A French gilt travel clock with calendar, Rodanet, circa 1880
Description
8-day movement with striking and repeat, calendar, gilt brass gorge case
5.3-cm enamel dial with Roman numerals and red five minute marking signed Rodanet Fourn r de la Marine de l’Etat 36 Rue Vivienne Paris, fine blued steel spade shaped hands, fitted in a matted silvered mask with three subsidiaries below for date, day of the week and alarm, 8-day spring driven movement with platform rachet tooth lever escapement, rack half hour striking on a gong with repeating on demand, alarm, fine gilt brass ‘gorge’ case inset with beveled glass panels.
Julien-Hilaire Rodanet was born in 1810 at Rochefort. At sixteen he went to Paris where he associated himself with Winnerl another famous 19thC maker. In 1837 he returned to Rochefort weher he started a school for clockmakers. He retired from clockmaking in 1866 and died in 1884. before 1855 his son opened a store in Paris Rue Vivienne where he also sold pieces of his father and his pupils. The store existed under different names until after the second world war.
