Comtoise Clocks - The Morbier & The Morez is an immensely informative volume on these French clocks made for the common man. Neglected for two hundred years, [the Comtoise clock] is the glory of, and testament to, a handful of men. Translated from French by Lawrence Alan Seymour, the works of Francis Maitzner and Jean Moreau provides us with both a historical and a technical volume.
The book is divided into three parts. Part One is entitled Historical Notes and it discusses the history of the region and its clocks. A lengthy section of the Historical Notes is dedicated to the Exterior Features of the Comtoise Clock which examines the clock face, pendulums, hands, cabinets and weights in detail. An equally long (33 pp) and detailed section focuses on the escapements and the evolution of various movements and mechanisms.
Part Two is entitled Technical Details, Repair and Restoration, Maintenance. This moves through the various technical aspects of Comtoise Weight Clocks, Quarter Striking Comtoise Clocks, Comtoise Clocks with Unusual Mechanisms, Morez Clocks or Picture Clocks, and numerous other clocks types with an emphasis on specific models.
Part Three is the Supplement. This section presents about 20 specific clocks or clock types such as Louis XVI with Crescent Doe's Foot, Comtoise Clocks with Pivoting Rack, Comtoise Clock Revolution Period with Republican and Gregorian calendar, Morez Clock with Center Second Hand, and so forth. The Supplement also presents numerous modern Comtoise clocks manufactured in the 1970s and 1980s. It has a section on dating Comtoise clocks and miscellaneous tables and references.
Comtoise Clocks - The Morbier & The Morez is lavishly illustrated with photographs, color plates, drawings, and reproductions. The information contained is simply astounding. For anyone with an occupational interest in these clocks, this volume is a must.
Price: $149.50
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