French Carriage Clock
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 Antique Brass French Carriage Clock Travel Case  US $225.95
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 Vintage Brass French Style Pendulum 8 Day Carriage Clock Bell Strike Gears Runs US $149.00
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 Antique French Carriage Clock Signed John Wanamaker Philadelphia New York Paris US $129.00
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 VINTAGE BRASS CARRIAGE CLOCK PLAIN DESIGN WORKING GOOD US $99.99
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 Antique 7 French Brass Glass Carriage Clock with Repeater Gong Strike Chime US $77.00
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 Miniature Mantle Clock Mini Classic Carriage Clock US $14.99
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 24K GOLD PLATED BEVELED GLASS OVAL 8 DAY FRENCH STYLE MINI CARRIAGE CLOCK US $42.00
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 XANADU Miniature White Enamel Brass French Officers Quartz Carriage Clock US $15.95
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 XANADU Miniature Brass French Officers Carriage Clock Quartz US $15.95
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 Vintage MINIATURE French brass time alarm carriage clock Working fixer US $235.00
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 FRENCH VINCETTI DRUM CLOCK FOR RESTORATION OR PARTS US $149.95
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 Antique White Metal Carriage Clock France 19th Century US $550.00
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 ANTIQUE FRENCH DUVERDREY BLOQUEL BRASS TAMBOUR CLOCK PORCELAIN DIAL WORKING US $285.00
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 ANTIQUE FRENCH DUVERDREY BLOQUEL BRASS GOTHIC 8 DAY CLOCK HERMAN JARECKI ERIE PA US $285.00
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 Vintage French brass time strike carriage clock with spare dial Working US $425.00
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 Antique French quality brass time only carriage clock Working Made for UK US $225.00
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 ANTIQUE FRENCH FANCY BRASS 8 DAY CARRIAGE CLOCK WITH CHIME 1890 WORKING US $485.00
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 French Nineteenth Century Carriage Clock US $800.00
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 Antique Miniature French Carriage Alarm Clock Brass US $189.00
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 Antique Brass French Carriage Clock Beveled Glass with Key Running Condition US $305.00
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 Antique Brass French Carriage Clock w Beveled Glass and Mercury Pendulum US $390.00
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 RARE 19TH CENTURY COAILLET FRÈRES ALARM CARRIAGE CLOCK MADE IN FRANCE US $66.06
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 Antique French Cased Brass Mappin Webb Carriage Clock US $275.00
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 Antique Carriage clock Beveled Glass Brass FRENCH Vintage US $199.99
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 French Henry Birks Sons Carriage clock leather travel case US $600.00
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 05643 Carriage Clock French late 19th C US $2,250.00
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 Antique Carriage clock Beveled Glass Brass FRANCE Vintage US $249.99
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 19th CENTURY A STOWELL BOSTON FRENCH MADE SMALL CARRIAGE CLOCK 4 X 3 X 3 US $99.99
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 ANTIQUE SIGNED Japy Freres ARABIC ORIENTAL MANTLE CLOCK US $3,299.99
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 Antique French Carriage Clock Mantel Shelf Bronze Enamel rare Champleve US $1,025.00
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 Vintage Blue Cloisonne Face CARRIAGE CLOCK Repeater Alarm Working Good US $359.99
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 Japy Freres Antique Brass French Carriage Clock Beveled Glass and Mercury Pend US $525.00
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 Antique Carriage clock Beveled Glass Brass Franch Movement Vintage US $179.99
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 The Carriage Clock A Repair and Restoration Manual US $42.50
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 Rare carriage mantel clock French Jacot repeater case w handle 19th C US $1,000.00
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 H H French Carriage Clock Complete Running No Damage US $225.00
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 ANTIQUE FRENCH BRASS CARRIAGE CLOCK ALARM US $425.00
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 Sotheby 6 19 02 rare CLOCKS astronomical automata US $35.00
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 ANTIQUE BRASS CARRIAGE CLOCK PLAIN DESIGN A LYON US $299.99
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 Vintage Reproduction Bronze French Carriage Clock US $90.00
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 Near Mint Condition Vintage French Carriage Clock Key Circa 1890 US $475.00
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 French Carriage clock US $500.00
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 LEpee French Carriage Clock US $750.00
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 New Practical Clock Repairing By Donald DeCarle BK 210 US $41.95
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 Near Mint Vintage Carriage Clock Key US $475.00
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 Vintage 19th Century French Gilt Brass Champlevé Enamel Carriage Mantel Clock US $499.99
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 LEpeeCornicheTime Strike Alarm and Repeat FrenchCarriage Clock US $1,500.00
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 Rare Antique French Carriage Clock 11 Jewels CH Hour SF US $720.00
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 Vintage Filigree Cloisonne CARRIAGE CLOCK with BOX Repeater Alarm Fantastic US $799.99
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 Mini Clocks French Style Carriage Mantle Mini Clock US $14.99
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 Antique 19th Century French Bronze Carriage Clock by Duverdrey Bloquel Ca 1890 US $1,220.00
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 Antique French Carriage Clock Repeater Read Description US $500.00
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 French 19 C Brass Carriage Table Clock RARE US $1,650.00
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 SALE ANTQUE FRENCH CARRIAGE CLOCK PAT MORITA ESTATE w COA US $175.00
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 19c SENNET FRERES ANTIQUE FRENCH CHINA CARRIAGE CLOCK US $575.00
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 miniature Antique French Carriage clock Allegre a Toulon US $550.00
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 Tiffany French Antique miniature carriage clock US $500.00
