D1221 - French hand painted Morbier Longcase clock, circa 1840

This handmade pine tallcase clock has beautifully painted floral decorations. The bombe’ shaped case has a window to see the pendulum swinging.
The white convex enamel dial with raised roman numerals is set in a repousee (thin pressed brass) surround.

The 8 day weight driven movement has a verge escapement and strikes the hours and half hours on a bell, repeating the hour strike two minutes past each hour, unique to this type of clock.
Height: 235cm.

Comtoise clocks, also known as Morbier clocks or Morez clocks, are a style of longcase clock made in the French region Franche-Comté (whence their name).
Production of these clocks began in 1680 and continued for a period of about 230 years. During the peak production years (1850–1890) over 60,000 clocks were made each year. These clocks were very popular across the generations; they kept the time on farms throughout France.
Unlike most mass produced clocks, the Morbier was not made in a factory. The Morbier was in fact the product of many families working together from various villages scattered throughout the remote Franche-Comte region of eastern France. Often an entire village would be involved, in some way, with the making of the clock. One family may make the dials, another the hands, or cut wheels or make the cases, each specializing in some part of the clock. The final assembly was usually left to a few clockmakers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

R37 900

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