Nestled on the eastern border of France, closer to Geneva than Paris, the commune of Morbier seems an unlikely place for a horological cottage industry. Thanks to an abundance of raw materials and a combination of skilled blacksmiths and agricultural laborers who needed employment in the winter, a market developed among people who needed inexpensive, dependable clocks that could be repaired locally. Out of this perfect storm rose the morbier clock, an interesting contrast to the finely crafted, often elaborate clocks for which France is known.
In this guide Lawrence Seymour brings together the fascinating history of morbier clocks with identification parameters and repair information. The book is divided into four parts, the first tracing the development of the clocks over time, the second and third detailing the time train and strike train respectively, and the fourth focusing on repair and restoration. This guide is a must have for any collector who has set his sights on the charming morbier.