A particularly elegant and interesting late eighteenth-century musical bracket clock by the celebrated London maker Francis Perigal III, in a beautifully proportioned mahogany case richly mounted with gilt brass ormolu.
The arched case is surmounted by a gilt brass urn finial and adorned throughout with finely cast rococo mounts, raised on scrolling bracket feet with pierced sound frets. The case retains both front and rear glazed doors, allowing the highly decorative movement to be viewed.
The superb arched dial is framed by an elaborate blue, green and gilt decorated arch and is richly embellished with finely executed champlevé enamel panels on a solid silver ground, incorporating subsidiary dials for chime/silent and musical-tune selection. The main enamel dial is signed Perigal, London and fitted with elegant pierced gilt hands.
The substantial, fully engraved brass movement, signed Francis Perigal, London, is of particularly fine quality. It is fitted with a musical train playing a choice of four tunes on a nest of eleven bells, and sounding once on the hour, every hour, a particularly desirable feature, as many musical clocks play only at three-hour intervals. The clock also strikes the hours on a separate bell. The backplate is beautifully engraved with scrolling foliage, and the movement retains its original verge escapement and pendulum.
The movement and case together demonstrate the quality and refinement associated with Perigal, one of the most respected horological dynasties working in eighteenth-century London.
The Perigal family were among the most eminent clock and watchmakers of the Georgian period, working from the Royal Exchange and later New Bond Street, and supplying timepieces of the highest quality to both domestic and export markets.
Clocks by Francis Perigal are increasingly sought after by collectors for their mechanical sophistication, distinctive design, and historical importance within English horology.
An excellent and decorative example of an important London maker’s work.
Serviced and guaranteed for 3 years.
Height: 19 ¾” or 50 cm
CIRCA.1790
Provenance: Private collection, UK
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