Mid 19th Century French Quarter Repeating Carriage Clock
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1870
This carriage clock, dating to approximately 1870, features an eight-day movement with two train movements designed to chime hours and quarters on coiled gongs.
It incorporates a quarter-repeating mechanism, with an selector lever located under the base that allows for three modes: full strike, quarter strike only, or silent. The clock is housed in a gilt-brass case in the Gorge style, equipped with a folding handle and thick, bevelled glass panels on all sides and the top, allowing for visibility of the internal components. The white enamel dial measures 2.25 inches in diameter and displays Roman numerals for the hours and Arabic numerals for the minutes at five-minute intervals.
It is fitted with blued steel spade-form hands. The movement features a jewelled English lever escapement, visible through the top glass panel. The clock is supplied with a winding key.
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
- Date
- circa 1870
- Type
- Carriage clock
- Case style
- Gorge
- Dial material
- White enamel
- Place recorded
- France
- Escapement type
- Jewelled English lever
- Operating modes
- Three-position selector lever for chime modes
- Chime configuration
- Two-train movement with coiled gongs
- Country of manufacture
- France
Design
- Case and Dial
- The clock is housed in a gilt-brass case following the Gorge design, a style characterized by its architectural profile. It features thick, bevelled glass panels on the top and all four sides, providing a clear view into the internal movement. A folding handle is attached to the top section, which facilitates portability. The primary visual interface is a white enamel dial with a diameter of 2.25 inches. The dial displays the time using Roman numerals for the hours and Arabic numerals at five-minute intervals for the minutes. The time is indicated by blued steel hands designed in a spade form. The overall structural integrity includes panels that are reported to be free of cracks or damage, with minor wear identified primarily on the folding handle.
- Visible features
- • Spade-shaped hands in blued steel • Bevelled glass panels on top and sides • Visible jewelled English lever escapement • Folding carrying handle
- Movement and Escapement
- The clock is powered by an eight-day, two-train movement that facilitates both timekeeping and a quarter-repeating function. The striking system utilizes two coiled gongs to announce the hours and quarters. An adjustment lever located beneath the base provides the user with the ability to cycle through three modes: striking both hours and quarters, striking quarters only, or placing the clock into a silent mode. A jewelled English lever escapement is used as the regulating system for the movement. This escapement is exposed through a glass aperture on the top of the clock, allowing for observation of the balance system and gear train operation. The source reports that the movement has been serviced and is presently in functional condition.
- Provenance and Attribution
- The clock is attributed to France with a production date of circa 1870. According to the provided information, the item was manufactured specifically for the English market, though the identity of the original maker is not documented in the source. Expert inspection has been recommended by the source regarding the matching of calibre components and the tension of internal springs. The clock is offered for sale accompanied by its original winding key, and it is reported to be in good overall condition with most of its original gilding intact.
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: Manufacturer not identified
- Research required: Attribution to the English market is based on source claims