Meuron et Comp Gilt Bronze Officer's Clock with Musical Box
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1780
This Swiss mantel clock, attributed to Meuron et Comp circa 1780, is constructed in architectural gilt bronze. It features a dial with a white enamel band and a central embossed brass plaque signed "Meuron et Comp."
The case is decorated with floral reliefs, a stylized pediment with a mascaron, and sides featuring lyres with bird protomes. The clock is set upon a restored ebonized wood base, which incorporates a large cylinder musical box capable of playing two melodies. Mechanical features include a two-day movement, a verge escapement with a balance wheel, and striking for hours and quarters on two bells. The clock is equipped with a tirage alarm and repeat function, alongside a side-mounted lever to select between Grande Sonnerie, Petite Sonnerie, or silence.
It is supplied with a winding key and currently remains in functioning condition.
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
- Date
- circa 1780
- Type
- Officer's carriage clock
- Maker
- Meuron et Comp
- Movement
- Two-day power reserve with verge escapement
- Dimensions
- 28 cm high, 15.5 cm wide, 11 cm deep
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Striking features
- Grande Sonnerie, Petite Sonnerie, and silence
- Maker / attribution
- Meuron et Comp
Design
- Visible features
- • Gilt bronze architectural case with mascaron pediment • Enamel ring dial with Arabic numerals • Ebonized base with musical controls • Lyre motifs on the case sides
- Case and Aesthetic Design
- The clock is designed as a miniature architectural edifice, primarily executed in gilt bronze. The exterior is embellished with relief foliage friezes and a molded base. A stylized, mistilinear pediment surmounts the structure, centered by a mascaron motif. The design incorporates a carry handle at the apex and features flanking lyres adorned with raptor-like protomes. The timepiece rests upon a base made of ebonized wood, which the provided records indicate has been restored. This base serves as the housing for the integrated cylinder musical box, which operates independently to provide sound at the strike of the hours. The primary visual focal point remains the dial, which combines a white enamel outer ring for the hour indicators with a central embossed brass panel.
- Movement and Complications
- The horological core of the object is a two-day duration movement featuring a traditional verge escapement and balance wheel. The movement is complex for its scale, offering both temporal and melodic functions. It strikes the hours and quarters upon a set of two bells and includes a tirage-actuated alarm and repeating mechanism. A distinctive feature of the clock is the selection lever located on the case side, which dictates the strike mode: Grande Sonnerie, Petite Sonnerie, or silence. Furthermore, the musical component within the base utilizes a lever system, allowing the owner to toggle the music function on or off for the hourly strikes, providing a customizable auditory experience alongside its primary function as a timekeeper.
- Signatures and Technical Inscription
- The object bears the signature "Meuron et Comp" located on a cartouche positioned at the six o'clock mark on the dial. The dial itself features two winding holes positioned at approximately five and eleven o'clock. The hands are crafted from blued steel, providing contrast against the pale enamel and gilded brass surfaces. The base assembly includes a plaque or control area that facilitates the management of the musical box. The instructions for music and silence settings are integrated into the base design, consistent with the control of the two-track melody system. The overall package is accompanied by its winding key.
Identification
- 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 base is explicitly described as restored
- Research required: Mechanism condition is reported as 'currently functioning' but specific maintenance history is not documented