Description

Jean Baptiste was a maitre horloger in Paris, France around 1762. The dial is signed: Jean B. Helye, Reu Nueve St. Mederic (Dictionnaire des Horloge Tardy, pg. 294). It is a very heavy bronze clock (21 kg) with an eight-day movement striking on 3 bells. Around 1 meter high and 50 cm wide. Grande Sonnerie (Frech meaning ‘grand strike’) is a complication in a mechanical clock which combines a quarter striking mechanism with a repeater. On the quarter-hour, it strikes the nuimeber of hours audibly on a gong and then the number of quarter-hours since the hour on a gong.