James Stratton
Director
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Lot 143Ф,Y
A rare late 19th century ivory-mounted ebonised inclined plane timepiece with seconds indication and moonphase Attributable to Renda of Paris
16 December 2015, 14:00 GMT
London, New Bond StreetSold for £10,625 inc. premium
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Clocks (UK)
A rare late 19th century ivory-mounted ebonised inclined plane timepiece with seconds indication and moonphase
Attributable to Renda of Paris
the four inch lacquered brass drum clock case with teeth cut into the protruding rims so that they engage with the inclined wooden plane which is held on turned ivory uprights, with ivory finials and centred by a rotating moonphase sphere, the front edges applied with a reeded metal border on turned feet, the silvered Roman chapter ring with subsidiary seconds dial and open centre with blued steel arrow-hands, the movement secured within the drum and wound via a weight on a cam, the moonphase moved forward at the half way point of the plane by the drum rolling over a pivoted and counter-weighted lever connected to an arbor, star jumper and gears linked to the sphere above 27cms (10.5ins) high.
the four inch lacquered brass drum clock case with teeth cut into the protruding rims so that they engage with the inclined wooden plane which is held on turned ivory uprights, with ivory finials and centred by a rotating moonphase sphere, the front edges applied with a reeded metal border on turned feet, the silvered Roman chapter ring with subsidiary seconds dial and open centre with blued steel arrow-hands, the movement secured within the drum and wound via a weight on a cam, the moonphase moved forward at the half way point of the plane by the drum rolling over a pivoted and counter-weighted lever connected to an arbor, star jumper and gears linked to the sphere above 27cms (10.5ins) high.
Footnotes
A similar, but much plainer example of this clock was sold as part of The Paul Mellon collection, Sothebys New York, 21-23 November 2014, lot 433. The current lot has the added complication of the rotating moonphase in ivory. The spherical moon is turned as the drum slowly rolls over a counter-weighted, pivoted lever actuating a starwheel and series of gears.
Similar clocks are discussed in Robert's 'Mystery, Novelty and Fantasy Clocks' , Schiffer 1999, chapter 5.