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Lot 106
The second Carriage Clock ever made. The Francois de Bourbon, King of Naples Breguet. An exceptionally fine and rare ormolu, quarter repeating astronomical carriage clock timepiece with full annual calendar, moonphase and alarm. With certificate number 2889. Breguet et Fils, No. 179
11 December 2019, 14:00 GMT
London, New Bond StreetSold for £295,000 inc. premium
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The second Carriage Clock ever made. The Francois de Bourbon, King of Naples Breguet. An exceptionally fine and rare ormolu, quarter repeating astronomical carriage clock timepiece with full annual calendar, moonphase and alarm. With certificate number 2889.
Breguet et Fils, No. 179
The case:
the inverted breakfront case surmounted by a bar-and-tassle handle pivotted in a pair of lion's head pommels, the top panel with engine turned border and four ball finials framing the oval bevelled glass inspection panel set with a gilt repeat button over a foliate-scroll and acanthus-cast cornice raised on Doric style reeded pilasters on a matching base with more detailed engraved decoration, on knurled button feet.
The dial:
protected by a bevelled glass door with engine turned frame, the main silvered dial with satin-finished dotted minute band enclosing the delicate Roman numerals and concentric Arabic 12-1 ring for the alarm setting, the upper half of the finely engine turned centre occupied by a rolling moon, the rose gold disc traversing a starry sky on a dark blue ground, above the signature BREGUET ET FILS, with blued steel Breguet hands and a gold alarm-setting hand, all set within a plain bezel and finely engine turned rectangular mask set with three rose gold plaques; the first oval in shape and introducing the alarm -winding and -setting squares, the second shield-shaped and presenting both the main winding square and the aperture for the year, the third engraved with the clock number, the mask further set with three apertures revealing the day of the week, the date of the month and the month.
The movement:
Of eight day duration and with large spring barrel secured by a bridge cock on the backplate, the cut and compensated bimetallic two-armed balance mounted vertically on the backplate with a blued steel spring with Breguet's overcoil and parachute suspension to a jewelled lever escapement, repeating the hours and the quarters by a brass circular-headed hammer on the (restored) bell on depression of the repeat button above, the alarm struck on the same bell by another hammer.
The presentation case:
Covered in dark green leather with gilt tooled running border to five sides, the top lid surmounted by a gilt brass loop handle and hinged cover for the repeat button, set to the side with a pair of clasps, the underside of the case signed 'Breguet, 12, Rue de la Paix, 12 PARIS' and numbered 179. Lined in dark green velvet and silk, with a secret base opening to reveal the bespoke recess in the base containing a double-ended key 14.5cms (5.5ins) high
The case:
the inverted breakfront case surmounted by a bar-and-tassle handle pivotted in a pair of lion's head pommels, the top panel with engine turned border and four ball finials framing the oval bevelled glass inspection panel set with a gilt repeat button over a foliate-scroll and acanthus-cast cornice raised on Doric style reeded pilasters on a matching base with more detailed engraved decoration, on knurled button feet.
The dial:
protected by a bevelled glass door with engine turned frame, the main silvered dial with satin-finished dotted minute band enclosing the delicate Roman numerals and concentric Arabic 12-1 ring for the alarm setting, the upper half of the finely engine turned centre occupied by a rolling moon, the rose gold disc traversing a starry sky on a dark blue ground, above the signature BREGUET ET FILS, with blued steel Breguet hands and a gold alarm-setting hand, all set within a plain bezel and finely engine turned rectangular mask set with three rose gold plaques; the first oval in shape and introducing the alarm -winding and -setting squares, the second shield-shaped and presenting both the main winding square and the aperture for the year, the third engraved with the clock number, the mask further set with three apertures revealing the day of the week, the date of the month and the month.
The movement:
Of eight day duration and with large spring barrel secured by a bridge cock on the backplate, the cut and compensated bimetallic two-armed balance mounted vertically on the backplate with a blued steel spring with Breguet's overcoil and parachute suspension to a jewelled lever escapement, repeating the hours and the quarters by a brass circular-headed hammer on the (restored) bell on depression of the repeat button above, the alarm struck on the same bell by another hammer.
The presentation case:
Covered in dark green leather with gilt tooled running border to five sides, the top lid surmounted by a gilt brass loop handle and hinged cover for the repeat button, set to the side with a pair of clasps, the underside of the case signed 'Breguet, 12, Rue de la Paix, 12 PARIS' and numbered 179. Lined in dark green velvet and silk, with a secret base opening to reveal the bespoke recess in the base containing a double-ended key 14.5cms (5.5ins) high
Footnotes
Provenance:
Sold to S.M. François de Bourbon, King of Naples, in 1804 for 4000 Francs. The accompanying Breguet certificate (number 2889) states that the construction of the clock began in the Fourth year of the Republic (1796) and was sold eight years later, in 1804.
The S.E.Prestige Collection, Sotheby's London 29th April 1968, lot 5 sold to Alberti.
Anonymous sale, Auktionhaus Ineichen, Zurich, 22 May 1989, lot 132.
Anonymous sale, Christies London, 8 July 2010, lot 98.
Exhibited:
'L'Oeuvre d'Abraham-Louis Breguet', Musee International d'Horlogerie, La Chaux-de-Fonds, 15-20 May 1976.
Literature:
Allix & Bonnert, (1974), Carriage Clocks, their History and Development. Woodbridge, pp37-40.
Breguet, (1997), Breguet Watchmakers Since 1775, Paris, p.223.
Daniels, (1974), The Art of Breguet, London, p78, p164, figs 115 a-d.
Roberts, (1993) Carriage and Other Travelling Clocks, Atglen, p25, p27, and p30.
Francis I, King of Two Sicilies, (1777-1830), became king in 1825.
During the Napoleonic wars the Neapolitan royal family had to leave the city and seek refuge in Sicily with the protection of the British fleet from French troops, first in 1799 and, after returning in 1801, they had to leave again in 1806 and only returned after 1815.
