Paul Garnier for Dent Carriage Clock

Case and Dial

The clock is housed within a gilded, one-piece case featuring extensive engraving and relief ornamentation. The design incorporates bevelled glass panels on the sides and the top, allowing visibility into the internal movement. A handle is fixed to the upper surface, and the rear of the case includes a hinged door integrated with shuttered apertures intended for movement regulation.

The dial is composed of white enamel and is signed "Dent a Paris". It features Roman numerals rendered in cobalt blue, complemented by a subsidiary dial positioned at the bottom of the main display. The hands are fashioned in a Trefoil style, consistent with the construction of the case and the period.

The case is decorated with intricate relief-carved patterns, which extend across the entire exterior frame, providing a decorative surface for the carriage clock.

Movement and Escapement

The movement is designed to strike the hours and half-hours, utilizing a tuned bell for the acoustic signal. The technical configuration includes an early lever escapement, paired with a mono-metallic balance wheel. This mechanism allows for the temporal regulation of the clock, consistent with French manufacture from the mid-19th century.

The movement is signed on the top plate. The escapement is visible through the side glass panels of the case, revealing the internal gear train and the balance mechanism.

Signatures and Identifiers

The object carries multiple identifiers that link it to the workshops of Paul Garnier and the retailer Dent. The serial number 2723 is stamped and engraved on both the case and the movement. Additionally, the number 58 is present on the rear door. These numbers serve as identifiers for the production cycle of the clock.

The retailer's signature, "Dent a Paris," is applied directly to the enamel dial.

The attribution of the clock is confirmed by the source as being a collaboration between these two entities, with the Garnier workshop providing the movement and casing, while the Dent branding was applied to the dial.