Robert à Paris. Circa 1840

Oil Painting on canvas of a country scene with the river Rhine, mountains and a town in the distance. In the foreground a village with travellers on a road passing through an arch under the clock tower.
In its original gilded gesso frame.

There is a label inside, written by hand "View of the Rhine, with clock plays fine airs by Copeland".

The clock movement by Robert, Paris is an 8-day French movement with silk suspension, striking the hours and the halves on a gong, after the hour has struck the clock activates the music which plays one of 2 tunes. The music can be stopped from automatic play via the lever protrading out of the underside of the frame and the tune can be changed via a second lever.

Henry Robert is recorded in Baillie, G.H. Watchmakers & Clockmakers of the World as born in 1794.

He was an eminent maker who published two books: L'Art de de connaitre les pendules et les montres in 1841 and Etudes sur diverses questions d'horlogerie in 1849.

He died in 1874.

This is a fine quality cylinder musical movement circa 1830.
Made by Francois Alibert, Rue J.J. Rousseau, Paris.

Recorded in Tardy as working there from 1812-1830 En chambre. Fit des boites a musique.
Signed on the governor top clock Alibert and numbered 30601 the brass base numbered 13444.

The slow turning 2,5 inch / 6,5 cm cylinder with 48 teeth gives a longer playing time than most movements of this size.

It has a 17 section comb, each section carrying 4 teeth ad each block of teeth held down with a single screw onto a common brass base. It is also fitted with black polished, hardened steel male and female stop work, although most music box movementsof this size had steel stop work, most were not as well finished at this example. It also has twin winding pawls and return springs, another sign of a good quality mechansim.
Sectional combs were made in this period because few, if any manufacturers had the ability to make large one piece combs. The music played by this has trills and runs up and down the comb, they were obviously arranged by a very good tune arranger.
There is a further hand written label stating the tunes.
Coblenz
Airs
No.1 In tic tac in Moulin??
No 2. March la Napoleon

Dimensions:
39,6 inches wide, 33,25'' high, 7,5'' deep

Both clock and music mechanisms have been fully overhauled.