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Oval engraved carriage clock - Retailed by Henri Marc, Paris, c. 1875 — view 1 of 6
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Clocks · Carriage clock

Oval engraved carriage clock - Retailed by Henri Marc, Paris, c. 1875

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Henri Marc (maker)
Date
c. 1875
Historical period
Industrial Revolution (1850 – 1900)
Country of origin
France
Place
Paris
Object type
Carriage clock
Dimensions
Height 6 in (15 cm)
Dealer
P A Oxley (dealer), Wiltshire
Stock no.
Product 524
Credit line
Dealer listing, P A Oxley (product 524)
Catalogue title (original)
Oval Engraved Carriage Clock - Retailed by Henri Marc of Paris (English)

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Record summary

Catalogued by P A Oxley (dealer), Wiltshire (stock number Product 524), this is a carriage clock by Henri Marc, made in Paris, France, dated c. 1875. The Atlas places it in the Industrial Revolution period (1850 – 1900) of its Clocks collection. Recorded dimensions: Height 6 in (15 cm). The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.

Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.

Catalogue description

Dealer description — P A Oxley

A rare French carriage clock of oval shaped design and a gilded case which is profusely engraved with scrolls and flowers. The movement is of 8 day duration and the strikes the hours and the half hour on a bell. All of the original bevelled glass panels appear to have survived as has the original lever escapement. The white enamel dial displaying Roman numerals, Breguet style hands and signed by the retailer Henri Marc of Paris. The movement also features a repeat mechanism to the top of the case to repeat the last hour. The hands can be adjusted to the rear of the movement. The movement is also wound from the rear. This clock also retains its original travelling case which is in quite good condition for its age. Note: There is a stamped 'B' to the rear of the movement which would indicate that the movement was either made by Brunelot or Baveux. Both of which were high quality makers and supplied makers such as Jacot. Maker Henri Jacot of Paris

Historical context

Industrial Revolution (1850 – 1900)

American interchangeable-parts manufacture; railroad time standards; Swiss and German factory systems.

Factory production transformed the clock into an everyday object. American makers (Seth Thomas, Ansonia, Waterbury) and German factories (Junghans, Gustav Becker, Lenzkirch) sold millions of shelf, wall and alarm clocks worldwide; France produced standardised Paris movements and carriage clocks; electric time distribution began.

Read the period in the timelineMore clocks from this periodEarlier: Precision & Scientific Horology

Atlas type guide

Carriage and travel clocks

The carriage clock is a portable spring clock with a balance-wheel escapement and a brass case with glass panels and a carrying handle. Abraham-Louis Breguet made early examples around 1800, and from the 1830s Paul Garnier and other French makers industrialised production, with the small towns of Saint-Nicolas-d'Aliermont and the Franche-Comté supplying movements for retailers worldwide.

Typical features include a platform escapement mounted horizontally on top of the movement (usually a lever, sometimes cylinder or Garnier's chaff-cutter), striking or repeating work, and alarms. English carriage clocks, generally larger and with fusees, were made by firms such as Frodsham and Dent. Travel clocks in folding leather cases became popular in the twentieth century.

What to look for

  • A platform escapement visible through the top glass.
  • Case styles: corniche, gorge, anglaise, obis or engraved cases.
  • Repeat buttons on top and strike/silent levers.
  • Stamps of movement makers (e.g. Drocourt, Jacot, Margaine, Richard & Co.) on the backplate.

Dating clues

  • Early carriage clocks with Breguet or Garnier features: c. 1800–1850.
  • Mass-produced French carriage clocks: c. 1850–1914.
  • Folding travel clocks and alarm travel clocks: mostly 1920–1970.

General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.

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