Items for Sale

D171. A very rare (we have never seen or heard of another) working model, with clock, of a “Turbine á Dragées”; a machine for sugar- coating almonds, probably made for C.Leclaire, thought to be the designer of the machine, whose initials are engraved on the front of the ornate brass column. The quality of construction is particularly high.

It consists of a bell striking clock movement bearing the initials LR within a square on the backplate and below it Brevete 981. The movement, bought in from S.Marti & Co whose stamp it bears, together with the inscription Medaille de Bronze.

The dished dial has an outer silvered chapter ring with roman numerals and a gilded centre. Surrounding it is a brass u-shaped ring. The movement is contained within a brass cylinder around which the spherical copper cylinder of the turbine rotates, powered by a strong and independent spring.

All the very substantial gearing, including the smooth wheel mimicking that for the belt drive, is mounted on a shaped and cast brass column decorated with branches of an almond tree bearing nuts.. To one side is an anaeroid barometer with an additional hand for recording the previous day’s reading. It also gives the relevant figure in metres.

The very substantial and attractive brocatelle three tier marble base rests on a gilded brass plate. To one side is the hole for the winding key for the automata which is surrounded by a heavy silvered brass plate which is signed Borius. Place C.horigny, possibly the maker.

A substantial shaped silvered plaque, fixed to the front of the brass column, bears the inscription:- 1887. Turbine à Dragées. System C Leclaire.

Ht 18" (46 cms ) Total Length 14". (35.5 cms.) £9,750.