French Carriage Alarm Clock
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1880
This late 19th-century French carriage alarm clock, dated to circa 1880, features a gilt brass case in the classic Corniche style, topped with a hinged carrying handle.
The clock is encased in thick, bevelled glass panels, which offer a view of the internal movement and escapement platform. Its white enamel dial measures 2.25 inches and includes Roman numerals for the hours, along with a separate subsidiary dial for setting the alarm. Blued steel Breguet-style hands indicate the time. An eight-day movement powers the clock and includes a lever escapement and an integral alarm mechanism with a rear bell.
The maker's mark, 'CV' within a polygon, is stamped on the lower left of the movement backplate. The object is supplied with its original winding key. According to the source, the clock has been fully serviced and maintains accurate timekeeping and alarm function.
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
- Dial
- 2.25 inch white enamel
- Type
- Carriage clock
- Case Style
- Corniche
- Dimensions
- 16.5 x 10 x 8.5 cm
- Escapement
- Lever escapement
- Maker Mark
- CV in a polygonal stamp
- Movement Type
- Eight-day
- Place recorded
- France
- Maker / attribution
- CV
- Included Accessories
- Winding key
Design
- Condition
- The auction description reports that the clock is in excellent condition. No fractures or damage are noted regarding the brass frame, glass panes, or the enamel dial. The movement has been fully serviced and tested for functional accuracy of both the clock and alarm systems.
- Case and Dial
- The clock is housed in a gilt brass case following the Corniche design. The structure includes a top-mounted hinged handle, which facilitates portability. Bevelled glass panels are set into the frame, protecting the dial while providing visual access to the internal movement and escapement assembly. The white enamel dial features a primary chapter ring with Roman numerals for hour indication and an outer minute track. Below the central hands, which are of the blued steel Breguet type, is a smaller subsidiary dial containing Arabic numerals, utilized for setting the alarm function.
- Visible features
- • Hinged carrying handle at top • White enamel main dial with alarm subsidiary dial • Blued steel Breguet hands • Gilt brass Corniche case
- Movement and Mechanism
- The interior houses an eight-day, key-wound movement equipped with a lever escapement. The timekeeping mechanism is paired with an integrated alarm function, which strikes a bell located at the rear of the movement. The movement backplate features a maker's mark consisting of the letters 'CV' impressed within a polygonal stamp.
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 identity of the maker marked 'CV' is not specified beyond the initials
- Research required: The original nature of the gilding is not independently verified