French Figural Harp Clock with Putto and Garnitures
You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.
Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item
When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.
- Putto / Putti / Amorino / Amorini - A putto (plural: putti) or amerino (plural: amerini) is a cherub or cupid frequently appearing in both mythological and religious paintings and sculpture, especially of the Renaissance and Baroque periods and later used as a decorative element in the design of furniture, ceramics, statuary etc. They are usually depicted as chubby males, or of indeterminate gender, often with wings. Their depiction may represent an association with love, heaven, peace or prosperity.
- Pendulum - The pendulum was discovered around 1602 by Galileo Galilei, and was adopted for time keeping by the Dutch mathematician and natural philosopher, Christiaan Huygens, who excelled in astronomy, physics, and horology.
The pendulum comprises a metal rod usually of brass or steel with a metal disk, known as a bob, at the end. The movement of the pendulum is driven by weights or a spring, and as a pendulum swings in a regular arc, it was found accuracy could be controlled to within a few seconds a week.
Timekeeping can be adjusted by changing the height of the bob on the rod, making the pendulum either swing slower or faster.
The disadvantage of the pendulum was that changes in temperature also changed the length of the pendulum, interfering with the accuracy of the clock, and so in the 18th century two types of mercurial pendulums were invented which countered the movement in the steel rod.
The pendulum was the world's most accurate timekeeping technology until the invention of the quartz clock, regulated by a quartz crystal, in 1927.
This item has been included into following indexes:
Visually similar items
A French 19th century white marble clock and bronzed garniture, the clock surmounted by a woman and child on a step base, with conforming baluster shape side pieces. 43 cm high
Antique French cold painted spelter mantle clock and garnitures, has pendulum and key, clock 57 cm high, 40 cm wide, 22 cm deep (3)
Antique French figural mantle clock & garnitures, on marble bases, the clock mounted with a maiden and Putto, garnitures in the form of lidded urns, has pendulum (in office), no key, clock 38 cm high, 41 cm wide, 20 cm deep (3)
A decorative French black marble mantel clock, with bronze hunting cherub figure above. 46 cm high.