Drocourt Gilt Repeating Carriage Clock
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1870
This 19th-century carriage clock is identified as a Drocourt production, circa 1870. The timepiece features an eight-day, key-wound movement with Drocourt markings on the rear plate and an English lever silvered brass platform escapement.
It strikes the hours and half-hours on a mellow gong, with a repeat button located on the top of the case that activates the strike for the last hour. The enamel dial displays Roman numerals within an outer minute track and is fitted with blued steel Breguet-style hands. The dial is set within an engraved gilt mask. The clock is housed in a gilt brass gorge case featuring facetted glass panels on all sides and a glazed rear door providing access to the winding and setting arbors.
A gilt carrying handle is mounted to the top. The clock measures 17cm in height, 9.5cm in width, and 8cm in depth, with a dial diameter of 6cm.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Carriage clock
- Maker
- Pierre & Alfred Drocourt
- Height
- 17 cm
- Movement
- 8-day key wound
- Case style
- Gorge case
- Escapement
- English lever platform
- Dial Diameter
- 6 cm
- Place recorded
- France
- Striking mechanism
- Hour and half-hour with repeat function
- Maker / attribution
- Drocourt
- Location of manufacture
- Saint-Nicolas-d’Ailermont, France
Design
- Case and Dial
- The clock is housed in a gilt brass gorge case. Visibility of the internal mechanism is provided by facetted glass panels on the sides. Access to the movement's winding and setting arbors is via a glazed door located at the rear. The case is topped with a gilt handle. The dial consists of a circular enamel plate displaying Roman numerals and an outer minute track. The hands are blued steel and styled in the Breguet manner. The dial is positioned within an engraved gilt mask.
- Visible features
- • Engraved gilt mask surrounding the dial • Gilt brass gorge style case • Facetted glass panels on the sides • Blued steel Breguet hands
- Maker and Attribution
- The timepiece is attributed to the makers Pierre and Alfred Drocourt, who maintained a factory in Saint-Nicolas-d’Ailermont, France, alongside premises in Paris at Rue Debelleyme 28 and Rue de Limoges. The source notes that the son, Alfred Drocourt, took over the business in the 1870s. Drocourt carriage clocks were known for their decorative elements and earned multiple awards at international exhibitions, including medals in Paris in 1867, 1878, and 1889.
- Movement and Escapement
- The clock is powered by an eight-day, key-wound movement, which features markings attributed to Drocourt on the rear plate. It is equipped with an English lever platform escapement constructed from silvered brass. The clock provides an hourly and half-hourly strike on a mellow gong. Additionally, a repeat button situated on the top of the case allows for the manual activation of the strike to repeat the last hour indicated by the clock.
Identification
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: The exact serial number is not provided in the source
- Research required: The source does not explicitly state the clock's current timekeeping status or condition beyond a general warranty claim