A late 19th century French gorge cased carriage clock with alarm and hour repeat
François-Arsène Margaine, Paris. Retailed by J. E. Caldwell and Co., Philadelphia, No. 11728
Surmounted by a rippled handle above a large escapement observation window, the moulded cornice over bevelled glass panels supported by four grooved uprights, on a moulded base. The white enamel Roman dial signed for the retailer J. E. Caldwell & Co Philadelphia over Made in France, with blued steel moon hands, and subsidiary Arabic alarm dial. The triple spring barrel movement with silvered and jewelled English lever platform escapement and cut and compensated bimetallic balance, the lower edge of the backplate stamped 11728 with Margaine's beehive trademark. Ticking, striking and alarming. 19cms (7ins) high
Footnotes:
According to contemporary trade directories, Margaine was listed in 1869 as a clock maker, wheel cutter and mechanic. That same year, he received a patent for an alarm mechanism for miniature carriage clocks. A year later, in 1870, he was no longer mentioned as cutting wheels, and by 1873 he was being listed strictly as a clockmaker, registering his well known beehive trademark the following year.
He was renowned for making high quality, high-end clocks, with unique handles, though catalogues from his workshop indicate that he produced a wide range of carriage clocks from a timepiece only clock through to grande sonnerie with month, day and moon dials. The choice of case was equally diverse from a standard Anglaise case through to a gorge or bambu case with either Limoges or Cloisonne panels. It seems that the majority of the movements would have been bought in rough form from eminent makers and companies (such as Japy freres), whereas the case and dial would be made in Margaine's workshop. In addition to the above-mentioned alarm patent, he also received two patents for carriage clock case ornamentation, including a method of decoration which involved solid-coloured sides overlaid with pierced panels. A further two patents were also gained; one for a carriage clock remontoir escapement and another for an 'improved' carriage clock striking mechanism.
The lowest serial number found is 444 and the highest is 20879, suggesting a potential output over his career of more than 20,000 clocks.
He died in 1915; there is some evidence that his business was taken over by Henri Doffe, a graduate of the Parisian horological school, l'Ecole de l'Horlogerie de Paris that Margaine helped to start in 1881. It remains unknown if Doffe wound up or continued the business, either under Margaine's name or his own.


Wotruba, T. (2014) 'The Horological World of François Arsène Margaine', Antiquarian Horology, Vol. 35 (2), pgs. 807-826.