France, Comtoise clock, 8 day, time and strike with alarm, weight driven movement with rare Maillet (or Mayet) escapement and unusual double vertical rack strike in a posted iron frame, cast brass dial with profile of young Louis XV with inset white

France, Comtoise clock, 8 day, time and strike with alarm, weight driven movement with rare Maillet (or Mayet) escapement and unusual double vertical rack strike in a posted iron frame, cast brass dial with profile of young Louis XV with inset white enamel cartouches with blue Roman numerals, alarm ring with Arabic numerals, single pierced iron hand, brass spandrels above and pivoted winding arbor shutters below, all topped with a pierced brass fronton with floral motif. There are fine cracks within several of the enamel panels. The dial casting and pierced fronton have some scratches, but are in good condition. The clock strikes the hours and the alarm on the large upper bell. The half hours are struck on the small lower bell. The larger bell is embossed with the name "Joseph Dubois ". There is light rust on some of the iron components of the movement. Iron fly with four blades. Nicely turned iron bell posts.Suspension shroud measures 3.5 inches in height. Back movement cover and both side doors are absent. No pendulum. This clock has a rare escapement attributed by Tardy in his work on "La Pendule Louis XV" to Maillet (also spelled "Mayet ") of Morbier. The escapement features a recoil type of escape wheel with the pallets similar to those found on verge escapements, but each mounted to independent arbors that are connected to each other by a pivoted linkage. The Mayet family is credited with developing the first Morbier/Comtoise clocks in the late 17th Century. The clock also has a rare strike system in which the commonly found vertical rack for gathering up the hours is supplemented with a second vertical rack that is engaged by the rack hook. This clock was sold by Ivoire Saint-Etienne on October 13th, 2012 as lot number 29.