Henri Motel Marine Chronometer No. 59
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1800
According to Royal Museums Greenwich, this marine chronometer numbered 59 was constructed by Henri Motel in Paris and dates to circa 1800 or circa 1820. Housed in a two-tier mahogany box fitted with brass gimbals, the instrument features a 79 mm matt-silvered brass dial signed by Motel as Horloger de la Marine Royale, paired with blued steel hands and an auxiliary seconds register.
The Louis Berthoud-style full plate fusee movement utilizes four polished steel pillars, curled brass plate finishing, Harrison's maintaining power, and a pivoted-detent escapement on a navette platform. The source notes a Motel-type four-arm bimetallic balance, a blued steel conical balance spring, and specialized front-winding and locking mechanisms.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Two-day marine chronometer
- Maker
- Motel, Henri
- Date Made
- circa 1800
- Dial Signature
- Signed H ri Motel / H ger de la Marine R le and N59
- Place recorded
- France
- Escapement Type
- Louis Berthoud-type pivoted-detent escapement
- Box Construction
- Two-tier mahogany box measuring 135 mm high, 165 mm wide, and 165 mm deep
- Maker / attribution
- Henri Motel
- Movement Plate Inscription
- Engraved Construite par / Hri Motel / N.59
Design
- Visible features
- • Open mahogany box displaying the silvered dial suspended in brass gimbals with a winding key stowed in the rear right corner • Underside of the upper box lid contains a brass-bezeled circular viewing porthole • Diamond-shaped brass keyway escutcheon mounted on the front face of the lower box tier
- Movement Architecture
- The movement is a one-day full plate fusee type with four polished steel pillars, finished with curled decoration. It is secured within a 96.8 mm brass drum using a 'secret locking' system that requires specific alignment and rotation to engage or release. The chronometer includes a front-winding arrangement and an integrated stop/start device controlled by a steel square on the bezel, marked with 'A' and 'M' for stop and start functions.
- Box Construction and Mounting
- The chronometer is housed in a two-tier mahogany box measuring 135 mm high, 165 mm wide, and 165 mm deep. It features a sliding dovetailed lid with a central brass diamond inlay and a glazed porthole. A two-pronged, double-throw lock secures the box, which also includes a diamond-shaped brass escutcheon on the front. The instrument is mounted in lacquered brass gimbals. A locking arrangement, actuated by a knob on the front right, lowers an arbor to engage a 'see-saw' mechanism, which centers and secures the movement bowl.
- Dial, Escapement, and Balance
- The 79.0 mm matt-silvered brass dial is signed 'H ri Motel / H ger de la Marine R le' and 'N59'. Records indicate the central area of the dial was modified from behind, likely for re-engraving the signature. The escapement is a pivoted-detent type on a navette-style platform. The bimetallic balance features four tapered steel arms with brass segments containing platinum and gold screws, regulated by a blued steel conical balance spring.
Identification
- Reference
- ZAA0016
- Serial number
- 59
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: The source gives conflicting dates: 'c.1820' in the heading text and 'circa 1800' in the metadata fields
- Research required: The source reports the mainspring is a 20th-century replacement and green velvet side lining inside the bowl is missing
- Research required: The source notes that glass is missing from the circular panel under the sliding lid