My interest is essentially in pocket watches, however this morning I went to view the local antiques auction which takes place every couple of months and I saw this brass carriage clock.

I reckon it is Victorian 1880s. It comes with its fitted travelling case, key etc. I don't know if it is in running order.
There is no maker's name as far as I could see.

It's for sale on Saturday, estimated at $600 - $800. It needs some cosmetic restoration work to the case as you will see from the photos.

I have a number of questions.

What is the purpose of the coiled blue spring(?) on the rear? It might not be a spring as I couldn't see it was attached to anything meaningful.
Is this clock of any particular interest?
It has two key winders. Does this mean it is an 8-day clock?
Can somebody indicate a market value?

Next pic

Other side

Balance

The front

The coiled blue spring is a coiled gong, the clock strikes and counts the hour on the hour and perhaps strikes one ding on the half hour. Check Ebay for similiar clocks to find its ball park value. A good polish with Simichrome or other good metal polish would do wonders for its appearance. I suspect it runs for 8-days, I think most of those Frenchies do. Replacemnt platform escapements are available but the original one may be fine. Those cases are a pain to get back together, holding the glasses in place in the grooves in the corners while trying to put the top or bottom back on is a job for more than one pair of hands.

I did a quick search on Ebay and found two clocks, one a timepiece and the other with hour and half hour strike. The model with strike is here:
http://cgi.ebay.com/LOVELY-VICTORIAN-C1890-FRENCH-CHIMI...QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Buy-it-now is about $725, the price is listed in British pounds.

John,

Thanks for all the great information. You answered all my questions. Much appreciated.

I have never actually looked at a chiming clock before so I didn't know to identify the gong.

The required restoration work on this one is too extensive, so this is one I am going to pass on.

Shame you're not going to have a dabble with the clock Irwin, it appears to be an extremely nice example indeed despite some work being needed.

As John says, it has a gong, which makes it a different animal to the usual French examples!
But! ...... (There's always a 'But')

I believe the clock may well be of English manufacture rather than French, and 'Victorian' era will probably be right.!

You will more often than not, see these with either Cylinder or Swiss Lever escapements, often swapped to the latter during overhaul.

If the platform escapement is original to the movement, (and there's nothing I can see to suggest it isn't), then it is an English Lever type with a counterpoised sidelever escapement.

If you take a closer look at the escape wheel, you can just make out the pointed tooth form. The tail of the lever plus part of the pallet arm is also visible.

This is the first carriage clock I've seen of this type with an English Lever escapement!
With it's case etc, and even needing some restoration, I could well see it making its estimate if collectors have spotted it!

John

John W. - I understand that you are suggesting that it's worth a dabble. How much of a dabble?

It would have to be taken to someone in the UK or the US for restoration which would no doubt cost an arm and a leg, which casts rather a large question mark on whether this would be a sensible purchase. The thing is, it is a very nice and substantial clock. If it were restored then it would be one to keep.

The only collector around here is me, so there is unlikely to be any competition in the bidding. It was in the same auction two months ago and nobody was interested. Not another watch (or clock collector, I suppose) in Nairobi or perhaps even in Kenya. I certainly haven't met any.

Restoration costs?
Ultimate value?

What do you think?

Im from UK so might be able to help. Firstly this is a nice carriage clock. Definately French and could be made by the Couaillet family. You can identify from the arrow on the backplate (see Cherles Allixs book on Carriage Clocks ISBN 0 902028 25 1) Only reason I'm not clear is that the photo is a little blurred. I have see and repaired many of these types of clocks. In the uk at auction in non-working ondition I would expect to pay £150-£200. The condition of the esapement is important. Is the balance and hairspring OK? and the pivots not broken on the pallets or escape wheel. Bottom line is that the escapement can usually be refurbished at a cost of around £80 here in the UK. Have you tried winding it up to see if it ticks? Also wind up the striking train turn the hands from the back through the 12 O'clock does it strike the hours correctly? If so may be worth having if the price is good.....And you like it. Happy to help further if you wish.

Having the travel case for the clock is an added bonus and should make it worth more. And as you mentioned you seem to be the only collector around, so you might get it for less than the estimate. That is if they don't have a reserve price on it.

I agree with John the case will put up the price (sorry I forgot that you metioned that) Don't forget that the price I suggested was for a non-working example. If you can get it to tick for a reasonable time and the striking is OK.(so it just needs a service) It could well be worth the lower estimate. Its usual practice for auctioneers to reduce (or even remove)the estimate if its been in the saleroom several times before. You could be lucky and get yourself a bargain I reckon its well worth turning up, Especially if you know that you wont have much opposition.If there is a reserve and it doesn't meet it in the room. you can always make an offer to the auctioneer after the sale is over.

The post auction update is that there was someone else who was interested and the clock sold for almost $600 which I thought was on the high side for a clock that requires an unknown amount of restoration. I decided not to compete. I had set my own limit at $300 - $400.