Clocks and garnitures
Mesuring time, a good excuse to make extroardinary decorative pieces. The French were especially creative when it came to make mantel clocks, garnitures or cartel clocks. The finest material was used by the clockmakers, collaborating with artists, manufactories and goldsmiths. Here is our selection.
Skeleton "portique" clock, Pilard in Troyes
Rare portique skeleton pendulum clock with three dials and annular movement.
Size: H 41cm x W 20cm
Signed under the central dail for the clockmaker Pilard in Troyes (France).
Astronomical skeleton clock att. to Sarton Hubert
Skeleton portico clock in brass, ormolu and black marble of the late 18th century.
Skeleton clock, Lepaute à Paris
a skeleton pendulum clock with four dials, white marble and magnificent golden bronzes.
A small Sevres porcelain and gild bronze mantel garniture
Charming and small garniture composed by a central clock and two candlesticks. The clock is surmoutend by a porcelain urn mounted on bronze. Lions' heads surrounding the dial with roman numerals, decorated with angles.
Boulle cartel clock, Balthazar à Paris
Large Boulle marquetry and gilt bronze carte clock signed on the dial "Balthazar à Paris". Rare gilt bronzes figuring a peacock and a large bird. Beautiful marquetry of red tortoise shell and brass.
Rosewood Portico clock with matching urns,
Beautiful and rare set of a portico clock wiht matching urns. Rosewood veneer and lemonwood inlays. Grotesque style marquetry. Gilt bronze and dial in silvered bronze with roman numbers. Pendulum also in gilt bronze.
"Study and Philosophy" Pendulum clock
Important mantel clock personifying the Study and the Philosophy. White enamel dial with roman numerals for the hours, Arabic numerals for the minutes, signed Colieau. On either side of the dial are seated two figures in brown patin
Empire Lapis blue porcelain Vase Clock, Darte Frères in Paris
Pendulum clock in a porcelain urn with gilded neoclassical decoration, like horns of plenty and angles riding a chariot to deliver the torch of passion and a love letter. Deep blue ground. Dolphins handles. Paw feet.
Arch pendulum clock, skeleton movement, GASTON Joly in Paris
Arch pendulum clock with skeleton movement of the late 18th century. Apparent movement in chiselled and gilded bronze; it presents four polychrome enamelled dials: in the center one with hours, minutes and the month's dates.
Pendulum clock "Au bon Sauvage", "America", Ledun in Paris
Fantastic gilt and patinated bronze ‘Pendule au bon sauvage, l’Amerique’ signed on the movement “Ledun à Paris”. White enamel dial with Arabic numerals and a fine pierced gilt brass hands for the hours and minutes.
Cartel Clock, Joseph Dupressoir in Paris
Stunning 18th century cartel clock in Boulle marquetry. Signed by Joseph Dupressoir, clockmaker master in 1745. Paris
Measurement: H 100cm x W 47cm x D 20cm
French School
Orion and the scorpion pendulum clock
Beautiful figurative Empire pendulum clock representing a scene from Greek mythology: Orion being stung by a scorpion. Fire-gilded and patinated bronze. Silver dial with Roman numerals. String suspension. Paris 1810.
Roman warrior clock in gilt bronze
Roman warrior holding up a shield with the inscription "Pour la plus belle", translating for the most beautiful one. Next to him, an altar sign of awareness. The entire clock is in gilt bronze.
The Astronomy pendulum clock, gilt bronze
Allegorical clock representing Urania, the muse of the astronomy. She holds the celestial globe and a scientific instrument, her attributes since antiquity.
She is looking up, on her left a book represents encyclopedial knowledge.
Allegory of the Arts Clock
Large pendulum clock in gilt bronze and porcelain plates.
Two children are posing representing the arts of painting and music. In the center, a clock surmounted by a vase.
"The spinner" bisque Clock
A rare white and bleu bisque "borne" clock depicting a sitting spinner on top. The large white enamle dial and the refined gilded bronze decoration.
Paris, factory of Nast circa 1800, French Consultat period.
Louis XVIth style Mantel Garniture
Beautiful mantel garniture with clock and chandeliers. Marble, glass and gilt bronze,
the enamel dial is delicatly decorated with painted garlands of flowers. Fine bronze chasing.
Little pendulum clock "Angel by the fontain"
Lovely pendulum clock in white bisque. An angel is filling his hands with water by the fontain. The clock imitates brics. Bronze ring around the enamel dial. Bronze feet.
Measurements: H 27cm x W 21cm x P 10cm
Angle and tambourin bisque Clock, Paris
Large figural clock on rococo base depicting an angle smashing on a clock in the shape of a tambourine. Colored bisque, gilt enhancements, beautiful details and dynamic movement of the scene.
Erato and Callipe pendulum clock, Denière in Paris
Large and beautiful figural pendulum clock in bronze and white marble. Two antique muses, Erato and Calliope, goddesses of Lyric and Epic poetry, are standing graciously together holding hands.
Mantel garniture in black marble and gilt bronze
Mantel garniture with clock and candlesticks in gilt bronze and black marble. The clock is sourmounted by a Venus and Cupid gilt bronze group. The candlesticks are lifted by two female antique figures. Black marble bases.
A figural pendulum clock in gilt bronze
Clock depicting Julius Ceasar represented as antique philosopher.
His fist is clamped, he holds a document in his hand, next to him a sword and an urn of parchments.
Beautiful dial. The clock is entirely in gilt bronze.