Lot 423

Berthoud

Historia und Chronos

A collection of 6 attractive pocket watches
A rare quarter repeating pocket watch with 2 jacquemarts in three-colour gold

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The gold jacquemart "á trois couleurs" shows two allegoric figures, striking on two hanging bells: On the left is Historia holding a book (allegory of history) and Chronos is on the right ( personification of time).

The automaton Jacks on the dial refer to the Medieval way of public time announcing which was by real people striking every hour on a bell situated at the top of the city tower. Later, life-size robots, called Jacquemarts or Jacks, amused public by striking bells in large public clocks, of which, probably the most famous is the one in Venice at Piaza San Marco and the oldest (1383) in the tower of Dijon with robot Jacquemart, his wife Jacqueline, son Jacquelinet, and a daughter Jacquelinette.