French officer’s clock
Description
Firegilt officer’s travelling clock
Case
The case has a prominent circular glass door with a convex glass in a double engine- turned bezel to protect the white enamel dial and two pierced blued steel hands shaped in a form typical for the Directoire period. There are palmettes to the sides, whilst the case is surmounted by a carrying handle in the shape of a snake that bites its own tail, a symbol for eternity. The clock rests on four claw feet.
Movement
The spring-driven, day-going movement consists of going, striking and alarm trains. The going train has verge escapement with balance and hairspring with regulation. The striking train can be set for Grande sonnerie, Petite sonnerie, or Silence and has two gongs differing in pitch. In addition the time last struck can be repeated at all times by pulling a chord. The alarm can be activated by pulling another chord, which winds a spring. The alarm is set with a blued-steel central sweep hand on the chapter ring and sounds on a separate bell.
Dial
The white enamel dial has an Arabic chapter ring, which is typical of the Directoire period (1795-99). The time is indicated by two pierced blued-steel hands.
The maker
There are a number of makers with the surname Robert, but in this case the signature probably refers to the Swiss clock and watchmaker who joined forces with his countryman Louis Courvoisier for a while: Louis-Benjamin Robert (1732-1781). The company was continued after his death and this clock was probably made in this period.
