A fine French gilt brass carriage clock with multi-coloured relief cast chinoiserie panels and push-button repeat Gay, Lamaille and Company, Paris, late 19th century The eight-day two train gong striking movement with silvered platform lever escapement and stamped with oval PATENT SURETY ROLLER to centre of the backplate over further oval G.L trademark and serial number 749 to lower left, the dial with silvered Roman numeral chapter ring inset into a rectangular panel sculpted in relief with an Arcadian oriental garden landscape incorporating figure on a bridge next to pavilion on a rocky outcrop to lower margin, the centre with a pair of swifts descending onto branches and fine stylised pierced and engraved gilt brass hands, the frosted gilt brass case a variant of the pillars design with baton centred geometric outline hinged handle over thick bevelled top glass, caddy top moulding and scalloped 'pagoda' cornice, the angles with bamboo three-quarter column uprights, the sides inset with fine figural scenes in copper, silver, grey and gilt of male archers hunting deer opposing robed figures flying kites next to a pavilion, on complex moulded plinth base with stepped skirt, the inside of the rear of the case stamped 273, 17cm (6.75ins) high excluding handle. Provenance: The beneficiary of the Estate of a private collector, East Midlands. The firm of Gay, Lamaille and Company and their patent for the 'surety roller' is discussed by Thomas R. Wotruba in his article The story behind PATENT SURETY ROLLER stamped on carriage clocks published in ANTIQUARIAN HOROLOGY June 2017 2019 (pages 239-47). Moritz describes how the Patent Surety Roller (a mechanism which prevents the strike star wheel from accidentally jumping out-of-sync whilst the clock is being transport) was invented by Moritz Immisch for which he received a brevet in 1979. The patent was subsequently secured by Messrs Gay, Lamaille and Company of Paris and London. One of the firm's founders, Emile Gay(e), is recorded as working at 20 Red Lion Square, London in 1861before going into partnership with a clockmaker named Vicarino and setting up operations at 5 rue Beranger, Paris. In around 1877-78 George Lamaille replaced Vicarino forming Gay, Lamaille and Company who through their strong connections with London supplied many of the leading English retailers such as Dent, Frodsham and Lund & Blockley during the latter years of the 19th century. The highly decorative panels of the current lot employ a series of differing techniques to gild, silver, copper and chemically patinate the finely finished relief cast panels to bring the scenes alive. The distinctly Oriental style of the panels coupled with the 'pagoda' form of the case and details such as the finely worked hands have resulted in an object which is fully integrated in its design and execution in a style that would have been at the height of fashion during the 1880's.