Musical pocket watch with 5 bell carillon

Stock No. 1594

S. & C. Joyce
London, 1794
Silver gilt case, 57.5 mm.
Cylinder escapement, musical train with carillon, clockwatch

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This is a very rare late 18th century London musical/clockwatch with a very early example of a 5 bell carillon, playing 2 tunes.

WATCH MOVEMENT : A gilt movement with cylinder escapement and going train. Centre seconds. Small balance cock with diamond endstone. Beautifully engraved top plate, signed :
‘S. & C. JOYCE Lombard Strt, London, Invt. & Fecit’ and numbered ‘651’.

The minute and hour wheels are missing, though the movement is in excellent condition, and is running well.

MUSICAL MOVEMENT : 5 bell carillon, 5 hammers, with 2 tunes selectable by a lever at 2. Driven by a sprocket barrel and regulated by a flywheel on the top plate. Separate going train.

The musical movement itself is complete and in good condition. It can be manually triggered by a lever on the dial plate but any linkage to the watch wheels is missing. The hammers all work, striking the individual bells, but a little dull (the bells probably need to be adjusted).

CLOCKWATCH MOVEMENT : Again a separate going train, striking 2 of the 5 bells, with separate hammers. The strike can be activated manually from the dial plate, but again the linkage to the watch wheels is missing.

DIAL : White enamel dial, in good condition with a few light scratches, and some fading/wear around the edge between 4 and 6. Hands missing.

CASE : Silver gilt, hallmarked for London, 1794, maker IR. Engraved and pierced, with levers at 2 and 3 for selecting the tune and to stop/start the music.

There is a hole on the top of the pendant, presumably missing a button to activate the music. The watch may have originally have had an outer case

The case is in good condition, with just a little wear to the gilding,
The hinge is fine and the bezel closes correctly. The high dome crystal is good.

S. & C. Joyce are listed at Lombard Street, London, from 1790 until 1825.