A FINE AND RARE GEORGE III MAHOGANY AND ORMOLU MOUNTED PETITE SONNERIE MINIATURE TABLE CLOCK SIGNED MARRIOTT, LONDON, CIRCA 1785, of small size, the arched case surmounted by a pagoda top and flambeau finial, the sides of the case with pierced gilt bronze frets with later velvet lining, cast with Rocailles and C scrolls, raised on four paw feet, the hinged front door with shell cresting opening to the arched mask with gilt pierced spandrels and mounts, the white enamelled dial with Roman chapter ring and Arabic five minute markers, with subsidiary strike / silent dial, the back of the case with conforming gilt mounts, the quarter striking movement with shouldered plates, with verge escapement, striking the hours on a single bell and the quarters 'ting tang' on two bells, once for quarter past, twice for half past and three times for quarter to, the backplate finely engraved with a vase of flowers terminating in scrolling acanthus leaves and a cartouche, signed 'Marriott London',

40cm high

The clock is ticking and chiming but not fully tested or guaranteed.

A very similar late 18th century clock also signed Marriott to the backplate, the case of burr elm rather than mahogany and of miniature size at 40cm high, was sold at Sotheby's, London, 25 April 2007, lot 76, £33,000.

John Marriott of Fleet Street was apprenticed in 1755 and Free of the Clockmakers' Company from 1768 until his death in 1824. He is known to have produced musical clocks for Chinese Export and for the Turkish market, in ornate cases representing those styles. An elaborate musical and automaton clock by Marriott is in the Palace Museum, Beijing.