AN UNUSUAL FINE FRENCH LIMOGES ENAMELLED CARRIAGE TIMEPIECERETAILED BY TIFFANY AND COMPANY, NEW YORK, LATE 19th CENTURYThe circular eight-day single train movement with vertically planted platform lever escapement regulated by sprung split bimetallic balance, the left hand margin of the backplate inscribed TIFFANY & COMP'Y, the 1.5 inch dark brown almost black enamel circular dial with alternating gilt and raised white enamel dot decorated rosette and inscribed in gilt TIFFANY & COMP'Y, NEW YORK to centre within garland inner border to the gilt Roman numeral hour chapter ring and dot outer minute track, with bright-cut scroll-pierced gilt hands behind hinged convex bevel-glazed gilt brass bezel, the enamelled copper case of rectangular plinth form with hinged scroll-cast carrying handle to the restrained gilt border decorated top incorporating raised white fleur-de-lys motifs at the angles, over front with conforming gilt detailed raised scrollwork over the dial and painted with a scene of a young seated fairy observing a butterfly to the panel beneath, the angles canted and painted with vertical gilt bands bordered by white linework and the sides with shaped oval panels decorated with suspended musical trophies and raised scroll quadrant infill, the rear with matching canted angles and relief decorated with further gilt highlighted scrollwork around a central vase beneath the circular movement access cover, on skirt base with guilloche scroll decorated upper moulding over bead-rosette infilled panels, the lower edge applied with gilt brass bead mouldings raised on small disc feet.16cm (6.5ins) high with handle down, 11.5cm (4.5ins) square at the base.The current lot is unusual in that all surfaces are covered with enamel attributed to the Limoges workshops. The Renaissance inspired designs, along with the colour palette (in particular the dark ground), revives the style for which the region became particularly well-known for during the 16th Century. Indeed the popularity and re-establishment of the Limoges enamel workshops during the second half of the 19th century was born out of a deep appreciation for the Renaissance originals which had become highly prized by connoisseurs earlier in the century. As often the case with French revivalist art the intention was to match (or even if possible exceed) the quality of the originals hence there was generally a 'no expense spared' approach to execution in order to achieve this objective.The unusual high-quality nature of the present timepiece is befitting of its original retailers Tiffany and Company. Indeed when originally sold, during the celebrated American 'gilded age', its revivalist style would have been at the height of fashion.