Beschreibung:

A French small engraved gilt brass carriage timepiece with alarm Signed for F. Cox Savory and Le Roy and Fils, Paris, early 19th century The circular gilt single fusee full plate verge watch type movement with four hexagonal baluster pillars pinned at the rear, three-arm monometallic balance beneath scroll pierced and chased balance bridge, steel pointer for the brass regulation disc and stamped F. COX SAVORY, A PARIS to backplate, set above a separate alarm mechanism with spring barrel within rectangular plates stamped with repeat signature to the rear and with external curved baton hammer sounding on the interior of the case, the rectangular silvered Roman numeral dial with blued steel moon hands and plain alarm setting hand adjusted via pump action button to the top of the case above engraved retail signature LE ROY & FILS H. DU ROY, PALAIS ROYAL, REVEIL to lower margin, the engraved gilt brass case with leafy-bud centred hinged scroll outline handle to the foliate motif engraved top panel above glazed front with simple narrow geometric milled line border and sides engraved with further rococo scrolls, the rear with vertically sliding panel fitted with shuttered winding holes and stamped 1155 to inside surface, on ogee moulded skirt base, 10cm (4ins) high excluding handle. The firm of 'Le Roy & Fils' can be traced back to 1785 when the business was founded by Basille Charles Le Roy at 60 Galerie de Pierre, Palais Royal, Paris. During the Revolutionary years the firm moved to 88 Rue de L'Egalite before finally settling at Galerie Montpensier, 13 and 15 Palais Royal. In 1828 Basille Charles died leaving the business to his son, Charles-Louis, who continued producing clocks signed 'Le Roy & Fils' until 1845 when the company was sold to his former employee Casimir Halley Desfontaines. The name F. Cox Savory does not specifically appear in the usual sources however several clocks signed with this name, along with the address '47 Cornhill London', are known suggesting that he was connected with the retail jeweller Thomas Cox Savory who is recorded in Loomes, Brian Watchmakers & Clockmakers of the World, Volume 2 as working from this address in 1838, and then 1851-7, and was known to have an outlet in Paris. The manner in which the current lot is signed suggests that it was perhaps supplied by the Paris based outlet of Cox Savory for retail by LeRoy and Fils. A related alarm timepiece is illustrated in Allix, Charles CARRIAGE CLOCKS Their history and development on pages 123-4 (plates V/26 and V/27). Condition report disclaimer