A FINE FRENCH GRANDE-SONNERIE STRIKING AND REPEATING CARRIAGE CLOCK WITH ALARM

A FINE FRENCH GRANDE-SONNERIE STRIKING AND REPEATING CARRIAGE CLOCK WITH ALARML. Leroy et Cie, Paris, circa 1900The eight-day two train movement ting-tang striking the quarters on a graduated pair of gongs and sounding the hour every quarter hour on the larger of the two, with silvered platform lever escapement regulated by spring split bimetallic balance, the left hand end of the backplate engraved L. LEROY 7 Cie, 7 B'd DE LA MADELEINE. PARIS and the centre numbered 16630 over further stamped number 34494 to lower left hand corner, the circular cream enamel Arabic numeral dial indistinctly inscribed L. LEROY & Cie, Horlogers de la..., Paris to centre and with blued steel spade hands set within a frosted rectangular gilt mask incorporating conforming alarm setting dial to lower margin and with canted surround, the case with hinged reeded carrying handle to the generous caddy-moulded top incorporating projections at the angles for the reeded three-quarter column corner uprights, on stepped cavetto moulded skirt base with concave feet, the underside with three-position strike selection switch labelled SONNERIE/SILENCE/G'DE SONNERIE, with original red velvet lined tooled morocco leather covered outer carrying case applied with pierced silver monogram F. M. V. to lid.16.5cm (6.5ins) high excluding handle, 11.5cm (4.5ins) wide, 10cm (4ins) deep; the leather case 18cm (7ins) high. Provenance: Purchased new by Florence Mary Venables in London around 1900 thence by family descent to the present owner. The firm of 'Leroy et Cie' 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 relocated 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 firm was sold to his former employee Casimir Halley Desfontaines; who in turn was succeeded by his son M. George Halley Desfontaines in 1883. In 1888 M. George Halley died leaving the business to his brother Jules Halley who then took-in as a partner Louis Leroy (apparently no relation to the founders of the firm). In 1899 the firm left Palais Royal and moved to Boulevard de La Madeleine where it continued trading in the hands of various successors until well into the 20th century. The current lot would have been made very shortly after L. Leroy et Cie's relocation to 7 Boulevard de La Madeleine in 1899. The robust but restrained architectural style of the case is very much in the 'English' fashion hence it is likely that the clock was made for retail in London; where it was indeed purchased new by the great grandmother of the present owner. Another clock by Leroy et Cie (number 19484) in a closely related case is illustrated in Roberts, Derek CARRIAGE and Other Travelling CLOCKS on page 218 (Figure 13-19).