21,850 CHF
Precision TimekeeperBerthoud Frères, No. 215, circa 1818.Rare marine chronometer en forme de tabatière made in Louis Berthoud's workshop after his death, under the direction of Henri Motel. Two-body mahogany box with slide on the lid over the glazed observation aperture. Brass gimbal with a leaded bowl lined with velvet. Brass case en forme de tabatière. Silvered regulator type, with small Roman chapter for hours, subsidiary seconds below, outer Arabic minute ring on the border of the bezel. Blued steel Breguet hands. Frosted and gilt, full plate, fully jeweled, with conical pillars secured by nuts with washers. Fusee with chain, maintaining power, Louis Berthoud type pivoed detent escapement, three-arm compensation balance, with three wedged weights and timing screws, blued steel conical balance spring.Signed on the dial, the back plate and the dial rim. Dial diam. 80 mm. Notes Although it was made after Louis Berthoud's death, this chronometer is identical to that produced in his workshop as early as 1800.This chronometer illustrated in detail by J.-C. Sabrier in "La Longitude en mer à l'heure de Louis Berthoud et de Henri Motel", Antiquorum Editions, Geneva, 1993, pp. 307, 308, 309.Berthoud Frères.Louis Berthoud had two sons: One, Jean-Louis-Simon-Henri, usually called Louis like his father, was born at Argenteuil 7 October 1793 and died at Argenteuil on 15 April 1880. On 17 April 1819 he married Thérèse Joly, daughter of a watch-case maker. The other, Charles-A
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2001-11-11