A French gilt brass carriage timepiece with fine Aesthetic style porcelain panels Margaine for retail by Howell James and Company, Paris and London, circa 1875 The eight-day single train movement with silvered platform lever escapement and stamped with AM beehive trademark over serial number 4182 to the lower left hand corner of the backplate, the rectangular porcelain dial panel overall painted in polychrome and gilt with asymmetric panels incorporating polychrome crane and fantail goldfish, within a cream field populated with a parrot and stylised foliage, the centre bird perched on flowering branch within Roman numeral chapter ring and with blued steel moon hands over retail signature HOWELL JAMES & Co., TO THE QUEEN, PARIS, LONDON, the gilt brass cornciche case with hinged carrying handle and bevelled oval top glass over porcelain side panels decorated to match the dial with shaped aquatic and ornithological panels over exotic crested birds perched within flowering foliage on a cream ground, on cavetto moulded skirt base, 13.5cm (5.25ins) high excluding handle. Provenance: The beneficiary of the Estate of a private collector, East Midlands. The life and work of Francois Arsène Margaine is explored by Thomas Wortruba in his article The horological world of Francois Arsène Margaine published in ANTIQUARIAN HOROLOGY June 2014 (pages 807-818). Born 1835 Margaine was one of the leading carriage clock makers of his time, married in 1865 to the couturiere Armandine Fresnais his first recorded workshops were at 20 Rue du Pont-aux-Choux. He then moved numerous times until by 1880 he is known to be at 22 Rue Béranger although the family home was at the address given for his wife's business, 19 Boulevard Haussmann. Margaine was an innovator and obtained many brevets, patents, for his ideas as well as receiving various awards at expositions both in Paris and elsewhere. He was active in the horological world and alongside such as Alfred Drocourt, was involved in setting up the horological school in Paris, l'École d'horlogerie de Paris, in 1881 as well as being an active member of the Chambre Syndicale having obtained full membership in 1877. Arsène Margaine's last address in 1914 was 54 Rue de Bondy.The firm of silversmitths, jewellers and retailers of objet d'art Howell, James and Company was founded in 1819 by James Howell and Isaac James. The company had premises at 5, 7 and 9 Regent Street and was noted for the variety and quality of its stock. In 1838 James left the business and the partnership then became known as Howell James & Co. By 1865 the firm employed over 140 women, most of whom lived above the shop. The business exhibited at the 1851 Great Exhibition as well as others in London and Paris throughout the latter half of the 19th century. In 1881 the premises was reconstructed, three years later they became a limited company and continued to trade from Regent Street, London until 1911. The design of the porcelain panels of the current lot draw their inspiration from Japanese art in particular Satsuma pottery. The study and interpretation of Japanese decorative arts was a core element of the Aesthetic Movement which in-turn influenced Orientalist design which became highly fashionable during the latter quarter of the 19th century.