A Swiss gilt brass carriage clock with fine German enamelled silver panels and alarm Stamped for Rau and Steinmeyer, Geneva and Pforzheim, circa 1900 The eight-day gong striking movement with silvered platform lever escapement and white enamel Arabic numeral alarm setting dial to backplate stamped with oval trademark RAU &STEINMEYER, GENEVA PFORZHEIM to centre, the circular white enamel Arabic numeral dial with blued steel spade hands set within recessed gilt bezel into a rectangular enamel mask finely polychrome painted in the manner of Fritz Bemberg with a mixture of opaque and polychrome enamels with a scene of two mermaids wrestling grotesque dolphins, the corniche case with scroll outline hinged carrying handle over oval top glass and enamel side panels painted with nude tritons, water nymphs, putti and dolphins within a watery grotto incorporating grotesque mask fountain heads, on cavetto moulded skirt base with integral bracket feet to angles, 14cm (5.5ins) high excluding handle. Provenance: The beneficiary of the Estate of a private collector, East Midlands. Hermann F. Steinmeyer is recorded in Kochmann, Karl CLOCK & WATCH TRADEMARK INDEX OF EUROPEAN ORIGIN as a manufacturer of pocket watches active in 1913. His trademark is also listed 1911, 1928-29.The enamels panels of the current lot are interesting in that the scenes are distinctly Classical in their subject matter but executed in a style highly influenced by the Art Nouveau movement which was at its height during the first decade of the 20th century. This coupled with the semi-erotic subject matter compares closely with the work of Fritz Bemberg who was active in Pforzheim circa 1900 to 1940. The decoration itself carefully and cleverly employs a mixture of opaque and translucent enamels to create depth, texture and lustre which varies under different lighting conditions. Some areas in particular, such as the fins of the 'dolphins' and waterfalls to the side panels, use the finished ground of the metal plate to great effect by allowing reflected to pass through vibrant pigmented transparent enamel surface layers.