Description
Beautiful English striking and repeating Carriage clock by James McCabe, London.
James McCabe, the founder of the firm, was born in Belfast. He came to London in the 1770’s, settling at Royal Exchange in 1804. He became a Freeman of the Clockmakers Company in 1781 and a Warden in 1811, the year he died. He was succeeded by his son, also James, who is regarded as one of the finest English clock and watchmakers of the nineteenth century. He was apprenticed to Reid and Auld and gained admittance to the clockmakers Company in 1822. Robert Jeremy McCabe, James’s nephew, continued the business until he retired in 1883.
The eight day movement with double chain fusee, maintaining power, a large, gilt platform with a plain, three arm balance, a flat, blued steel hairspring with underslung, English lever escapement, the strike train sounding the hours on a blued steel gong or the previous hour at will via the repeat button, the backplate signed James McCabe, London 3260.
The silvered brass dial with Roman hour numerals outer minutes chapter and blued steel ‘fleur de lys’ hands, being signed below IV JAMES McCABE ROYAL EXCHANGE, LONDON 3260, together with its original felt lined, brass bound keep box with flush carrying handle to the top, original key and an integral sliding door to the front for viewing the dial.
The plain , gilt case with large, bevel edged glasses to the sides and top, the back with shuttered apertures for winding and handset, together with an external SLOW/FAST regulator and STRIKE/SILENT/ facility, topped by a reeded, folding handle and repeat button through the glass.
