Japy freres napoleon mantel clock

[moeatthebeach]

I HAVE A JAPY FRERES MANTEL CLOCK THAT I RECEIVED FROM MY MOTHER. IT WAS PURCHASED WHILE WE LIVED IN EUROPE 1969-1974. SHE COLLECTED ANTIQUES AND HAVE NUMEROUS CLOCKS AND WATCHES, OF WHICH I HAVE RECEIVED A FEW. THIS WAS ONE SHE PARTICULARLY FOND OF. SHE WORKED WITH A CLOCK MEISTER AS SHE COLLECTED AND HE HELPED HER TO IDENTIFY THEM. UNFORTUNATELY I CAN NOT LOCATE HER NOTES SHE GAVE ME, BUT THE KEY TAG IS MARKED "NAPELEON 6". I BROUGHT THE CLOCK TO A LOCAL SHOP WHERE HE WAS ABLE TO HELP ME MAKE SOME IDENTIFYING MARKS. HERE IS WHAT I HAVE ON IT SO FAR.

MARKINGS:
JAPY FRERES
MEDAILLEDOR
#1698
#7 2
KEY MARKED T R (one side) 6 (other)​

ORIENTAL LOOKING INLAY WORK ON WOOD CASE WITH MOTHER OF PEARL, BRASS, ENAMEL, AND OTHERS
BOULLE STYLE MANTEL
FRENCH MOVEMENT (LOW?)
PORCLEAN FACE
PORCLEAN ON PENDULUM​

ATTACHING ONE FULL PHOTO, OTHER DETAILED PHOTOS AVAILABLE.​

I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE ANY AND ALL INFORMATION ANYONE CAN PROVIDE. THANK YOU, MAUREEN​

 

[jmclaugh]

Hi Maureen and welcome to the MB. That is a very nice looking clock though some larger pics would have been nice. 1698 is the serial # though it has little practical meaning, it is normally also stamped on the pendulum, 7 2 is the pendulum length in French inches, i.e. 7 pouces and 2 lignes. Japy is a very famous French maker and was the largest producer of French pendule de Paris movements and won many awards. One source I know of claims movements were marked Japy Freres Medaille d'Or after 1850 until 1858. The dials are normally but not always enamel. HTH.

 

[moeatthebeach]

Jonathan,
Thank you for the information. I am attaching additional photos... Any other input would be greatly appreciated!
Maureen

 

[antiekeradio]

the shape of the pendulum support bracket (especially the long 'tail' on the left side) correlates with the mentioned timeframe.

Earlier clocks had silk suspension (and different pendulums) while later ones do not have the long tail.

 

[jmclaugh]

Very nice inlay and has quite an unusual case in being reminiscent of a cross betwen a Boulle and portico style case. The movement has what is called count wheel striking and does not seem to have a Brocot suspension which is said to have been in common use from the 1850s on.