Ferdinand Berthoud, Pierre-Philippe Choffard Vintage

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Ratskunk, a dedicated horological historian, delves into the collaborative legacy of Ferdinand Berthoud and Pierre-Philippe Choffard, highlighting the intricate engravings that brought Berthoud's groundbreaking horological treatises to life. This exploration offers a unique perspective on the intersection of scientific precision and artistic craftsmanship in 18th-century horology. Readers will gain insight into the visual language that accompanied the development of marine chronometers and other timekeeping innovations.

Hopefully curious to some readers: two gentlemen at the top of their game: horologer Ferdinand Berthoud (1727-1807) and illustrator-engraver Pirerre-Philippe Choffard (1730-1809). Choffard's work appears in many of Berthoud's books but the 1773 Traité des horloges marines, contenant la théorie etc. (full title enclosed) features the largest of Choffard's work for Berthoud (vignettes, fleurons and engravings).

Traité des horloges marines, contenant la théorie, la construction, la main-d'œuvre de ces machines, et la manière de les éprouver, pour parvenir, par leur moyen, à la rectification des Cartes Marines et à la détermination des Longitudes en Mer. A Paris, chez J. B. G. Musier fils, libraire, 1773

From Vera Salomons' (daughter of Sir David Salomons) 1912 monograph "Choffard"...

BERTHOUD (Ferdinand). Traité des Horloges Marines, etc. A Paris, chez J. B. G. Musier fils, libraire, 1773, 4to. A fleuron on the title-page by Choffard, a vignette with Louis XV’s portrait above the dedication by Cochin, engraved by Choffard and 27 mechanical drawings engraved by Choffard.

Enclosed for the reader's enjoyment are the fleuron, the vignette and the 27 engravings from Ferdinand Berthoud's book.

Note: Sir David Salomons owned a copy of Ferdinand Berthoud's book and the book is listed in David Salomons' library catalog of 1916 (the book entry is enclosed); fans of David Salomon's Breguet (1747-1823) book will see that cataloging of stuff was in Sir David's blood well before being bitten by the Breguet bug.

Key Points from the Discussion

The 1763 'Essai sur l'horlogerie' by Ferdinand Berthoud contains the most extensive collection of mechanical engravings by Choffard, with 19 plates in each of its two volumes, totaling 38 illustrations.
Choffard's distinctive florid artistic style contrasts sharply with the precise, machine-like nature of his horological engravings, making it difficult to attribute both styles to the same hand without prior knowledge.
Choffard's horological-themed fleuron from Berthoud's 1802 'Histoire de la Mesure du Temps par les Horloges' depicts clocks, a gyroscope, and other scientific instruments, showcasing his detailed artistic interpretation of timekeeping.
The same Choffard fleuron found on the title page of Ferdinand Berthoud's 'Traité des Horloges Marines' also appears in at least three other Berthoud publications: 'Traité des montres à longitudes' (1792), 'Éclaircissemens sur l'invention...' (1773), and 'Les longitudes par la mesure du temps' (1775).

The Discussion

Ratskunk

Aug 3, 2024

Posted before but apropos of Berthoud and Choffard...the fleuron on the title page of Ferdinand Berthoud's 1802 Histoire de la Mesure du Temps par les Horloges ; a wonderful horological-themed drawing by Choffard. From Vera Salomons' 1912 Choffard monograph... BERTHOUD (Ferdinand). Histoire de la Mesure du Temps par les Horloges, par Ferdinand Berthoud, Mechanicien de la Marine, etc. A Paris, de l’Imprimerie de la République, an X (1802 v. s.), 2 vols., 4to. A fleuron repeated on the title-page

Ratskunk

Aug 4, 2024

The studious Ferdinand Berthoud fan will notice the Choffard fleuron appearing on the title page of Ferdinand Berthoud's Traité des Horloges Marines also appears on the title pages of at least three other Ferdinand Berthoud books... 1792: Traité des montres à longitudes...contenant la construction, la description & tous les détails de main- d'oeuvre de ces machines, leurs dimensions, la manière de les éprouver 1773: Éclaircissemens sur l'invention, la théorie, la construction, et les épreuves de

Ratskunk

Aug 4, 2024

If both volumes of Ferdinand Berthoud's mammoth Essai sur l'horlogerie. Tome 1 & Tome 2; dans lequel on traite de cet art relativement à l'usage civil, à l'astronomie et à la navigation (1763) are considered then Essai sur l'horlogerie Etc. contains the largest collection of mechanical engravings by Choffard in a Ferdinand Berthoud book; there are 19 engravings in each volume. Enclosed are all 38 engravings and sundry enlargements of dials from the book(s) for the reader's hopeful enjoyment. The

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Ferdinand Berthoud, Pierre-Philippe Choffard Vintage

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