A FRENCH GILT AND SILVERED BRASS NOVELTY 'QUARTERDECK' MANTE...

Estimate

£6,000 - £8,000

A FRENCH GILT AND SILVERED BRASS NOVELTY 'QUARTERDECK' MANTEL CLOCKGUILMET, PARIS, LATE 19th CENTURYThe eight-day gong striking movement with anchor escapement regulated by compound pendulum with upper crossed spring suspension for the figural bob and stamped GLT, BREVETTE, S.G.D.G. trademark over serial number 1742 to backplate, the circular gilt Roman numeral dial with steel spade hands and canted bezel set into the cabin elevation of the case modelled as the stern of a ship with upper poop deck applied with binnacle compass before a figure cast as a sailor at the helm rocking from side-to-side with the motion of the pendulum, with curved balustrading behind terminating with lantern posts to sides over lower deck accessed via a ladder to the left and with another figure of a mariner gathering rope from a coil to the right, on moulded gilt base applied onto stepped black marble plinth with gilt block feet.30cm (11.5ins) high, 29cm (11.5ins) wide, 22cm (8.75ins) deep. Andre Romain Guilmet was born on the 10th of December 1827 in La Ferte-Gaucher, France. He was a credited as a watchmaker and inventor who specialised in producing novelty and mystery clocks for which he applied for a number of patents for designs. Amongst his other Patents was that for a bicycle where the driving chain was set below the seat. He is best known for his 'mysterieuse' figural clock with glass pendulum, this takes the form of a woman holding pendulum in her outstretched hand and arm over a marble base containing the clock below. The pendulum is impulsed by the mechanism underneath her that moves the figure imperceptibly from side to side. Guilmet's industrial series of clocks, which includes the current lot, features automated clocks in the form of windmills, lighthouses, automobiles, boats, steam hammers, boilers, etc. A Guilmet 'quarterdeck' clock is illustrated in Roberts, Derek Mystery Novelty and Fantasy Clocks on page 225 (figs. 22-2 a-d); and another (number 1653) was sold in these rooms on 6th September 2022 (lot 92) for £9,500 hammer.