Louis-Achille Brocot mantel clock with two-wheel escapement
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1840
This 19th-century mantel clock is attributed by the dealer to French horologist Louis-Achille Brocot and carries serial number #47. Housed in a rosewood veneered case adorned with linear stringing and resting on a stepped plinth, the clock features a circular silvered dial inscribed 'BROCOT BREVETÉ'.
The dial exhibits black Roman numerals, Breguet-style hands, twin winding arbors, and a visible two-wheeled escapement mounted in the upper sector below XII. According to the seller, the clock was built for the 1840 exhibition and combines Brocot's two-wheeled escapement, Brocot suspension, and Louis-Gabriel's striking mechanism.
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
- Mantel clock
- Escapement
- Two-wheeled escapement
- Exhibition
- 1840 exhibition
- Case Veneer
- Rosewood veneer
- Dial Material
- Silvered dial
- Serial Number
- #47
- Place recorded
- France
- Maker Attribution
- Louis-Achille Brocot
- Maker / attribution
- Louis-Achille Brocot
Design
- Visible features
- • Rectangular upright case veneered in figured rosewood with fine inlaid border stringing • Stepped rectangular base with rounded corners and framed inlay panels • Circular brass bezel enclosing a silvered dial with black Roman numerals and an outer minute track • Visible two-wheeled escapement mounted above the central hand arbor beneath numeral XII • Dial signed 'BROCOT BREVETÉ' below the twin winding squares • Blued steel Breguet-style open-tipped hands
- Case Construction and Presentation
- The clock is housed in an upright rectangular case veneered in figured rosewood, decorated with fine inlaid border stringing. It rests upon a stepped rectangular plinth with rounded corners and framed inlay panels. A circular brass bezel frames the dial opening against the rosewood veneer. The case presentation relies on restrained geometric wood inlay rather than applied metal mounts.
- Dial Display and Escapement Configuration
- The clock displays a circular silvered dial featuring black Roman hour numerals and an outer minute track, with blued steel Breguet-style open-tipped hands. Twin winding squares are positioned on the lower portion of the dial, above the inscription 'BROCOT BREVETÉ'. A two-wheeled escapement is mounted visibly on the dial plate above the center arbor, directly below Roman numeral XII.
- Horological Features and Historical Attribution
- The listing attributes the clock to Louis-Achille Brocot and reports a serial number of #47. According to the seller, the timepiece incorporates three inventions associated with Brocot and his family: a two-wheeled escapement, a suspension system stated to have been invented at age 17, and a striking mechanism attributed to Louis-Gabriel. The seller also asserts that the clock was built at age 20 for an 1840 exhibition, referencing the publication 'Les Brocot, une dynasty d'horlogers' by Richard Chavigny. Because internal movement plates, striking components, suspension assemblies, and stamped serial numbers are not visible in the provided exterior record, these mechanical details and historical claims remain source-reported.
Identification
- Serial number
- #47
- 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: Internal mechanism, suspension spring, striking work, and serial number marking are not visible in the primary exterior photograph
- Research required: Claim that the clock was built for the 1840 exhibition is source-reported by the dealer and unverified independently