Object Description
French brass Champleve enamel mantel clock.
Finely decorated brass and champleve bow fronted case with sky blue ground and floral enamel .
Enamel dial with champleve decorated bezel and dial centre. Blue Arabic numerals and original ‘blued’ steel hands.
Eight day circular movement with mercury compensated pendulum striking the hours and halves on a coiled gong, the backplate stamped ‘R & Co, made in Paris’. C,1890
‘Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World’ by Brian Loomes lists Richard & Co, London, Canon Street 1867-1900. Branch of Richard et Cie, Paris, formally Lemaitre & Bergman.
Richard et Cie were one of the smaller Parisian based manufactures known for innovation having a paper published regarding temperature compensation and precision timekeeping. The firm received several awards at the grand exhibitions.
The company can trace their history back to 1616 when Jehan Richard worked as a clock and watchmaker in Paris. The family continued with the tradition of clock and watchmaking at many different locations in Paris. C. 1870 they occupied premises at Rue Poissonniere.