheel and click spring. In excellent condition. Diam. 45 mm. Notes Jacques Duduict Ier. of Blois, established as a watchmaker in 1600, the year after he married Elisaheth Dallibert at the Temple. His workshop was situated at Puy-du-Quartier, and his brother, Daniel, was also an horologist. Duduict was a man of some education, and ' r o t e a short book published in 1631 on new methods of constructing sundials.He was the apparently the only maker of his generation to renounce his mastership when he retired in 1645. He died in 1646. Other examples of this form of fluted case made in France in the first half of the 17th. century exist but the watch now offered for sale is of somewhat langer size than usual.