Beschreibung:

A FINE FRENCH GILT BRASS REPEATING CARRIAGE CLOCK INSET WITH LIMOGES ENAMEL PANELSACHILLE BROCOT, PARIS, CIRCA 1880The eight-day two train gong striking movement with silvered platform lever escapement regulated by sprung split bimetallic balance and stamped with central AB within a star trademark over serial number 1225 to lower left hand corner of the backplate, the rectangular frosted gilt dial with recessed light blue enamelled hour disc decorated with gilt rosette to centre within Roman numeral cartouche chapter ring and with blued steel hands, the satin-gilt case with hinged reeded baton carrying handle and thick bevelled top glass to the canted-edge projecting top over caddy moulded cornice and elaborate ring-turned free-standing slender baluster columns to angles, the sides inset with intricately executed Limoges porcelain panels painted in the Renaissance style with portraits of a nobleman opposing female companion each within an oval reserve incorporating strapwork scroll border decoration onto a deep maroon almost black ground, the rear with bevel-glazed door over cavetto moulded skirt base with slender squab feet.17cm (6.75ins) high with handle down, 11.5cm (4.5ins) wide, 9cm (3.5ins) deep. Provenance: Private collection, East Midlands. Achille Brocot is recorded in Allix, Charles and Bonnert, Peter CARRIAGE CLOCKS, Their history and development as born in 1817 and died in 1878. The Museums Victoria (Australia) website notes that Achille patented several improvements in clock mechanism escapements, and invented the 'Brocot Suspension', an adjustable pendulum spring which enabled time keeping to be regulated by altering the length of the pendulum suspension spring by a key turned in the dial. He also introduced a jewelled deadbeat escapement, sometimes called a visible escapement as it was often mounted in the middle of the dial. Achille was awarded a first class medal at the Paris Exhibition in 1855, and in 1856 was appointed Treasurer to La Société des Horlogers in Paris. He published a 'Calculation of the Wheels by Approximation' in 1862. His sons Achille and Paul continued the business following Achille senior's death 1878. The firm was taken over by rival clock maker Gustave Gibaudet in 1889. The exquisite side panels of the current lot are textbook examples of the finest enamel-work produced in the Limoges workshops during the second half of the 19th century. The Renaissance subject matter along with the colour palette (in particular the dark ground) revives the style for which the region became particularly well-known for during the 16th Century. Indeed the popularity and re-establishment of the Limoges enamel workshops during the second half of the 19th century was born out of a deep appreciation for the Renaissance originals which had become highly prized by connoisseurs earlier in the century. As often the case with French revivalist art the intention was to match (or even if possible exceed) the quality of the originals hence there was generally a 'no expense spared' approach to execution in order to achieve this objective.The panels of the current lot carefully and cleverly employ a mixture of opaque and translucent enamels to create depth, texture and lustre which varies under different lighting conditions. Some areas in particular, such as the areas representing silk within the garments of the figures, use the finished ground of the metal plate to great effect by allowing reflected to pass through vibrant pigmented transparent enamel surface layers.