Miniature English fusee Carriage Clock

The striking similarity of the case to our carriage clock signed by James McCabe leads us to believe that this clock must have come out of the same workshops. Certainly the quality of the movement is on a par with the signed McCabe example.

This is a miniaturised chain fusee timepiece movement which has a running duration of 9-10 days. The maker has gone to the trouble to mercury gild the backplate, the barrel plate, the beautifully engraved balance cock and the two movement clamps. This is all in excellent condition. The contrast between the colour of the plates can be clearly seen in our photographs of the movement.

It has a fully jewelled ratchet-toothed lever escapement with an oversize three-arm balance producing a much slower rate than you would normally expect to see in a carriage clock. This in part is how they have managed to get the length of duration out of such a small movement. The mechanism also has fully functioning maintaining power. The backplate is numbered 107.

The blued steel hands are particularly delicate and compliment the delightfully engraved silver-plated dial.  The dial has a recessed seconds subsidiary dial positioned at XII.

The case exhibits all of its original gilding and is only rubbed on very minor areas, not so much that I would entertain the necessity to regild at all. The feet, finials, fretwork and handle are all silver-plated. The silver plating is probably more muted than it would have been when new, but again I would choose not to replace these. There is significant contrast between the gold-plated and the silver-plated details, which beautifully compliment the silvered dial.  I think originality is the key with this clock. The fretwork panels are styled as gothic window arches. The gilded brass plates positioned behind the fretwork are finely engraved with ecclesiastical figures and heraldic shields and angels.

The rear door has a sprung latch to open which allows access to wind and set the hands.

The movement and various other case components are all numbered 107, illustrating the originality of the whole.

The sister clock by James McCabe which we also have for sale is featured in Charles Terwilliger and Jospeh Fanelli’s book A Century of Fine Carriage Clocks, pp178-179

• Height 12cms
• Width: 7.5 cms
• Depth: 6cms