A superb quality mahogany French portico clock. The twenty-one day duration movement strikes the hours and half hours on a bell with an outside countwheel and interestingly has a pin wheel escapement. The pendulum has a brass bob with compensating steel and brass rods. The white enamel dial is beautifully signed 'Hahn Hgr a Paris, de S.A.R Mgr. le Duc d'Angoulême' (Hahn, Clockmaker of Paris, of the Duke of Angoulême) The mahogany portico case has fine gilded capitals and bezel.
The Duc d'Angoulême (Louis-Antoine of Artois) was the nephew of the French King Louis XVI and son of King Charles X becoming the last Dauphin of France (heir apparent) before the family went into exile. For twenty minutes in 1830 he was titled King Charles XIX of France and Naverres after his Father's enforced abdication but his wife persuaded him to also abdicate whilst still in the same room making him the shortest reigning monarch in France's history.
Hahn is recorded as working in Paris at Rue Helvétius from 1812, Gallerie Delorme from 1820 ans Rue St-Nicaise from 1830. He was known as a maker of mechanical, automata and musical clocks. (See AHS magazine... March 2004, vol 28, page 64)
Height: 17 ¾ inches
Price: £3,850.00