A mid-19th century one-piece brass French timepiece carriage clock by Japy Freres & Cie c1860. Elegantly proportioned rectangular brass case of an earlier one-piece construction. Raised mouldings bordering the bevelled glass panels with large rectangular bevelled top window displaying its original cylinder platform escapement. Moulded detail continuing through to base. Pristine white enamelled dial with black roman numerals and minute ring, with blued-steel trefoil hands. An eight-day duration timepiece movement. Backplate stamped with a Grande Medaille D’Honneur awarded to Japy Freres & Cie at the Exposition Universelle, Paris 1855. Supplied with traditional double-ended brass key. Clock height excluding handle is 14 cm to top of handle (11 cm excluding handle), width is 8.5 cm and depth 6.5 cm. Fully cleaned and serviced but retaining its antique brass patina. The clock's movement is covered by our 12-month warranty in 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.