My New Couaillet Freres Antique Carriage Clock. Ca. 1905.

It's been a dream of mine to own a beautiful antique carriage clock for...decades...now that I come to think of it...and today, it finally happened. I purchased the following clock, professionally serviced and carefully restored, from a watchmaker friend of mine. He gave me a decent discount on it, and I got to pick my own key for it out of a box of keys he had, as well as my own carrying-case!



The case as you might be able to see, is in pretty horrible condition. He tore off all the original paper-wrapping (it was coming off anyway) and said I had two options:



1). Stain the wood to match the inside of the box (the inside is red).
2). Re-cover the box in red leather, or a red textured paper.



I haven't decided which one I want to do. Trying to find out which would look better...

I also need to find a piece of glass or clear plastic to replace the front sliding glass panel on the box (the original one was badly scratched and scuffed and of no use).



What do you folks think? What should I do with the box?



Oh, and here's the maker's mark:



"MADE IN FRANCE"
"Couaillet Freres" ("Couaillet Brothers")
11 [ELEVEN] Jewels.

According to research, Couaillet Freres operated from 1892-1930.

 

The boxes were covered in morocco leather. A piece of picture glass cut to size would be the right thickness. Technically it is a carriage timepiece, a carriage clock would be a striking type. It appears to be 0bis size in an anglaise style case. The mention of the jewel count in the escapement means it is from the late period of production, toward the end of the dates you quote. It also means a lever t=rather than a cylinder escapement.

 

Hi AF. I'm not sure WHAT this box was covered in. I am familiar with morocco leather (I collect writing boxes), but this stuff was REALLY thin and crumbly. It may well have been leather which was just completely past-it. I dunno.

I agree about the picture glass. I'm just trying to figure out how I can do this. My clockmaker friend said he could get his wife to do it for me. I'm thinking of restoring the box first, and then going back to get the glass cut. I don't think it'd cost very much.

According to the research I conducted, this clock would've been made between 1903-1925 (the four dots on the arrow apparently ceased then).

How do you tell the difference between a lever & cylinder escapement? My friend said it had a cylinder escapement, and he was the guy who pulled it apart to restore it. And he does this as a profession. He has done for 30 years.

The box has a couple of structural weaknesses. I've fixed the base, with glue and a few small nails. Now I need to sort out some of the other areas on the box. Then I gotta figure out what to do with the wood...

 

Refer to sources for lever and cylinder escapements.
Briefly, the cylinder escape wheel passes through the balance staff, the lever escape wheel is detached.
Can you show a picture of the platform escapement. It may not have the original platform if it now has a cylinder type. There is no doubt whatsoever that with 11 jewels it started with a lever escapement.
Mentioning the jewel count on European clocks and watches started in the mid 20th C. Just when exactly I don't know.

 

And he does this as a profession. He has done for 30 years.

So , just maybe his restoration changed it..??

 

No, he said he used all the original parts. And what he can't use, he makes by hand or sources from his spares. I'll get a photo of the escapement...

 

Here's the escapement...

 

That looks like a cylinder platform to me but the crucial area is too shrouded in darkness to be sure.

The escapement could have been replaced any time in the clock's history.

 

Hi AF,

My friend advertised this clock as having a cylinder escapement, and I've compared this escapement with others online and it certainly looks like one. It may have had a lever escapement in it when it was new, and maybe this was replaced at some time, although of course, when that was, would be impossible to tell. My friend buys his clocks at auction, cleans, restores and repairs them, and then sells them on his website and in his shop.

I'd say that at some time in its history, this clock's original escapement might've been damaged and then replaced, and sometime thereafter, my friend picked it up.

However it happened, I'm not complaining, so long as the clock works and keeps time. I think it looks gorgeous. I don't know if it was made in the 1900s, 10s or 20s, but I personally think it's got a bit of a Deco vibe to it. And that's one reason why I bought it - I love Art Deco