Giuseppe Fiore

Giuseppe Fiore, Rome. Made in 1779. Very fine and very rare, quarter and hour striking up to six, and repeating walnut and olivewood marquetry veneered ormolu mounted bracket clock with glass dial, triple date calendar and alarm. Glass, reverse painted with blue radial Roman numerals, outer minute ring and Arabic five minute markers, calendar dial below with outer date dial, concentric months and days of the week indications. Pierced gilt hour and minute hands, steel alarm hand, serpentine arrow-tipped calendar hands. 15 x 13 cm, brass with cylindrical pillars, going barrels, verge escapement with silk suspension, steel rod pendulum with brass bob, striking and repeating on two bells by “organ cam” mounted above the movement, strike/silent lever on the back of the case. The calendar mechanism mounted on the front of an “L” shaped plate extending down from the movement and geared via the hour wheel in a linear arrangement, some wheels with six or eight spokes. Movement signed. Dim. 67 x 42 x 21 overall. Notes The present clock probably originally had a bronze dial plate, which was changed early on for a glass front in order to allow the mechanism to be admired. The case has particularly good quality gilt bronze mounts which are equal to some of the best French mounts of the Louis XVI period. It is unusual to find Italian clocks of the period with so many complications.