French Couaillet Mantel Clock with Mercury Pendulum

[Marcos Scheuenstuhl]

This is the newest member of my collection. It is a French Couaillet Mantel Clock with Mercury Pendulum. The engraving on the back of the clock is worn, but it is possible to read "Couaillet Frères", "Pons", "Medailles Or & Art".

As the Couaillet brothers (associated in 1903) bought the workshops formerly occupied by Honoré Pons (following a devastating fire in 1912), and in 1925 they separated, with Armand Couaillet creating the La Mécanique Horlogère, I would assume that this clock dates from the mid 1910's to the mid 1920's. Would this make sense?

A curious aspect is that most "Couaillet" movements are not clearly signed, being usually identified by the presence on the back of the movement of an arrow comprising four points outside the base of the arrow and two on the back. This clock carries "Couaillet Frères" stamped on it.

Will appreciate comments or further information on the clock.

 

[Marcos Scheuenstuhl]

This is a clearer stamp that is identical to the one in my clock: Hallmarks of French Watchmakers

 

[jmclaugh]

That mark is interesting as I hadn't seen it before so it would seem it was not widely used. My understanding is Couaillet Freres was formed in 1892 producing movements like the one in this clock and subsequently became well known for carriage clocks and became the largest makers in the area. The link with Pons I believe comes from their purchase of premises you mentioned after a fire that were used by Delepine-Barrois who had taken over Pons business when he retired around 1847.

Anyway congrats, it's a nice four glass clock that I would think dates to the late 19th/early 20th C.