GIANT CARRIAGE CLOCK WITH TRAVELLING CASE Jas McCabe Royal Exchange London 2756 Ca. 1850 England

M&R102B

GIANT CARRIAGE CLOCK WITH TRAVELLING CASE
Signed and numbered: Jas McCabe Royal Exchange London 2756
Circa 1850
England

Movement
The spring-driven brass movement consists of going and striking trains. The going train has an English lever escapement and adjustable hairspring balance on a platform that is mounted transversely on the plates. It can be adjusted with a slide on the back of the clock. The striking mechanism indicates the hours in full and the half hour with one stroke on a gong. It also has repetition which is activated by pressing a button on top of the case. The striking can also be turned off using a lever at the back (strike/silent). The maker signed and numbered the movement on the backplate as follows: JAMES McCABE LONDON 2756.

Dial
The rectangular silvered brass dial is richly engraved in scroll motifs and has a black Roman chapter ring with quarter, five-minute and minute divisions. The time is indicated by two finely cut blued steel hands with a lily motif at the ends. In addition, there is a seconds ring below the XII with a counterbalanced blued steel hand which indicates the seconds on a ring divided into strokes, at every five seconds bolder. The maker signed and numbered the dial at the bottom in the following manner: JAS McCABE ROYAL EXCHANGE LONDON 2756.
Case
The gilt brass case has bevelled glass panels on the front and sides, making the movement almost entirely visible. The top is also provided with bevelled glass, making the escapement on the platform clearly visible. The case is surmounted by a beautifully modelled handle. The rear door has apertures with shutters for the setting hands and the winding arbors. These can be closed using a small button.
Travelling case
The wooden case that comes with the clock has a hinged door at the front, through which the clock can be placed in the case. It has a brass handle at the top.

Duration: 1 week

Size: 26.5 x 16 x 14 cm

The maker
James McCabe worked as a clockmaker from 1811-1868 at the Royal Exchange in London

Literature
-Brian Loomes, Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World, London, 2006, p. 523