97th Auction

2018/5/12

Lot 610

Thomé à Versailles, 550 x 320 x 160 mm, circa 1795
A Directoire precision table regulator with indications of date and equation of time, centre seconds and quarter hour/hour self strike with one hammer striking on three bells by Robin and Berthoud
Case: white and grey marble, ormolu. Dial: enamel, outer names of the months with date, inner radial Roman hours. Five separate hands: gilt hands for the equation, blued hands for the hours and minutes, the calendar and centre seconds, concealed winding apertures. Movm.: square brass full plate movement, 1 hammer / 3 bells, kidney-shaped device for equation of time under the dial, pin wheel escapement, compensation gridiron pendulum with knife edge suspension.
The distinguishing feature of this regulator in the form of a portal is the clear-cut design of its white enamel dial, which shows not only date and month but also the equation of time, i.e., the discrepancy between solar time and mean solar time, by means of a gold-coloured hand with a sun symbol. The dial sits between a pair of white marble double columns with gilded bases and capitals and is decorated with a heavy, gold-coloured drapery. The top part of the clock is made of white and grey marble with a gilt laurel band around it and a central Medusa head. The rectangular base is decorated with a gold-coloured frieze with bas-relief; it shows a sun in the centre and eight lively putti playing with different geometric objects. The putti symbolize the eight planets in our solar system orbiting the sun.
Time is announced at every half and every full hour by strikes on three bells, with a single hammer striking all three clocks by changing its length accordingly.
The records of Brian Loomes show that Thomé was mentioned as a clockmaker in Versailles in the second half of the 18th century.
Source: Brian Loomes, "Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World, London 2006, p. 766.
Provenance: Important Dutch private collection

estimated
13.00016.000 €
Price realized
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