A very fine Limoges enamel panelled gilt brass cased carriage clock with push-button repeat and alarm Probably by A. Dumas, Paris, circa 1878 The eight-day two train movement with silvered platform lever escapement, striking the hour on a gong and with alarm sounding on the same gong, the backplate with Arabic hour disc to the alarm setting square and stamped with oval A.D trademark next to serial number 1899 to lower left corner, the rectangular deep maroon almost black enamel dial with gilt star rosette to centre, contrasting white Roman numerals to chapter ring and gilt brass fleur-de-lys hands, the upper spandrel areas decorated in translucent polychrome enamel with Renaissance inspired stylised foliate scrolls and the lower margin with a pair of griffin Grotesques inhabiting conforming leafy infill, the bevel-glazed frosted gilt brass case variant on anglaise riche design with hinged reeded baton carrying handle over dentil cornice, fluted baluster Corinthian three-quarter corner columns with rose gilt capitals and fine enamelled side panels intricately decorated with full length portraits of a Renaissance lute player and opposing female companion in ornate robes with details picked-out in translucent enamel on a deep maroon almost black ground, on architectural plinth base with complex upper mouldings and skirt, 18cm (7ins) high excluding handle. Provenance: The beneficiary of the Estate of a private collector, East Midlands. The identity of the maker who used trademark A.D within an oval surround is currently unknown however clocks stamped with the same initials but within a diamond lozenge are known to be by A. Dumas who is noted in Allix, Charles and Bonnert, Peter CARRIAGE CLOCKS, Their history and development for a relatively small number of clocks bearing low serial numbers and having porcelain dials and panels. Allix also cites Saunier describing A. Dumas as a maker of his own gongs and cases which is of interest bearing in mind that the same oval A.D trademark has been seen on gong blocks used by Drocourt amongst others. Indeed it is the presence of this mark on the gong block of some of their clocks which has led to the incorrect belief by some that the mark was actually for Alfred Drocourt. The exquisite dial and side panels of the current lot are textbook examples of the finest enamel-work produced in the Limoges workshops during the second half of the 19th century. The Renaissance subject matter 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 panels of the current lot carefully and cleverly employ a mixture of opaque and translucent enamels to create depth, texture and lustre which varies under different lighting conditions. Some areas in particular, such as the areas representing silk within the garments of the figures, use the finished ground of the metal plate to great effect by allowing reflected to pass through vibrant pigmented transparent enamel surface layers. The vendor notes that the rear of one of the panels bears a franked label for Limoges dated 1878 which allows accurate dating of the clock.