Francis PERIGAL (active from 1770 to 1794), Royal Exchange, - Lot 102

Francis PERIGAL (active from 1770 to 1794), Royal Exchange, London. Clock with moon phase, half-hour striking and chimes with four different melodies activated on the hour, produced for the Ottoman market. Gilt bronze mounts. Silvered champlevé enamel dials. Rectangular movement with full brass plate, 3 barrels, 3 fuses, 1 hammer, 1 bell for half-hour and hour striking, rack and pinion striking, verge escapement, short pendulum, pin tumbler, 12 hammers and 12 bells. Musical movement automatically released on the hour by the clock followed by the striking of the hours. Resting on four bronze paw feet. The edges and sides (which are openwork for better sound) are decorated with rococo-style bands and grids. Engraved dial background and translucent cobalt-blue and green Champlevé flowers and leaves. The white enamel dial in the lower part shows Ottoman hours and minutes and is signed "Francis Perigal, Royal Exchange, London", the hands are gilded and richly ornamented. The striking mechanism is started and stopped with a small dial and a hand in the upper half "Chime" - "Not Chime". A second auxiliary dial allows selection of one of four melodies: "Vichar Deuir" "Samahe" "Sabac Halil" "Beni Sakit". The rectangular platinum movement is fully engraved with scrolls and flowers. These magnificent table clocks from the period of King George II were created by London's finest clockmakers such as Marwick Markham, William Rich, George Prior and of course Francis Perigal. A particularly interesting feature of this clock is the moon phase with a rotating sphere, of which we know of no other example featuring this complication. London circa 1770 H.50 cm (Slight oxidation)