Breguet Acajou Mouchete Jump Hour Striking Table Clock no. 4726

Breguet Acajou Mouchete Jump Hour Striking Table Clock no. 4726

A superbly presented Acajou Mouchete (plum pudding mahogany) jump-hour striking table clock. The movement with large rectangular plates forming a D section at its base which houses the massive single barrel that controls both striking and going trains. The two trains are wound via a secret single winding square situated below ‘6’ on the white enamel dial yet hidden by the chased gilt and glazed bezel. The plates held by large conical pillars pinned to the backplate, having anchor escapement with silk suspended pendulum. The pendulum with blued steel rod and brass bob, having double pendulum lock firstly to the backplate and also a steel and sprung pendulum ‘hold fast’ secured to the wooden case. The backplate being signed, Breguet, and numbered 4726. The beautifully executed case of simple lines showing a strong grain to the well figured and coloured veneers and standing upon four gilt brass lion’s paw feet with chased and engine turned bezel. The convex white enamel dial simply signed, Breguet above ‘6’, with Breguet numerals and Breguet moon hands. The hour hand and motion work being designed with Breguet’s half hour jumping system.

This interesting approach designed by Breguet is such that the hour hand stays still until at 30 minutes past the hour it jumps a full half hour ending up directly between each hour. The hand again stays still until the minute hand approaches the following hour when again it jumps precisely half an hour. This lovely system is a joy to witness as the viewer often lacks its significance.

To include its Breguet Certificate.

Provenance: Maurice Mathieu and thence by decent.

This clock was made for M. Mathieu, Comte de la Redort for 600 francs in 1828. It had remained in the same family until sold at auction circa 1997 and has remained in a private collection to this date.

Maurice Mathieu was born into an old protestant family from Rouergue on the 20th February 1768 in Saint Affique and died in Paris on 1st March 1833.

He joined the army in 1783 as a cadet in a Swiss regiment in Meuron. He then transferred to the Luxemberger legion serving as a Second Lieutenant in East India. In 1789 he returned to France and was appointed Lieutenant in the Royal Dragoons where one of his uncles already held the post of Colonel. During the French Revolution he became a Captain and took part in the Rhine campaigns. He then transferred to Italy where he distinguished himself by commanding 2,500 men winning a battle near Terracine against an army corps of 10,000 Italians. The next day Terracine was taken by storm and Mathieu was appointed General of Brigade.

In 1799 he took command of the 11th military division in Bordeaux. Between 1800-1807 he commanded divisions in Prussian and Polish campaigns and then joined the Spanish army under the command of General Moncey. In 1810 he transferred back to the French Army and served under Marshal Ney who proceeded to appoint Mathieu, Governor General of Barcelona.

In 1815 he took command of the 10th Military Division in Toulouse and retired after the Second Restoration to his estates in Horedowe. In 1817 he came out of retirement to take command of the 19th Division in Lyon and in 1819 he was appointed Peer of France. It is unclear when he married his wife, Clary, but it is known that she was the sister of the wife of Joseph Bonaparte, King of Naples and Spain. Napoleon bestowed Mathieu with the title Comte, probably about the time he was married and then later in 1817 he was given the title, De La Redorte.

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