By Cartier, Henry Birks
Located in Portland, OR
A fine antique Swiss silver gilt & guilloched enamel miniature carriage clock, retailed by Birks of Montreal, Circa 1910, just fully cleaned & overhaul by a professional clocksmith.
The clock having a silver gilt case with guilloched enamel decoration, the rare & unusual decoration inspired by the architecture of the Alhambra and Moorish Spain, in the form of long mihrab shaped windows punctuated with circular white enameled 'jewels'. The base with a frieze of silver gilt spheres and the clock is raised on a striated agate base.
The white enameled dial having black Arabic numerals & gold hands and is signed "Birks", for the famous Montreal retailer who sold luxury jewelery & timepieces. The clock having a seven day 15 jeweled lever mechanism, the clock is identical to others made for Cartier in Geneva and had been marked with "Birks" name as they were the retailers of this clock.
The clock is stamped to the rear "Sterling" & "Argent" & 0.935, Geneva assay mark '935'. The clock was most likely designed by Maurice Coüet who designed clocks for both Cartier & The Geneva Clock Co. The clock is stamped with the "JTC" mark in a cartouche.
Condition is excellent, the clock has been just been professionally cleaned & overhauled and works perfectly, key is present. A very elegant & rare antique miniature clock...
Category
Early 20th Century Swiss Art Nouveau Agate Clocks
MaterialsAgate, Sterling Silver, Enamel