Striking Mahogany Bracket Clock – James McCabe No. 1886

James McCabe of Royal Exchange, London. Numbered 1886. A fine mahogany case with brass pineapple finial to the shallow pyramid capped tablet upstand, over slender cavetto cornice, fluted frieze and brass fillet bordered quadrant panel infill around the dial, the sides with foliate decorated brass rosette ring handles over brass fish scale rectangular sound frets. The rear with rectangular glazed door, on moulded skirt base with conforming fluted band to upper margin and brass ball feet. The 8-inch circular cream painted convex Roman numeral dial further signed James McCabe, Royal Exchange, London, 1886 with finely blued steel moon hands set behind hinged cast brass convex glazed bezel. The five pillar twin chain fusee bell striking movement, using a rack and snail striking system with shouldered plates and anchor escapement, regulated by lenticular bob pendulum. The backplate signed James McCabe, Royal Exchange London over engraved serial number 1886 and pendulum holdfast bracket. Provenance: Purchased from Asprey, London, 21st October 1987 for £4,400. James McCabe junior succeeded his father of the same name, he was one of the most successful English clock and watchmakers of the 19th century. He was apprenticed to Reid and Auld of Edinburgh and was admitted to the Clockmaker’s Company as a Free Brother in 1822. Around this time McCabe entered into short lived partnership with Strahan (probably Charles who gained his freedom of the Clockmaker’s Company in 1815). From 1826 James McCabe managed the business alone from 97 Cornhill until 1838 when he was forced to temporarily relocate to 32 Cornhill due to a major fire at the Royal Exchange. Serviced and guaranteed for 3 years. Provenance: Private collection – U.K.