Carriage Clock LeRoy et Fils

[svenedin]

Lastly for good measure, a carriage clock by LeRoy et Fils. Strikes hour and half hour. Hour repeat on demand. Alarm.

The interesting feature of this clock is the LeRoy patent differential winding mechanism. The large "key" on the bottom of the clock is used for winding. First the key is turned one way to wind the going train then the other to wind the strike. Note also the English lever escapement and the very large glass in the top (usually a sign of the highest quality)

[video=youtube;d2A5BVUcIjY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2A5BVUcIjY&feature=youtu.be[/video]

 

[Shayne]

Svenedin its a beauty I have never seen a winding mechanism like this before thanks for sharing the pics. Is the case one piece and do you have any idea when it was made.

Shayne

 

[svenedin]

I think circa 1880/1890. They are very rare. The differential winding system was difficult to make and could be temperamental so it didn't really catch on. You will notice that although the clock is "keyless" it can still be wound conventionally with a key on the winding arbors. In fact, I also have the original leather travelling case which includes a key. It would be interesting to find out the date of Patent 9501 which is the patent for the winding system. The clock can be dated more accurately from the address in Paris and the clock serial number but these are mostly obscured by the differential winding mechanism. I am not sure exactly how the case is constructed.

Pictures show the red tooled Maroc leather travelling case, velvet lined. A removable panel allows the clock to be seen through a glass window. A button on the top allows the repeat to be activated even with the case closed. An internal compartment holds a key (which is not really needed).

 

[Shayne]

Svenedin I did a search on the net about this clock it seems you have a very rare and EXPENSIVE carriage clock . Nothing indepth showed up about the patent. I am guessing the case is one piece.

I like carriage clocks and I am always looking for one that has something unusual .
https://mb.nawcc.org/showthread.php?86670-3-carriage-clocks&highlight=carriage+clocks

They are nothing like yours

Shayne

 

[svenedin]

Thank you Shane. Yes to my knowledge it is very rare indeed. I have seen a similar one sold by Christies in London years ago but that did not have the original case.

 

[jmclaugh]

Ano cracker and bell strike too, so much nicer, not a one piece case though.

 

[Ralph]

A chance to plug our Midwest Regional. Here's a Slide show, that barely show's our display from 2010.

http://astro5.com/MWR/2010/MWR2010c.html

Ralph

 

[Tom Wotruba]

There was a short-lived publication called "The Journal of the Tandem-Winders" in the 1980s and one of the articles in the Winter 1985 issue stated that "On May 12, 1893, English patent no. 9501 was granted to T. G. Hull for winding the going and striking barrels by the same key." There is also some good discussion of bottom-wind mechanisms in Allix's book on carriage clocks. I also own a LeRoy bottom wind with serial number 9929 and it's date was estimated as 1880-1890. It is a bit difficult to discern the serial number of your clock, though it looks from the photo to be something like 4835 which would make it towards the beginning of that decade. You have a nice collection!

Tom Wotruba

 

[svenedin]

Thanks for the info Tom and for complimenting me on my collection. I also have some fairly ordinary carriage clocks and some are not in terribly good condition. As finances allow I will have them professionally restored. The serial number is 4885.

 

[Watchfixer]

Cyma Sonomatic used differential winding too.

Cheers, Watchfixer