A George III gilt and patinated bronze quarter chiming musical automaton clock with world time for the Chinese market, English, circa 1800

A George III gilt and patinated bronze quarter chiming musical automaton clock with world time for the Chinese market, English, circa 1800

double sided, the front with a silvered 9½-inch double twelve hour dial with outer ring engraved with world locations enclosing a 6½-inch enamel dial with centre seconds (hand lacking) and outer minute ring enclosing subsidiary dials for hours, minutes, lunar date, chime/silent, regulation and tune indication for six tunes; the rear with 9½-inch time dial, the circular four-train fusee and chain movement with deadbeat escapement, quarter chiming on eight bells and playing one of six tunes on a carillon of eleven bells, the drum surmounted by an eagle perched on a fluted dome housing the hour bell struck by an automaton figure in Eastern dress, supported on slender spiral pillars interspersed with spinning glass rods to simulate falling water, mounted on a galleried cube, the sides painted with various scenes and with an automaton of parading figures to the lower gallery; all supported on a slightly splayed base with ram's mask corners, floral swag and classical female mounts, on boldly cast and chased paw feet, the turntable plinth supported on the backs of four rhinoceri with marble plinths; on a later base,

110cm. high x 60cm. wide x 41cm. deep; 3ft. 7¼in. x 23½in. x 16¼in.