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Lot Essay
This beautiful astronomical and world time skeleton clock is the work of Hubert Sarton (1748-1828), who was Belgium's greatest clockmaker and is renowned for his fine multi-dial skeleton clocks. Born in Liège, Hubert Sarton was apprenticed to his uncle, Dieudonné Sarton, in 1762 and by 1768 was working at Pierre Leroy's workshop in Paris. In 1772 Sarton was appointed
Court Mechanic to Duke Charles Alexander, Prince of Lorraine. He was commissioned to make several clocks for the Duke, including a superb example with moving dial (sold Christie's London, The Albert Odmark Collection 11 March 2005, lot 375). A world time skeleton clock, very closely related in design and signed Sarton was sold Christie's London, 12 July 1995, lot 336 and is also illustrated in Derek Roberts op cit., p. 178. A similar clock was with René Sarton, a direct descendant, in 1972 (see Edward G. Aghib, 'Hubert Sarton of Liege, A Master Belgian Clockmaker', Antiquarian Horology, December 1972, p.46, figs. 4a & 4b).
Sarton also enjoyed the patronage of the Prince Archbishop Francois Charles Alexander de Velbrock, whose Court contacts no doubt helped him a good deal and who asked him to start a Science Society (the 'Societe d'Emulation'). By 1783 he had been appointed City Counsellor and Treasurer. The subsequent invasion of Belgium by the French Revolutionary armies in 1794 undoubtedly led to a down-turn in Sarton's business but this must have improved in the early 1800s as a number of clocks date from this period.
Court Mechanic to Duke Charles Alexander, Prince of Lorraine. He was commissioned to make several clocks for the Duke, including a superb example with moving dial (sold Christie's London, The Albert Odmark Collection 11 March 2005, lot 375). A world time skeleton clock, very closely related in design and signed Sarton was sold Christie's London, 12 July 1995, lot 336 and is also illustrated in Derek Roberts op cit., p. 178. A similar clock was with René Sarton, a direct descendant, in 1972 (see Edward G. Aghib, 'Hubert Sarton of Liege, A Master Belgian Clockmaker', Antiquarian Horology, December 1972, p.46, figs. 4a & 4b).
Sarton also enjoyed the patronage of the Prince Archbishop Francois Charles Alexander de Velbrock, whose Court contacts no doubt helped him a good deal and who asked him to start a Science Society (the 'Societe d'Emulation'). By 1783 he had been appointed City Counsellor and Treasurer. The subsequent invasion of Belgium by the French Revolutionary armies in 1794 undoubtedly led to a down-turn in Sarton's business but this must have improved in the early 1800s as a number of clocks date from this period.