DESCRIPTION:
François-Arsène Margaine, Paris (1869-1914, won silver medal at exposition in Paris in 1889 and gold in 1900), 8-day grande and petite sonnerie, quarter repeating carriage clock, mid-size gorge case, with alarm and elaborately engraved dial mask. The clock has switch on base for "Hours and Quarters," "Silent" and "Quarters Only," being the difference between grande sonnerie (full strike), silence, and petite sonnerie (partial strike). In this instance, the grand sonnerie setting fully strikes hours on a single gong followed by quarters on two gongs at each quarter except the fourth, where only the hour is struck. Petite sonnerie setting strikes only the quarters on two gongs at each quarter, and only the hour on the hour. The silent setting allows one to set the clock without pausing at each quarter, or keeping the clock quiet as desired, without shutting off the repeat mechanism, which strikes to the last quarter at any setting by pressing the button atop the case. The back plate carries the stamp of Margaine, "AM" to either side of a bottle-form clock, sometimes erroneously referred to as a beehive. The clock runs for 8 days and retains its original platform lever escapement. Circa 1890, with key, s#2322, height 7.25 inches, in exceptional condition.
CONDITION:
GRO, mint condition overall, clean mvt, good strike, repeat and alarm functions, lovely tone, near mint gilding, perfect dials, mint hands, fracture to one side glass at corner, chipping to one corner of opposite side glass. A stunning example.
ESTIMATE:
$1000
-
$1500
PRICE SOLD:
$2800
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