LOUIS LE COCQ, No.111. A fine French chronometer, ca. 1860. Signed on the dial: ‘Louis Lecocq No. 111’. The 56 hour going movement with Earnshaw’s spring detent escapement. Its silvered engraved dial with black lettering and blued steel ‘Breguet style’ hands includes chapters for the hours, minutes and seconds as well as an up/down (réserve de marche) indicator. The whole is contained in a nicely colored three tier mahogany box with a bone plaque signed ‘No 111 L.LECOCQ'. The lower tier with a box to store the original ratchet winding key. • The maker Louis J. Lecocq was recorded to work in Argenteuil near Paris ‘Il exposa des chronomètres de bord, de poche à Paris en 1867’. Lecocq with Onésime Dumas, was one of the six pupils, placed by the Government, in 1837 with Perrelet, then in charge of the Ecole des Horlogers de la Marine since 1832. When Perrelet decided to retire in December 1839, Charles-Auguste Berthoud was appointed as his successor by the Ministre de la Marine to complete the instruction of his pupils. Therefore, the very first chronometers produced by Louis Lecocq were very similar to those made by Louis Berthoud and later by his two sons. • Dimensions: 130 x 105 x 60 mm. • Literature: ‘Dictionnaire des horlogers Français’ Pg. 359.