The Rochats Les Frères Rochat, 1810 – 1825 Louis Rochat, *1780 – ?, Rochat, Maker of musical clocks, 1825, Paris (Ord-Hume, Music Box, 1980, p. 329) Ami Rochat See also Pierre Rochat. A singing bird in a cage bearing this mark is in the Howard Fitch collection. David Rochat & Son Le Brassus, Switzerland. Established about 1802 as a maker of miniature singing birds and was, at one time (from the end of 1804), involved with Leschot. Also made complicated automata. In business until about 1813 but, for part of this period, was in business with Louis Roschat at Les Frères Rochat. Les Frères Rochat, 1810 – 1825 Geneva, Switzerland, 1810-25. Makers of mechanical singing birds signed `F.R.´ in a circle. Made musical boxes and singing-bird snuff-boxes, also pistols incorporating singing birds which popped up and sang when the trigger was pulled. Some pistols were `double-barelled´ with two singing birds. These were finely made, embellished with precious metals and encrusted with jewels.
Henri Samuel Rochat, ~1830
A snuff-box has been seen playing two tunes on a one-piece comb, c. 1830, ck. Sectional comb 101 teeth (Vincent Freemann, 2024 Sep 27) Louis Rochat, *1780 – ? Chez Maillan, Le Brassus, Switzerland. Born in 1780, he and his two sons Ami Napoléon and Louis made musical boxes in the form of trinkets and various small items such as snuff-boxes, nécessaires and so forth. Apparently the family then lost considerably over a building speculation, whereupon the manufacture of cylinder musical boxes more or less ceased and the family moved to Geneva, where they excelled in the manufacture of quality miniature musical novelties and outstanding singing birds, which were all signed with the letters `F. R.´ contained in a circle. Also produced musical boxes and singing bird snuff-boxes. One unusual product was a jewel-encrusted pistol incorporating singing birds which appeared and sang when the trigger was pulled. Some of these exotic pistols were ´double-barred´ with two singing birds. The Rochats were closely connected with Jaquet-Droz – Pierre being some time in his employ. Ami Napoléon made a speciality of the miniature singing bird and his work became renowned the world over. Louis, who was solely responsible for the pistol birds, also excelled in making most unusual automata, including a complex clock for which he was appointed, in 1829, Companion of the Watchmakers and Scientists of the City of Geneva. The smallest and most precise of the miniature singing birds made anywhere in the country came from the hands of Louis Rochat. Maker of very small singing birds. Vergleiche das Spielwerk in einer Tabatière von Jean-Georges Reymond & Cie
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