MINIATURE BRACKET CLOCK Alex Giroust, London Ca. 1730 England

M&R19

MINIATURE BRACKET CLOCK
Signed: Alex Giroust, London
Circa 1730
England

Movement
A spring-driven double fusee movement consisting of going and striking trains. The going train has a verge escapement with a short pendulum and the rack striking train indicating the hours on a bell. The backplate is typically engraved with flowers and scrolling leaves.

Dial
The square brass dial centre is mounted with a silvered chapter ring with foliate pierced top and corner spandrels. The finely pierced blued-steel hands indicate the time on a Roman chapter ring, with half-hour, Arabic five minute and minute divisions. Above the XII in the top of the dial is situated the silvered signature plaque: Alex Giroust, London.

Case
The ebonised-pearwood oak case with a real bel top is surmounted by a single shaped brass carrying handle. There are glazed windows to the sides. The clock stands on four brass feet.

Duration 1 week

Height 27,5 cm.
Width 15 cm.
Depth 11 cm.

Literature
Brian Loomes, Watchmakers & Clockmakers of the World, London, 2006, p. 304.

The maker
Alex or Alexander Giroust, was a London clockmaker and worked, among other things, from 1729 to circa 1740 on Coventry Street in London and he was probably of French Huguenot descent. An example of one of Alexander Girousts clocks is exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.