A FRENCH ENGRAVED GILT BRASS CENTRE-SECONDS REPEATING ALARM CARRIAGE CLOCK WITH DECORATED PLATFORMJAPY FRERES, PARIS, MID 19th CENTURYThe rectangular eight-day two train centre-seconds movement with unusual fine scroll engraved gilt platform lever escapement incorporating shaped cocks and jewelled pivots for the pallet and escape wheel arbors and regulated by a sprung three-arm steel balance applied with three blued steel crescent-shaped 'flukes' to the rim, the backpate stamped with central oval trademark inscribed JAPY FRERES & CIE, EXPOSITION, 1855, GRANDE MED. D'HONNEUR and numbered 901 to the bottom left-hand corner and to the inside lower edge of the frontplate, the rectangular white enamel Roman numeral dial with sweep seconds and blued steel moon hands above Arabic alarm setting dial to the lower margin, the bevel-glazed corniche case with hinged carrying handle over oval top glass set into a surround finely engraved with foliate scrollwork, with cavetto cornice mouldings, panel-decorated caddy moulded uprights and hinged glazed door to rear, on cavetto moulded skirt base further engraved with fine floral scrollwork.15.5cm (6.125ins) high with handle down, 9cm (3.5ins) wide, 8cm (3.125ins) deep.Provenance: Private collection, East Midlands.The firm of Japy Freres et Cie was founded by Frederick Japy in 1774 who set-up a modest workshop in Montbeliard as a watch and machine tool maker. Japy expanded his business rapidly and by 1804, the year he was awarded the Legion d Honneur by Napoleon (in recognition for his Brevets in horological machinery), he employed 300 people at his manufactory in Beaucourt. From 1806, he took five of his sons into partnership and the firm expanded adding buildings at Badevel and La Feschotte amongst others to become one of the largest makers of clocks in Europe. The business continued into the Twentieth century but during the inter-war period went into decline and is thought to have finally wound-up in around 1840. A detailed history of Japy Freres et Cie is provided in Allix, Charles and Bonnert, Peter CARRIAGE CLOCKS, Their history and development chapter VI pages 133-48.The unusual finely engraved platform lever escapement fitted to the current lot can be directly compared to that on a Swiss petit-sonnerie striking giant calendar carriage clocks sold in these rooms on Thursday 22nd March 2022 (lot 168). From this it would be reasonable to suggest that the escapement on the present clock was probably sourced from a specialist supplier working over the border from Mentbeliard in Switzerland.