Tiffany & Co. 'Night and Day' silver and coppered carriage clock
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1883
This American carriage clock, catalogued under the title 'Night and Day', features a spot-hammered silver and coppered case produced by Tiffany & Co., New York, circa 1883, with design attributed to Charles Osborne.
The front of the case is embossed and chased in relief with a crowing rooster boasting copper accents beneath the dial, while a bat and flowing lines surmount the upper perimeter. The circular white dial displays stylized Arabic numerals and bears the Tiffany & Co. mark. According to Sotheby's catalogue description, the clock houses a French movement by Drocourt, is numbered 7643-7302 on the base, and features a monogrammed rear door.
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
- Markings
- Marked on base and numbered 7643-7302
- Movement Maker
- Drocourt
- Place recorded
- United States
- Design Attribution
- Charles Osborne
- Maker / attribution
- Tiffany & Co., design attributed to Charles Osborne; movement by Drocourt
- Case Materials and Decoration
- Silver and copper spot-hammered case chased with a bat and rooster
Design
- Visible features
- • Rectangular upright silver case with spot-hammered texture, resting on curled scroll feet. • Hinged swing handle fixed to the top panel by shaped mounts. • Circular white dial with dark stylized Arabic numerals and hands, marked 'TIFFANY & CO. / NEW YORK'. • Embossed and chased rooster head with coppered wattle and comb beneath the lower dial rim. • Upper dial arch decorated in low relief with a bat and radiating, flowing tendril-like motifs.
- Dial and Movement
- The time is displayed on a circular white dial with black numerals, with visible printing reading "TIFFANY & CO. / NEW YORK". Sotheby's condition report notes a hairline crack and a chip located on the dial between the center and 11, as well as a replaced glass. The internal mechanism is not visible in the primary photograph, but the auction description lists it as a French movement by Drocourt, accompanied by a key. The base of the case is marked and numbered 7643-7302, with modern screws noted underneath in the condition notes.
- Case Construction and Decorative Scheme
- The carriage clock features an upright rectangular silver case defined by a spot-hammered textured surface and rests on curled scroll feet. Anchored to shaped hinges on the top plate is a swing handle, complemented on the upper surface by spiral pearling. The front of the case is embossed and chased with a bat above the dial and a rooster with copper accents beneath. Visual inspection confirms that the lower section depicts a rooster head with coppered comb and wattle, while the upper perimeter features a bat alongside radiating, flowing tendril-like motifs. According to the Sotheby's catalogue entry, the back of the clock features a hinged door engraved with a script monogram "AHPS".
- Design Attribution and Provenance Notes
- The dating of circa 1883 and the attribution to Charles Osborne reflect the auction house's catalogue analysis rather than direct maker signatures. Sotheby's attributes the design to Osborne based on the pearling technique and waved lines characteristic of his work within Tiffany & Co.'s Japanesque silver output of the 1880s. The auction lot notes cite John Loring's 1987 publication, Tiffany's 150 Years (p. 114). Reported condition issues include minor dings to the base and abrasion on the coppered surface.
Identification
- Serial number
- 7643-7302
- 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: Design authorship to Charles Osborne is an attribution by the auction house based on stylistic analysis, not a signed maker mark.
- Research required: The internal French movement by Drocourt, the rear engraved monogram door, and the base numbering are not visible in the front photograph.
- Research required: Condition notes from the source report modern screws beneath, minor base dings, replaced glass, surface abrasion to copper elements, and a hairline crack and chip on the dial between center and 11.