S.V.V. BREMENS – BELLEVILLE

Commissaires - Priseurs (Agrément N° 2002-213)

6, Rue Marcel Rivière - 69002 - LYON - FRANCE

Tél. + 33 4 78 37 88 08 - Fax + 33 4 72 77 78 28

Url : http://www.interencheres.com - E-mail : info@bremens-belleville.com

Samedi 22 mars 2014 à 15 h

Pendule 2014.jpg Robert-Houdin’s Mysterious Clock.

Column Model (Single hour hand).

Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin (1805-1871), born in Blois son of a watchmaker and clockmaker himself, was fascinated by conjuring and this promoted him into the ranks of Magic Arts. At the Exhibition of the French industry of Products, held the 1 May 1839, Robert-Houdin presented a Mysterious clock and a Player of cups, who obtained a bronze medal in the category of precision instruments. He made many automatons as the Singing lesson, a cartoonist writer, a bird singing, a Schénobate (tightrope walker), and filed a large number of patents throw out his life.

Description :

The glass dial plate is ornated with Roman numerals (It is not signed by Robert-Houdin). The ring mounting which surrounds it ; as well as the hour hand in the form of an arrow are made of gilt-bronze. The upper part of the clock is supported by a crystal column which is fixed at it's lower extremity on it's gilt-bronze base ornated by four griffon's feet. The whole of which reposes on a black velvet covered base with it's four gilt-bronze ornaments in each corner. The clock mechanism is hidden in the base. The hour and half hour gong is produced by a Chaperon spiral wire system.

The bronze elements are numbered "50"; around the upper part of the column; upon the outside plate of the mechanism (The plate does not have the signature of Robert-Houdin). The two long key's included (one to rewind the gong mechanism and the other to rewind the clock mechanism) are not of origin.

The clocks attractive mechanism is in need of a revision in order to function.

Very beautiful condition otherwise.

Height : 50 cm

Estimation : 7000 €/12000 €

How it works :

The clock possesses in fact two transparent clock dials. On the outside of the first dial (which is fix) are painted the hour numerals with increments of one minute. The second dial which is the same diameter as the outer dial is placed just behind. This disc turns around with the central axe of the hour hand. This disc has an indented rim which is hidden inside the outer gilt-bronze ring. The ring holds the two glasses discs together and permits the dial hand too turn seemingly invisibly. A worm screw is hidden in one of the small bronze spheres which support the glass dials. This worm screw is driven by an angle drive which in turn is driven by the inside glass column which has at it's upper extremity a small gear wheel. The gear wheel attached to the lower extremity of the inside glass column is coupled to the mechanism hidden in the base of the clock. The outer glass column is fixed to the gilt-bronze base with it's four gilt-bronze griffons feet. Nothing betrays the mechanism hidden in the bronze ornaments nor in the base, and thus confers upon the hour hand it's "magic movement".

Expert HJALMAR, Rue de la Mairie, SAINT-JUST-D’AVRAY - 69870 - France

Tél. / Fax : + 33 4 74 71 52 92 - Mob. : + 33 6 26 23 89 94 - Mob. : + 33 6 16 01 86 32

Url : http://www.hjalmar.fr - Email : hjalmar@hjalmar.fr

Exhibitions :
Friday, March 21, 2014 from 14 am to 18 pm

Saturday, March 22, 2014 from 10 am to 12 pm