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 Small French Leather Cased Brass Carriage Clock ca1900 US $335.75
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 VINTAGE PLAIN COLUMNS BRASS ALARM CARRIAGE CLOCK New Oiled US $399.99
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 VINTAGE CASE ENGRAVED LARGE BRASS CARRIAGE CLOCK Alarm Repeater US $459.99
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 Large French carriage clock case US $349.00
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 Watches and table Clocks of the Louvre Museum Vol 2 US $66.00
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 WH Glenny Sons Brass Cased French Carriage Clock Shelf Case Antique NR US $45.00
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 Antique French Cloisonne Enamel w Painted Portrait Side Panels Carriage Clock US $995.00
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 1800s Antique Carriage Clocks Collector ID Guide incl French Swiss Calendar Etc US $99.95
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 ANTIQUE SHELF CARRIAGE DUVERDREY BLOQUEL FRENCH ALARM CLOCK LION TRADE MARK US $36.05
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 ANTIQUE FRENCH BRASS BEVELED GLASS CARRIAGE CLOCK CASE KEY US $274.95
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 Classic book on French English CARRIAGE CLOCKS by Allix Bonnert 483 pages US $64.95
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 Antique Tiffany Co Gold Dore Floral Leaf Carriage Alarm Clock Circa 1900s US $1,994.99
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 Useful Clock partsenamel dials and bits and pieces for the Clock Restorer See US $19.99
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 BEAUTIFUL RARE FRENCH CARRIAGE PAINTED NUDES TIMESTRIKEREPEATERALARM CLOCK US $617.00
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 FRENCH BRASS CARRIAGE CLOCK BEVELED GLASS NON WORKING US $12.95
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 FRENCH CARRIAGE CLOCK SIGNED HENRI JACOT C 1890 Military Rail Road History US $9,500.00
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 VINTAGE GILT BRASS CARRIAGE CLOCK PLAIN CASE FIGURE WORKING GOOD US $99.99
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The Gilded Sonnerie
Copyright (c) 2009 Mike Bond
It was a carriage clock and quite magnificent. Huge for the type, it stood fully 10 inches tall. It was dated 1826, found engraved on the base.
Typically French, it was of the highest horological art form, the levers and detentes of the movement pierced out and shaped in swirling, whirling patterns of aesthetic delight.
It was what's called a grande sonnerie, or great strike. It would strike the hours on a bell, and then the quarter hours on a little gong. For instance, at quarter past seven, it would strike seven times on the bell, and then once on the gong. At half past, another seven times and twice on the gong and so on.
It had a perpetual calendar, which I confess had given me considerable trouble, an alarm mechanism which was easy, and also it was a repeater. A little button at the top of the case could be depressed, which would act on a plate under the case and the previous hour and quarter would be struck.
Repeaters, now, are anachronisms, merely fascinating adjuncts. These days, we have digital clocks that light up and can be seen when we roll over in bed at night, but in those old days, the repeater was very necessary.
The case was gilt, with fluted columns, and wonderfully executed flowers and leaves surrounded them. The handle at the top was a circular wreath that folded when not in use.
I'd removed the movement from the case very carefully, had serviced and cleaned it with proper concern for its condition. It belonged to a gentleman who possessed a fine clock collection, and this was his latest acquisition. He didn't actually tell me how much it cost, but he did say that the bidding had been fierce.
He'd purchased it from one of the smaller houses in Paris, Artcurial, and ascertained in advance that the clock didn't work. It had probably sat on someone's shelf for a hundred years; all the oil hardening in the pivots and bearings. Now, though, it was back to its former glory - except for one silly little fault.
It struck all the hours perfectly, except when it came to 12 o'clock. It struck 13 times! 1 to 11, no problem at all, then it would miss the 12 o'clock, in favour of the count of 13. I was being paid handsomely for this restoration, and there was no hurry on the job, but it was just one of those silly little faults that nag at you.
No-one had 'butchered' the movement, thank goodness, so nothing made sense. I spent a whole day trying to puzzle out the problem, but to no avail. There was an answer, there had to be, but for the moment it eluded me.
I'd set my workshop in what had been the attached car port of the house. I decided to call it a night at about 9 o'clock, walked up the three steps into the kitchen and thence to the drawing room. I poured myself an excellent single malt and absently watched television in an effort to take my mind from the problem. The whiskey did its work, and I went to bed at about eleven.
I slept fitfully for about an hour, then awoke and twisted and turned until around two in the morning.
Something more than idle curiosity drew me to the shop. I can't explain it, but it was as though I had to go.
I slipped on a shirt and trousers, made my way through the kitchen, reached the steps leading to the workshop - and stopped dead. I shivered involuntarily.
An ethereal green light drifted around the bench and the spectral figure of a man was standing behind it, holding the movement of the clock upon which I'd been working.
He wore a smock and a shapeless beret. He raised his head and looked at me, a slow smile drifting across his face.
"Je la fabrique, M'sieur," he said in a gentle voice.
He was the maker of this masterpiece. I knew that instinctively. He placed the movement back on the bench with infinite tenderness and suddenly I felt incredibly tired. Nothing mattered except sleep. I turned, shuffled off to bed and slept until 9 o'clock that morning. I leaped up, showered, shaved and went straight into the shop.
There was the movement where he'd left it. I tried the strike. One, two, all the way around to eleven. Then the final test. Another thirteen? But no. Twelve o'clock. My nighttime visitor had come to repair his own.
I'd always been happy in the shop, but now it held a sort of added comfort, as though the old clockmaker was still watching over me from beyond the veil.
About the Author
http://www.mywebcashstore.com/bond9241
Here you'll find so many things to interest you, certainly not least, links to a wonderful clock shop that not only sells marvellous pieces, but has a full service department. They even repair clock cases, which is an art unto itself.
Buy a clock from them, and you'll be beneath their umbrella of service for the life of your clock.
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