Claudius du Chesne musical table clock (clockmaker in London 1693-1730), circa 1705, Queen Anne.
Ebonised wood. Décor of brass, partly gilded. The dial signed "Claudius Du Chesne Londini". The dial with silvered chapter ring with roman numerals. With verge escapment and eightday movement. The dial with date, weekdays and months. Also hands for pendulum regulation and for changing melodies. Including three music barrels with engraved titles "Libulero" and "Menuet Anglois"; "Pasepie" and "Menuete"; "aire de tronpet" and "Menuete". With 24 hammers on 12 bells. One hammer and bell for hours. The case with drawer for the music barrels. Length 28,5, width 21, height including top figure 58 cm. Pendulum and key included. Key included.
Décor additions. The four brass finials and the two pine cones not original. Three sides of fretwork on the top have been removed. The glasses later. The case black colour refreshed. The hand on the pendulum regulation dial missing. The hand on the weekday dial is a replacement. One music barrel missing. The metal plate behind the mock pendulum missing. The clockwork with repairs and additions. Please note that clocks and clockwork are sold as Works of Art and Bukowskis offer no warranty for their technical functioning as timepieces.
Provenance
Formerly Ekebyhof, Ekerö socken, Uppland. Thence by descent.
Literature
Kina slott på Drottningholm, Allhems förlag 1972, page 284, shows a clock by Claudius du Chesne.
More information
Claudius Du Chesne was Hugenott and first working in Paris, then to reach fame as a clockmaker in London 1693-1730. His technically advanced musical table and longcase clocks were particularly sought after. Clock by Claudius Du Chesne can be found in many collections, such as at the China Pavillion at Drottningholm Palace in Sweden and at Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark.
