French deck chronometer with 49h power reserve Circa 1880

Deck chronometer by Etienne Emile Delépine
–
A small French deck chronometer with 49 hour power reserve in a mahogany box, circa 1880. Brass movement, conical movement pillars, chain and fusee, a spring detent escapement according to Thomas Earnshaw, bimetallic chronometer balance with two weights, two adjusting nuts and two screws, a free sprung blued helical balance spring. Silvered dial with Roman hours, an outer minute track, subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock, 49 hour power reserve indication at 12 and spade & whip hands. Brass gimbals and bowl. Dial and movement signed and numbered, case numbered, dial, movement and case with matching numbers.
–
Dimensions: 170 x 165 x 175 mm
–
Signed: E. Delépine
–
Etienne Emile Delépine (1848-1905) was born and lived in St. Nicholas d’Aliermont near Dieppe, France. He exhibited chronometers in Rouen in 1895 and gained a Grand Prix in Paris in 1910. He entered the Trials for the French National Marine in 1886 and came 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 7th. He was also a great watchmaker and at one time made 2000 movements a month. He had a fine character and was good with his staff. He fixed his own working hours which were 10 to 13 hours per day with no holidays. Women worked at home. The population of St. Nicholas at that time was about 2,000 of which 700 to 800 were horological craftswomen and craftsmen, mainly sending their products to Paris and England. All chronometers sent to the Navy had a 2 year test. If they failed, no payment was made.