226 - Carriage clock. France, late 19th–early 20th century.

Carriage clock. France, late 19th–early 20th century. Brass and glass. Enameled dial, signed “Boullier/Bourges.” With a key. The dial has a hairline crack. The side and back panels have been replaced with transparent plastic plates. It does not work and requires restoration. Measurements: 15.5 x 8.5 x 7.5 cm. Provenance: Estate of Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló. Artistic and heritage collection originating in the legacy of Catalan painters Ramon Martí Alsina (1826–1894), a seminal figure of 19th-century Catalan Realism, and his son Ricard Martí Aguiló (1857–1935). Passed down and enriched across successive generations, the collection brings together works from the original holdings of both artists alongside acquisitions made by their descendants. Dedicated to preserving and recovering the family legacy, the descendants actively reacquired works by the painters as they entered the market, progressively expanding the collection to encompass paintings, sculptures, archaeological artifacts, and other items of artistic and historical significance. This clock belongs to the French type of carriage or travel clock, developed especially during the 19th century to offer portable mechanisms protected by compact cases and equipped with a handle. The brass structure, originally glazed on its various sides, allows the mechanism to be viewed and is completed by an upper handle with a sinuous profile. The white dial contrasts large Roman numerals with the small lower dial used to set the alarm, a feature common in the more functional travel timepieces.