French Morbier Tall Case Clock

The Morbier or Comtoise clock is rather unusual as French clocks go. Morbier is a very rural village in the Franche-Comté region of France near the border of Switzerland. There farmers in the area took up a winter “cottage industry” of crafting clock parts. The parts were mostly made and finished by hand and were comparatively large as French clocks go. Local clock makers assembled the parts into finished clocks which were in turn purchased by folks traveling through Morbier on the main route to and from Geneva.

This fine example of a Morbier clock is crafted in a beautiful cherry case. The flat top bonnet is styled with turned half-spindles and a tombstone glass door. Beneath the door the time displays on a white convex porcelain dial with blue Roman numerals and fancy Morbier hands. The dial is set into a brass repoussé surround with a lovely depiction of rural village life.  The waist has a raised panel door with glass cut-out for pendulum view, and continues to a stepped plinth base. Keeping the time is an 8-day Morbier movement with the characteristic bell strike at the hour and again at 2 minutes past, and also striking the half-hour.

Further, this beautiful clock bears a full restoration and one-year warranty. Morbier clocks are wonderful timepieces that mark a unique period and story of horological history.

88″H x 19″W x 12″D

Circa 1860

SOLD