Jean Le Senne, Paris, ca. 1650
Alarum and hour striking train
case: silver, cast, pierced, engraved
dials: parcel gilt
cover with inserted glass
hands: blued steel
outer case: copper, beaten, covered with shagreen leather
mechanism: brass and iron plates gilded
spring with gut line and fusee
diameter 12.6 cm
with outer case 13.7 cm
thickness (with glass) 6.3 cm
Inv. 1982.1161.
The engraved signature in italic script on the back plate reads, "A Paris Jean le Senne". On the dial are (left) the indications of the day of the week (in Spanish) and the planet of the day and (right) of the month (in Spanish), the number of days in the month and the ruling sign of the zodiac. Above on two concentric dial rings are the solar calendar (1-30, gilt) and the lunar calendar (1-29); in the center on the right is an aperture for the phases of the moon. Below on the smaller dial there are a gilt chapter ring with Roman numerals for the hours and an alarum disc with Arabic numerals. The bell is screwed to the base. Coach clocks were the equivalent of later pendant and pocket watches. They were furnished with a ring for hanging up and were used for telling the time on journeys.
Basel Historical Museum
Management & administration
Steinenberg 4
PO box
CH – 4001 Basel
Reception: +41 61 205 86 00
historisches.museum(at)bs.ch
