A good late 19th century French multi-coloured patinated and lacquered brass Carriage clockRetailed by Whytock & Son, made by Achille Brocot numbered 758The case with fancy cast handle over an inspection panel, repeat button and pagoda style stepped cornice supported on realistic bamboo-section silvered pillars to a stepped base, each side panel with multi-coloured metal scenes depicting two human forms, possibly representing Taoist deities. The dialplate decorated with trees and a bird surrounding the stylised chapter ring with approximate Japanese numerals, signed Whytock & Son with blued steel spade hands. The two train movement striking and repeating on a blued steel gong with silvered and jewelled English lever platform escapement with bimetallic balance and compensation screws, the back plate stamped with Achille Brocot's trademark and the numbered 758. Ticking, striking, and repeating with a double ended key. 22cms (8.5) highFootnotes:Two similar, though less ornate, carriage clocks by Brocot feature in 'A Century of Fine Carriage Clocks' by Joseph Fanelli and Charles Terwilliger on pages 22 and 48.Achille Brocot was born in 1817 and died in 1878. His father was an horologist, as were his brother, his son and his nephew. The Brocot's created new forms of pendulum suspension and two variations of a new escapement which to this day are known by their name. Achille was an amateur mathematician and spent many years combining maths and horology in order to rationalise horological theory. For example, he created and patented a 'perpetual calendar' mechanism which would automatically take into account short months and leap years. He devised an equation of time display, as well as a double wheel escapement in 1839, which, when adjusted, produced a novel deadbeat escapement. The presentation of this escapement (mounted on the dial rather than between the plates) was adopted by the standard Brocot escapements in 1842 and has since become synonymous with Brocot escapements. In 1848, he refined the shape of the pallets in the escapement from a full circle to triangular hemispheres. This reduced the amplitude of the pendulum and allowed longer pendulums to be used, as demonstrated by a regulator made in 1849, which contained this modification. Another advancement was his entirely new way of calculating optimal gear trains for clockwork, using logarithms and prime numbers; an approach relatively unique in a trade that had largely used convention or 'guess and check' for gear train calculations. He also created a calendar for clocks that was tied to lunar rather than solar days, in addition to numerous horological refinements and alterations. Due to the degree of complexity of his calendars, they are usually a separate mechanism which receives its impulse from the striking train. In total, he took out eight patents for his various inventions between 1847-1865.Upon his death, his nephew took over the business, updating the family patents among other things, until his death in 1885. The business was then sold, possibly to Thièbles who continued to manufacture their suspension and escapements until 1914.'Whytock & Son' on the dial is likely to be Whytock & Sons of Dundee, a mid to late Victorian Jeweller and Watchmaker. It is possible the chapter ring is the firms own creation, which may account for the unique numerals compared with similar clocks by Brocot.The gong block is stamped with F.D. inside a pointed oblong. This makers mark is used on many of the gong blocks on Brocot clocks.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.