Historically French silver-cased marine deck chronometer Circa 1799

Deck chronometer made for Captitain Nicholas Baudin
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A historically French gilt-brass important marine deck chronometer, circa 1799. Accompanied by the original fitted box, winding key, pusher, and two books (The Baudin Expedition and the Tasmanian Aborigines limited edition No. 684/1000 and The Journal of Nicolas Baudin 1800 to 1803). Made for Captain Nicholas Baudin for his exploration of Australia. A mahogany deck watch type, the brass bowl with screwed bezel.
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Silver dial, regulator type with a small Roman eccentric chapter for hours, outer Arabic minute ring on the border, subsidiary seconds and blued steel hands. Gilt-brass full plate movement with conical pillars secured by nuts with polished steel washers, fusee with chain and maintaining power, typical Louis Berthoud’s pivoted detent escapement, cut bimetallic three-arm compensation balance with four brass weights and timing screws typical of Berthoud’s work. Free sprung blued steel helical balance spring.
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Diameter: 80 mm
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Dimensions box: 13.5 x 11.5 x 7.5 mm
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Signed: Louis Berthoud Horloger de la Marine  Paris
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Captain Nicolas Baudin (1754-1803) was a famous French explorer, naturalist cartographer and hydrographer. After a long career exploring the world, he embarked on his most famous voyage to map the coast of Australia on one of his two ships, the Geographe accompanied by his faithful Berthoud chronometer. He arrived in Australia in 1801 and mapped the Western and Southern coasts as well as discovering more than 2500 new species. It was also a chance to meet the Aboriginal people who were unknown to most back then. After completing his voyage, he headed to Tasmania and eventually stopped in Mauritius where he died of tuberculosis. His legacy remains having three animals named after him and eight monuments in his name in Australia.
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This rare early Marine Chronometer is recorded in his archives starting from 1798 (for further details see La Longitude en Mer by Sabrier, p. 515) before being delivered for the Australian expedition by Captain Baudin. (1754-1813) The son of Pierre Berthoud, counsellor and master- clockmaker at Couvet, Pierre-Louis Berthoud (known as Louis Berthoud) was born in November 1754 in Placemont, Canton of Neuchâtel. At twelve, he began his apprenticeship in his father’s workshop. He was hardly fifteen when his exceptional skill was noticed by his uncle, the famous Ferdinand Berthoud, who invited him to Paris to be initiated into precision clockmaking. Ten years later Ferdinand Berthoud retired to his property in Groslay, leaving his Paris workshop in the hands of Louis’ brother Henry.