Carriage clock by M. Armbruster, Paris, c. 1870–1880

Dealer description — Howard Walwyn

A fine quality 19th-century French engraved striking – gorge-cased carriage clock with alarm and calendar made for the English market. The fire gilt case is of classic gorge form, with thick bevelled glass panels on all sides and top. It is finely engraved with scrolling foliage and floral motifs on a delicate matted ground, with polished bright-cut accents that catch the light. The engraving is of very high quality, testifying to one of the top Parisian makers of the period. A sturdy, engraved bale handle rises above the top, and the clock stands on an ogee-moulded plinth base. Notably, the underside of the front skirt of the case is stamped with the number 3870, likely a casemaker’s or assembler’s reference. The clock has an elegant circular white enamel dial with Roman numerals for the hours, enclosed by an outer minute track with small Arabic numerals at five minute increments. The dial centre is signed M. Armbruster, London (the retailer) and it has delicate blued steel Bréguet hands. Below the main dial are two matching enamel subsidiary dials: one for the alarm and one for the calendar. All three dials are framed by an engraved gilt mask. The substantial 8-day movement features a silvered platform lever escapement with a cut bimetallic balance (visible through the oval top glass ) and a ruby endstone on the balance pivot. The brass wheels are finely finished, and the steelwork is polished with blued steel screws evident on the top plate and throughout, indicative of superior French workmanship. The clock is equipped with a push-button hour repeat mechanism: pressing the button atop the case causes the clock to strike the last hour on a coiled gong. In addition, an independent alarm mechanism is provided, which rings on a steel gong at the set time. The backplate of the movement is signed R and is stamped with the serial number 7272 . The movement is wound and set using a double-ended key which accompanies the clock. Height : 5 ½ in (14 cm) excluding handle Height: 6 ¼ in (16 cm) with handle up Width : 3 ¾ in (9.5 cm) Depth : 3 ¼ in (8 cm) * The clock is stamped R in the bottom left of the backplate. This was probably for the maker Richard . The exceptional quality of this clock attest to it having been made by one of the leading carriage clock makers om Paris at the time. HW6675