Freres Melly à Paris

Freres Melly à Paris. Made in Germany, circa 1770. Fine and rare, gilt brass eight day-going hour-striking and repeating, travelling clock with alarm. Rectangular with domed and stepped top, front and glazed side panels engraved with flowers and foliage, small engraved bracket feet, swivel pendant with loose ring, push button for activating the repeat at the front right corner. White enamel with radial Roman numerals and outer minute track with five-minute Arabic numerals, center with revolving alarm setting disc, small enamel regulation dial above. Steel "Louis XV" hands. Rectangular, brass, the going train with fusee and chain, fixed barrel for striking, verge escapement with three-arm plain brass balance and contrate wheel inclined to the horizontal plane, flat balance spring, striking, repeating and alarm on a small underslung bell. Dim. Height 20 cm. Width 10 cm. Depth 6.8 cm. Notes This clock was probably ordered in Germany by the Paris branch of the Freres Melly firm in Geneva. The Melly family was a clockmaking dynasty spanning five generations. See: “Dictionnaire des Horlogers Genevois”, Osvaldo Patrizzi, Antiquorum Editions.