A FRENCH GILT BRASS GORGE CASED GRANDE SONNERIE STRIKING CARRIAGE CLOCK WITH ALARMTHE ESCAPEMENT STAMPED FOR JOSEPH SOLDANO, PARIS, CIRCA 1865The eight-day two train movement configured with ting-tang striking for the quarters on a graduated pair of gongs and the hour sounding at every quarter hour on the larger of the two, with alarm sounding on a small bell, the going train regulated by silvered platform lever escapement with sprung split bimetallic balance stamped with rectangular J.S cartouche and engraved No. 304, the inside of the frontplate stamped 13727 and the backplate further stamped 704 to centre, 4449 to lower left and with engraved Silence/q't. of bells/quarters strike selection lever to right hand margin, the dial with engine-turned rectangular gilt mask enclosing circular white enamel Roman numeral circular insert with pale puce ground band to chapter ring and blued steel spade hands, the lower margin with conforming recessed Arabic numeral alarm setting dial, the satin-gilt gorge case with hinged carrying handle over glazed top glass enclosing engine-turned mask with oval aperture for the escapement, with channel moulded uprights, glazed rear door and ogee-moulded base.14.5cm (5.75ins) high with handle down, 9.5cm (3.75ins) wide, 8.5cm (3.375ins) deep.Provenance: Private collection, East Midlands.The current lot is fitted with an escapement stamped with the 'J S' cartouche trademark for Joseph Soldano who is recorded in Allix, Charles and Bonnert, Peter CARRIAGE CLOCK, Their history and development as a maker of fine carriage clocks. Soldano was awarded medals at the Paris Exhibitions of 1855 & 1878 where it was noted that 'The escapements appeared to to have been treated with particular care.' Allix notes that their escapements probably made in Geneva, Switzerland and were often stamped 'Soldano' or 'J S'. Although Joseph Soldano made carriage clocks outright (including highly decorated models) he apparently supplied other makers with his high-quality escapements.Thebination of engine-turned detailing to the dial and oval panel to the top glass together with the castings for the handle and gorge case would appear almost identical to that of a clock with running seconds by LeRoy and Fils sold in these rooms on Wednesday 6th October 2021 (lot 110). This clock was also fitted with a Soldano escapement and had a similar sequence of stamped serial numbers both to the inside of the frontplate and to the backplate (15687, 728 and 4756 respectively). From this it would be appropriate to suggest that this and the present clock and were made in the same workshop but the latter was probably intended to be supplied by Soldano; this possibility is further supported by the presence of a stamped number (304) matching that of the escapement to the underside of the case.The positioning of the grande-sonnerie strike selection lever to the rear of the backplate (rather than to the base of the case) of the present clock is an unual detail.