French Carriage Clock and Case Unsigned c1800s

Significance

A typical French? style Carriage Clock and Case, time only, Unsigned, c1800s. Top mounted balance wheel. A ornate clock to be used domestically, but with a substantial and well-used, carry case.

The original carriage clocks were an important way of synchronising time between different places. In the time of only town clocks, a carriage clock could be taken in a carriage from one town to another to synchronise the time between the two locations.

For more domestic purposes, in the 1800s, accurate clocks were expensive and an accurate carriage-style clock could be carried around a large house rather than having multiple clocks.

Similarly, clocks could be used by the military to maintain correct time while moving about, before accurate watches, done with an officer's clock.

Description

A typical French-style carriage clock with a gilded brass and beveled glass case and a balance-wheel, time-only movement. Only the balance wheel has jewels and there is no markings as to the number of jewels. Most of the gilding has been worn or polished off over time. The high quality case seems to be made of cardboard, maroon decorative paper with a purple velvet lining, but is very well used and weathered. The back of the front cutout of the case gives a good idea of the original colours.

The clock and case are unsigned. However there are hand punched markings of 149 on the top and RHS of the back of the rear door and 1 on the bottom on the rear door.

From web searches, there is a similar reproduction clock made in about 1960 that has a very similar case and handle. My clock and case seem much older than 1960, particularly the wear on the case. A clock made in 1960 would not have been used as a movable carriage clock, rather as a decoration in a fixed place. I presume the 1960 reproduction clock was of a well known earlier clock, but I don't know which.

Source: Country NSW via Gumtree online classifieds, posted.

Well used carriage clock and case as received. Wear would indicate a clock older than 1960 reproductions.







A very similar 1960s reproduction clock, but never with a case.








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