AN EARLY VICTORIAN SILVERED BRASS MOUNTED EBONISED BRACKET CLOCK WITH TRIP-HOUR REPEATJAMES MCCABE, LONDON, CIRCA 1845The five baluster pillar twin chain fusee bell striking movement with anchor escapement regulated by lenticular bob pendulum, the backplate signed James McCabe, Royal Exchange, London over pendulum holdfast bracket, the 8 inch circular silvered Roman numeral dial further signed James McCabe, ROYAL EXCHANGE, London, and numbered 2515 to centre, with STRIKE/SILENT selection switch at twelve o'clock and steel trefoil hands set behind hinged cast silvered brass glazed bezel incorporating canted fillet to interior, the case with generous cast pineapple finial to the stepped radially reeded hipped 'chamfer-top' superstructure over slender ogee cornice, fluted frieze and brass fillet bordered quadrant panels around the dial each decorated with stylised foliate motifs, the sides with foliate decorated silvered brass rosette ring handles over pierced rectangular sound frets, the rear with rectangular glazed door stamped with further serial number 2515 to the lower edge of the aperture, on moulded skirt base with conforming fluted band to upper margin and brass ball feet.50cm (19.75ins) high, 20.5cm (12ins) wide, 17cm (6.75ins) deep.Provenance: The inside of the base of the case with pasted paper label inscribed in ink This clock was presented to my father by Mr. E.C. Jones, Political Agent Angria's Kolaba at Olibagh on the 25th December 1847. Signed E.U. Hearn.James McCabe junior succeeded his father of the same name was one of the most successful English clock and watchmakers of the 19th century. He was apprenticed to Reid and Auld of Edinburgh and was admitted to the Clockmaker's Company as a Free Brother in 1822. Around this time McCabe entered into a short lived partnership with Strahan (probably Charles who gained his freedom of the Clockmaker's Company in 1815). From 1826 James McCabe managed the business alone from 97 Cornhill until 1838 when he was forced to temporarily relocate to 32 Cornhill due to a major fire at the Royal Exchange. The pasted paper label applied to the inside of the present clock indicates that it would have most likely been supplied by McCabe to either the East India Company or the Government India Office. This suggestion is further supported by the silver on black appearance of the case which would seem to follow Indian rather than European fashion. Contemporary records also support the presence of a 'Political Agent' serving to administer Justice in the Bombay district of Kolaba around this time; indeed the Indian Maharastra Gazetteer online records note that:'Between 1819 and 1830, for purposes of civil and criminal justice, the three sub-divisions of Sankshi, Rajpuri, and Raygad were under Ratnagiri. In 1830 Ratnagiri was reduced to a sub-collectorate, and these three sub-divisions passed from Ratnagiri to Thana. Till 1840, when they lapsed to the British Government, the two sub-divisions of Underi and Revdanda were under the Angria chiefs. Under Act XVII. of 1844, these two sub-divisions were embodied in British territory and brought under British laws. Justice was administered by a Political Agent till, in 1853, the agency was abolished and the judicial administration of the two sub-divisions transferred to Thana. Since 1853 the Kolaba district has formed part of the charge of the Thana District Judge.'