Lot 351

Frainier / Mobilis, Movement No. 103432, Height 90 mm, circa 1910
A small carriage clock with silver relief panels and the "Poor Man's Tourbillon" according to the Swiss patent no. 30754 of Paul Loichot
Case: brass/silver. Dial: gilt, engine-turned. Movm.: full plate movement, U.S. Pat. appl. for D.R.P. ang. Pat. N. 7888/1905, Brevettato R.A.208.N.232, Btè S.G.D.G. 30754, screw compensation balance.
The exquisite silver panels display galant scenes of figures on the beach, while others play shuttlecock or ring games. They were created by Pierre Frainier, later P. Frainier & ses Fils; in the late 19th century the company produced clock cases in a factory in Morteau in France that was known for the quality of its relief ornamentation. They used fanciful fantasy ornaments or borrowed art nouveau motifs as well as motifs from sports or working and everyday environments, such as steam engines.
Brothers Henri-Louis and Philippe Auguste Courvoisier traded from 1842 on under the name "Courvoisier Frères". When more brothers joined the partnership in 1882, they changed the company name to "Courvoisier Fils". Specialising in high quality watches, they were commissioned by the city of La Chaux-de-Fonds to create a watch for the Prussian King William IV; at the time this ultra-flat watch was supposedly the thinnest in the world. The tourbillon movement invented by the Swiss Paul Loichot (which he turned in the case so it would be visible face-sided) was patented for the Courvoisier brothers on July 4th, 1905 under the number 19062 and the name "Mobilis".

Sold