Maker, Rougel a Langres, Repu, France. June 1849. Serial No. 2. Movement without dome 12"w x 11"h x 4"d. Hour and one-half hour rack and snail strike. Graham deadbeat escapement, 1/2 seconds pendulum. Two week duration.

Click on the individual pictures to see some shots of the restoration process.

This unusual looking clock anticipated the designs later used in many French flat-bed style tower clocks. It was made before the standard flat-bed design became in the later 1850's. However, a type of flat bed arrangement was anticipated as early as the mid 1700's by French maker Pierre Le Roy where he used brass or wrought iron bars dovetailed together to make the bed. The trains, were a birdcage styled end-to-end design and placed upon the bars. Each train was independent (however the wheels within each train were not).1 It was a precursor to the modular  flat bed designs of tower clocks begun in the latter 1800's. This clock anticipates the true flat bed design where each wheel is laid side-by-side in a linear fashion. This is the earliest example I know of a true lineal wheel layout reflected in a domestic clock.

The decorative knurled strike counter-weights are positioned in a manner similar that of a tower clock. Compare this to the two French clocks found in the tower clock section of this web site. Click here and here to view each one. The high quality movement has blued screws throughout as well as five wheels in the going train, six in the strike train. The clock as found was in poor condition. Likely the wood stand is a later replacement. It probably was originally supported by brass pillars and base.