Very rare repeating centre seconds carriage clock with calendar and alarm by Japy Freres c1860. Engraved gilt brass one-piece case with cast handle. Bevelled glass panels with large, bevelled top-glass exposing its original silvered lever platform escapement. The clock has a white enamelled dial with black Roman numerals and minute ring. Moon-shaped, blued steel hands with centre-seconds pointer. Subsidiary alarm dial with pointer and Roman numerals. Further subsidiary dials with pointers showing day and date. An 8-day movement striking the hours and half hour on a bell with repeat button striking the last hour. Separate train to wind the alarm – which can be left unwound and silent. Backplate stamped “Japy Freres et Cie Exposition Grande Med D’Honneur 1855” within an oval and serial number 650. Measuring 17 cm to top of handle (13 cm excluding handle), 9 cm in width and 7.5 cm in depth. Watch a brief video of it striking above. Fully cleaned and serviced. The clock's movement is covered by our 12-month warranty within the UK.
 
Frédéric Japy (1749-1812) was apprenticed into the profession of watchmaker by his grandfather (Jacques Georges Frédéric Japy) in Montbeliard. At age 17, he returned to Beaucourt to work with his father. Frédéric brought in new machinery that radically changed the way clocks were produced – more than doubling production within a few years. Japy also invented and developed the machines to produce items for a range of hardware parts such as screws, nails, bolts and locks – as well as improving the production of enamelware thus making Japy's enamel dials the standard for the majority of clock manufacturers. Together with three of his sons (Pierre, Frederic Guillaume “Fritz” and  Louis Frederic) he founded the company of Japy & Cie – in 1806 becoming Japy Freres when Frédéric handed over the business to his sons. They further developed and diversified the company – adapting their machinery to extend production to include a variety of household items from kitchen utensils and enamel signs, to early typewriters. Frédéric’s grandsons however failed to respond to changing life-styles and tastes – so by the early 1900’s most of the businesses were sold off or closed. In the 1930's, Japy Frères attempted to reinvent themselves to appeal to a wider market producing several models in the Art Deco style. However, they were competing with established companies such as Jaz and Blangy and sales were limited. As with most French clockmakers, they did not re-start after WWII.