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Clock by J. Deste, Paris, c. 1700

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
J. Deste (maker)
Date
c. 1700
Historical period
Early Modern Horology (1600 – 1750)
Country of origin
France
Place
Paris
Object type
Clock
Dimensions
Height 16.5 cm
Dealer
Howard Walwyn Fine Antique Clocks (dealer), London
Stock no.
SKU 321
Credit line
Dealer listing, Howard Walwyn (SKU 321)
Catalogue title (original)
J. DESTE, PARIS. A fine miniature lantern timepiece. (English)

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Record summary

Catalogued by Howard Walwyn Fine Antique Clocks (dealer), London (stock number SKU 321), this is a clock by J. Deste, made in Paris, France, dated c. 1700. The Atlas places it in the Early Modern Horology period (1600 – 1750) of its Clocks collection. Recorded dimensions: Height 16.5 cm. The record is illustrated with 2 photographs.

Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.

Catalogue description

Dealer description — Howard Walwyn

A fine miniature brass dial lantern timepiece with alarm with original verge escapement and alarm work. Date: circa 1700 Height: 6 ½ in (16.5 cm) excluding finial Dial Width: 2 ⅞ in (7.25 cm) Overall Width: 3 ½ in (9 cm) Depth: 4 ½ in (11.5 cm) HW5818

Historical context

Early Modern Horology (1600 – 1750)

Huygens' pendulum and balance spring transform accuracy; English makers develop the anchor and deadbeat escapements.

Huygens's pendulum (1656–57) improved clock accuracy from about a quarter of an hour to under a minute a day. The anchor escapement (c. 1670) and the long seconds pendulum created the longcase clock; London makers such as Fromanteel, Knibb, Tompion and Quare led European clockmaking, and French makers created the Boulle pendule.

Read the period in the timelineMore clocks from this periodEarlier: Renaissance Horology

Atlas type guide

Lantern, chamber and Gothic clocks

Domestic weight-driven clocks were made in southern Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Flanders from the fifteenth century. These 'Gothic' or chamber clocks have an open iron frame with corner posts, a verge escapement controlled by a foliot or balance wheel, and often an alarm or hour striking on a bell mounted above.

In England the lantern clock appeared around 1600: a brass posted-frame clock with a bell on top under decorative frets, hung on a hook or set on a wall bracket. After about 1658 many were converted to pendulum control, so originality of the escapement is a key question for any surviving example.

What to look for

  • Iron (continental) or brass (English) posted frames with turned corner pillars and finials.
  • A single hour hand — minute hands are rare before the pendulum era.
  • Evidence of conversion: plugged holes, replaced escapement wheels or later pendulums.
  • Fret designs and engraving on the dial centre, which help date English lantern clocks.

Dating clues

  • Continental Gothic chamber clocks: c. 1450–1650.
  • English lantern clocks: c. 1600–1720, with provincial examples later.
  • Short 'bob' pendulum conversions after 1658; long pendulums with anchor escapement after c. 1670.

General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.

Read next:FoliotAnchor (recoil) escapement

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